Topics for Critical Analysis, Discussion, and Writing
1. In Garvey’s story, the President of the United States awakened to find an intruder going through his clothes with the intention of robbing him. Why didn’t Mr. Coolidge summon the Secret Service guards just outside the room? Why did he bargain with the young man? Wouldn’t it have been a good example for other thieves if Mr. Coolidge had had the burglar arrested?
2. How do you suppose this incident affected the burglar’s life? What did Mr. Coolidge do for this young man that was far more important than not having him arrested or helping him to escape? Was the President’s faith in the youth justified?
3. Write a narrative about this incident from the point of view of the young man. Discuss his reasons for committing the burglary and his feelings before and after he was caught. Was it in his best interests to make a "deal" with the President? Would the youth have learned more if he had been punished by the law?
4. How would you handle it if you awoke in the middle of the night to find someone methodically searching your clothes and room for valuables? Would you try to dissuade the thief? If so, how? If not, why not?
5. Are burglars today any different from those of fifty years ago? Explain.
Description: Using the Senses and the Imagination
Description, the last of the three major forms of writing, sometimes is used to make the other two—exposition and narration—more lively and interesting. In fact, each of the three types is frequently dependent upon the others to ensure the reader’s understanding and enjoyment. Most expository writing includes some narration or description; straight narration relies heavily on description and often employs exposition; description is regularly enhanced by narration and exposition. Therefore, don’t feel that you must totally separate the three forms in your own essays.