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vi Contents

Writing: The Composing Process 31

The Traditional Linear Model 31

Stages in Essay Writing 33

Pre-writing 33
Research 36
Organization 38
Composing: First Draft 41
Revising: Final Draft 43

Rhetorical Modes of Discourse 45

Expository versus Argumentative Essays 46
Narration and Description 47
Chapter Summary 49

3 Essay and Paragraph Essentials 50

The Essay: An Analytical Model 51
Kinds of Claims 51
Support: Evidence and Credibility 52

Essay and Paragraph Structure 60

Topic Sentence 60
Paragraph Wrap as Conclusion 62
Connecting Paragraphs by Using a Transition 62

Paragraph Fundamentals 63
Unity 63
Coherence 64

Specialized Paragraphs: Introduction and Conclusion 71

The Introduction 71
The Conclusion 83

Developing Your Essay through Substantial Paragraphs 85

Rhetorical Patterns 85

Essays Using a Primary Pattern 92

Primary versus Secondary Patterns 92

Chapter Summary 98

4 Responding to Texts: Summaries and Analyses 99

Summaries, Analysis, and Research Papers 100
Summary: The Précis 101
The Value of a Summary 101
Pointers for Précis Writing 101
Précis Planning 103
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Contents vii

The Critical Analysis 105

Reading and Other Planning Strategies 106
Writing Strategies 107
Sample Essay for Critical Analysis 107

Chapter Summary 112

5 The Argumentative Essay 113

Everyday Arguments 114
Rhetoric and Argument 114
Aristotle and Argument 114

Argumentative Purpose 117

1. Defending Your Point of View 117
2. Seeking a Change 117
3. Promoting a Consensus 117
4. Drawing Attention to a Problem/Raising Awareness 117
5. Reaching a Common Understanding 118
6. Interpreting a Text 118
Combining Argumentative Purposes 118

Arguable Claims 120

Opinion, Facts, and Argument 120
Specific, Interesting, and Manageable Claims 122
Specific Claim 122
Interesting Claim 122
Manageable Claim 123
Kinds of Evidence 124
Working Your Claim: The Rational Basis of Argument 124
Inductive Reasoning 125
Deductive Reasoning 125
Solidifying the Claim through the Warrant 127

Strategies for Argument and Rebuttal 127

Strategies for Arguments 127
Strategies for Rebuttal 131

Categories of Faulty Reasoning 136

Logical, Emotional, and Ethical Fallacies 137
Slanted Language 140

Organizing an Outline for Argument 142

Rhetorical Function of Parts 142

Sample Argumentative Essays 143

1. Sample Student Argumentative Essay—MLA Style 144
2. Sample Student Argumentative Essay—APA Style 147
3. Sample Professional Essay 150

Chapter Summary 153

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viii Contents

6 The Literary Essay 154

General Features of Literary Essays 155
Kinds of Literary Essays 156
Text-Centred and Context-Centred Approaches 156

On the Road to the Rough Draft 156

Method for Developing an Outline or a Draft 158
Two Tips for Analyzing Literature 159
Theory into Practice: A Sample Poetry Analysis 160

The Literary Genres: Poetry, the Short Story,

the Novel, and Drama 163
How to Approach a Poem 163
Fictional Forms 169
How to Approach Drama 173

The Literary Research Essay 175

Primary and Secondary Sources 175
Drafting and Revising the Literary Essay 177
Sample Student Literary Research Essay–MLA Style 180

Chapter Summary 184

PART II Research Guide 185

7 Writing a Research Essay 186
Exposition, Synthesis, and Research 187
Stages in the Research Process 188
Research: Finding and Exploring 188
Synthesis (I): Assimilation 188
Organization: Arranging 189
Synthesis (II): Composing 190
Documenting: Following Procedures 190

What Is Research? 192

Reliability of Sources 193
Finding a Research Question 195
Researching Your Topic 197
The Research Proposal 199
A Simple Proposal: Purpose and Methodology 199
Sample Research Proposal 200

Research Note-Taking 201

Organizing Research Notes 201
Some Useful Research Strategies 202

The Search Is On: Locating and Using Sources 203

Primary and Secondary Sources 203
Online Searches 205
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Contents ix

The Value of Library Research 208

Alternative Information Sources 210

Using Sources in the Composing Stage 211

Summary 211
Paraphrase 212
The Annotated Bibliography 212
Source Citation and Plagiarism 213
Methods of Integrating Sources 217

