Re:How to Write with Style (Kurt Vonnegut)
by maryrosecook on Saturday July 19, 2008 @03:08PM
(#250810)
I've come to value structuring an argument so that it mimics the process of reaching the conclusion.
For example, I might write an essay on gender. When I start, I might think that there are two genders: male and female. By the end, I might have concluded that gender is meaningless. If I stopped there, my essay would be: gender is meaningless because a, b and c.
However, I find it more interesting to rewrite and end up with a journey through my abandoned conclusions. This allows the reader to reason along with me as they read, thus strengthening my conclusion. For example:
1. There are two genders: male and female because a and b.
2. a and b are faulty because c and d. Gender as a continuum between male and female fits with c and d.
3. c and d are unsound because e and f and g. Gender as a vector of n points on n continuums might work.
For example, I might write an essay on gender. When I start, I might think that there are two genders: male and female. By the end, I might have concluded that gender is meaningless. If I stopped there, my essay would be: gender is meaningless because a, b and c.
However, I find it more interesting to rewrite and end up with a journey through my abandoned conclusions. This allows the reader to reason along with me as they read, thus strengthening my conclusion. For example:
1. There are two genders: male and female because a and b.
2. a and b are faulty because c and d. Gender as a continuum between male and female fits with c and d.
3. c and d are unsound because e and f and g. Gender as a vector of n points on n continuums might work.
4. ...