Outline for a Research Essay 222

Sample Student Essay 225
The Scholarly Essay 228

Chapter Summary 237

8 Documentation Styles 238

Why Document Your Sources? 239
Choosing Your Documentation Style 240

The Major Documentation Styles: MLA and APA 241

MLA Documentation Style 241
APA Documentation Style 252
CMS Documentation (Notes) Style 263

Chapter Summary 270

PART III Handbook 271

9 Achieving Clarity and Depth in Your Writing 272
Effective Style: Clarity 273
Cutting for Concision 274
Writing Directly 280
Working toward Precision: Wise Word Choices 289
Revising for Concision, Directness, and Diction: A Sample
Student Draft 294

Providing Depth: Variety and Emphasis 296

Sentence Variety 296
Sample Essay for Rhetorical Analysis 300

Chapter Summary 306

10 Sentence Essentials 307

Grammatical Groundwork 308
Introducing . . . the Parts of Speech 308
The Parts of Speech at Work 309
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x Contents

Introducing . . . the Sentence 316

What Is a Sentence? 316
The Invisible-Subject Sentence 317
Two Types of Sentence Fragments 318

Introducing . . . Phrases and Clauses 324

Phrases 324
Clauses 326
Sentence Types 327
Errors of Combining 330

Chapter Summary 334

11 Punctuation and Apostrophes 335

Commas: Do They Really Matter? 336
Rule Category 1: Items in a Series 336
Rule Category 2: Independent Clauses 337
Rule Category 3: Parenthetical Information 339
Rule Category 4: Conventional and “Comma Sense” Uses 340

Other Forms of Punctuation 345

Semicolon 345
Colon 348
Dashes and Parentheses 349

The Apostrophe 354

1. Apostrophe for Possessive Case 354
2. Apostrophe to Show Contraction 355

Chapter Summary 357

12 Agreement, Pronouns, Modifiers, and Parallelism 358

Agreement 359
Subject–Verb Agreement 359
Pronoun–Antecedent Agreement 363
Problematic Pronouns: Inclusive Language 364

Pronoun Reference 367

Pronoun Case 371
Personal Pronoun 371
Relative Pronoun 373
Interrogative Pronoun 374
Pronoun Consistency 375

Sentence Construction Errors 376

Misplaced Modifiers 376
Dangling Modifiers 379
The Parallelism Principle 381

Chapter Summary 386

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Contents xi

APPENDIX A Proofreading: Perfection Is Possible 387

Proofreading Methods 387
Guidelines for Proofreading 388
Common Errors 388

Essay Presentation 388

APPENDIX B The In-Class Essay or Examination Essay 390

Recall 390
Organization and Time Management 391
Adaptability 391

APPENDIX C A Checklist for EAL Writers 394

Adjectives 394
Adjectives as Participles 395
Adjectives and Present Participles versus Past Participles 395
Comparatives and Superlatives 395
Plural Nouns as Adjectival Phrases Concerning Distance, Money, and Time 395
Relative (Adjectival) Clauses 396

Adverbs 396
Adverbs with Adjectives 396
Comparative and Superlative of Adverbs 396

Articles—A, An, and The 396

The Indefinite Article 397
The Definite Article 398

Nouns 400
Every + Noun 401
Gerunds 401
Kind(s) of/Type(s) of + Noun 401
Uncountable and Countable Nouns 402
Prepositions 403

Verbs 403
Verbs as Modal Auxiliaries 404
Similar Verbs and Nouns 405
Verbs and Prepositions 405
Verbs and Their Subjects (subject–verb agreement) 411
Verb Tenses 411
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xii Contents

APPENDIX D Peer Edit Forms 412

Peer Edit Form: Formal Outline 412
Peer Edit Form: Research Essay First Draft 414
Peer Edit Form: Argumentative Essay First Draft 416
Peer Edit Form: Literary Essay First Draft 418

APPENDIX E Answers to Exercises 420

Glossary 437
Index 445
Credits 453
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Readings
SAMPLE PROFESSIONAL ESSAYS
Daniel Wood, “Embrace the Mediocrity Principle” 19
Jeff Halperin, “House Plants Are Better Than Dogs” 96
Candace Savage, “Biodiversity” 103
Andrew Nikiforuk, “Tarmageddon: Dirty Oil Is Turning Canada into a Corrupt Petro-state” 107
David D. Perlmutter, “Why Politicians Should Be More Like Professors” 151
B. J. Casey and Kristina Caudle, “The Teenage Brain: Self Control” 229
Michael Ignatieff, excerpt from Fire and Ashes 300

SAMPLE STUDENT ESSAYS

Tina Lalonde, “Critical Analysis of “Tarmageddon: Dirty Oil Is Turning Canada into a Corrupt
Petro-state” by Andrew Nikiforuk” 110

Dalton Anderson, “The Gluten-Free Epidemic” 144

Brydon Kramer, “Should Veiling Be Banned in the Courtroom?” 147

Kaja Vessey, “Mystery or Mastery? Robert Frost’s ‘Stopping by Woods

on a Snowy Evening’” 162

Kiyuri Naicker, “Gilman’s ‘The Yellow Wallpaper’ and Roethke’s ‘My Papa’s Waltz’: An Exploration
of Ambivalence” 181

Iain Lawrence, “The Impact of Sport on Levels of Inappropriate Childhood Aggression” 225

Kristen Carlton, Sample In-Class Student Essay 392

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xiv Contents

From the Publisher

Oxford University Press is proud to bring you Writing by Choice, the definitive text on writing and com-
position for today’s students. Developed not just to teach the basics of writing but to empower students
to write well, Writing by Choice encourages students to make appropriate choices in their writing by
giving them the tools and the knowledge to do so.
This third edition is clearly divided into three parts: a rhetoric with an integrated reader, a research
guide, and a grammar and style handbook. The new chapter structure includes learning objectives,
marginal definitions and cross-references, current examples, and chapter summaries. The text contin-
ues to give detailed treatment to expository, argumentative, and literary essays, illustrating key princi-
ples through sample professional and student essays as well as individual and group exercises.
Writing by Choice remains the first choice for engaging students in a comprehensive, widely applica-
ble approach to developing their writing skills and thinking critically about how—and why—they write.

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE THIRD EDITION

RUCT UR ...
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k
PART III Handboo
386
s, com-
kind of error (serie
errors. Identify each
contain parallelism fix the errors.
The sentences below comparison) and
EX ERCI SE pound, correlative
conjunction, or
, persistent, and
must be a good listener.
alist is inquisitive how you feel.
1. A good journ hts, emotions, and
12 .12 2. Music can direc
tly affect your thoug
and writing abou
t the role of wom
en in the military.
sias-
to I will be looking leader must be enthu
Check answers 3. In this essay, that a leade r must possess: a
select questions main qualities
4. There are three lack
tic, organized, and
have creativity.
nega tive ways since children often
a variet y of
affect children in
5. Television can uenced.

5
us, and easily infl her wardrobe.

ve
curio by

The Argumentati
natur ally impre ssed
judgment, are have ever had, but
also I was
the best teacher I
6. She was not only be good at golf.
has and never will enjoy watching
television.
7. Aman never le choose to or
reasons why peop es, researching car-
8. There are many renew able energy sourc
at global warming
by using duals.
we can do as indivi
9. We can help comb all the little things

Essay stratio n, starting carbon taxes, and cy on the institutional envi-

bon seque a dependen
time can result in nal identity.
soned for a long be a loss of perso
10. Being impri l relati onsh ips, and there can he choo ses
meaningfu on the doomed
ship,
ronment, a lack of r jumping or to stay
the choice of eithe
11. When Jim has patience
to jump. to work well together but also
ren not only
ation teaches child
12. Physical educ ically harms
and discipline. h-care costs, phys
use it raises healt damages the
ld be banned beca ette production
rsity classrooms 13. Smoking shou and because cigar
ds beyond unive non-smok ers,
is a skill that exten ever, suc- both smokers and
argue effectively walks of life. How violence, de-
earning how to nt and into many reduce the risk of
L into the practical
cessful argument
world of employme
involves much more
than just stating your opini
choic es depe
on and backing
nding on your purpo
it up,
se for ar-
environment.
14. Allowing prost
itution in controlled
abuse , and
environments will
even combats disea
se through regul
ar testing.
was his expre ssive style.
ved: it involves maki
ng
how to combine
the crease drug composers
times belie will learn different from other
as is some . In this chap ter, you uce Beethoven’s music
nce, and your topic uced here to prod 15. What made
guing, your audie strategies introd
chapter 1 with the
skills discussed in
critical-thinking
ents.
convincing argum

ARY
CHAP TER SUMM ter will enhance your
abilit y to write gram
mat-

ECTIVES s covered in this chap in which a subject

Study ing the topic nt illogical errors
LEARNING OBJ ls and their contribution
for agreement will preve oun errors are
important argumentative mode ically. Applying the
rules
it repla ces do not match up. Pron
• to understand three oun and the noun
of pronouns and their
func-
to written argum
ents today your and its verb or a pron different categories clauses.
to be able to plan nderstanding the within sentences or
ive purposes and often caused by misu
erent argumentat y pronoun functions to read or
to be aware of diff nce in mind on pronouns clarif nce more difficult
•
purpose and audie ctive tions; the sections errors can make a sente
essay with both more than subje paral lelism
Finally, modifier and
on
ble claims are based what the writer intended.
d that valid argua different from
• to understan sing viewpoint even mean something
ly have an oppo
standards and usual to a succe ssful argument
can contr ibute
kinds of evidence and ethical
• to learn what ing emotional
strategies, includ ent
t argumentative strengthen their argum
• to learn abou rt their claims and
to writers to suppo o-
appeals, available logic al fallac ies, which are categ
how to reaso n logically and avoid
• to learn
d reasoning
ries of false or invali

The new chapter structure includes learning objectives,

current examples, and end-of-chapter summaries.
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From the Publisher

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/207/OUPB021/work/indd

/207/OUPB021/work/indd 324 PART III Handbook

Helpful margin notes include definitions of key terms and

➔ To find out INTRODUCING . . . PHRASES AND CLAUSES
more about
Phrases and clauses are grammatical units within the sentence. Prepositions introduce
writing tips. Definitions also appear in the glossary at the end conjunctions, see
page 315.
phrases that as a unit join nouns and pronouns to the rest of the sentence.

of the book. Phrases

A PHRASE is a
group of two or
more grammatically
linked words which,
lacking a subject
and/or predicate,
can be thought of
as functioning as a
single part of speech.
ADVERBIALLY
means acting as an
Phrases function as nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs. When they act as these parts
of speech, it is important to remember that they do so as a unit, though each word within
the unit may be made up of a different part of speech and have a function distinct from
that of the unit itself.
Phrases | function as a unit within the sentence.
As a unit and within the sentence are functioning as adverbs, modifying the verb func-
tion. (Recall that adverbs modify verbs.) The first phrase answers the question how while
the second answers the question where of the verb. But though each phrase is acting
adverbially, the individual words within the unit have distinct functions, none of which
is adverbial.
as 5 preposition

➔
adverb. within 5 preposition

When you use ADJECTIVALLY

means acting as an
a 5 indefinite article
the 5 definite article
transitional adjective.
unit 5 noun (object of preposition as)
sentence 5 noun (object of preposition within)
words or phrases Prepositional Phrases

to connect one Prepositional phrase units act as either adverbs or adjectives. As you’ve seen above, a
group of words that includes more than one part of speech can, as a unit, modify a verb.
It is then said to be functioning adverbially (as an adverb) within the sentence.
idea to the next, She drove me into town so I could do my laundry.

be careful to The prepositional phrase into town begins with the preposition into and is followed by
the noun town, the object of the preposition. But if you look at the phrase as a unit, you
can see that into town is functioning as an adverb modifying the verb drove by explain-

The new signpost punctuate correctly. ing where the action took place: “Drove where? Into town.”
Similarly, a group of words can modify a noun or pronoun, in which case it is func-
See chapter 11, tioning adjectivally (as an adjective). Consider the prepositional phrases (indicated by
margin notes contain underlining) in these sentences:

Semicolon (p. 345) An obsession with Star Wars | led to her career as an astronomer.
cross-references for “With Star Wars” is a prepositional phrase that gives us more information about (i.e.,
for punctuation modifies) the noun obsession. It is functioning as an adjective.
easier navigation. with 5 preposition
rules governing Star Wars 5 proper noun (object of preposition with)

transitional words
and phrases.

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144 PART I Rhetoric with Integrated Reader

4 Responding to Texts: Summaries and Analyses 105

1. Sample Student Argumentative Essay—MLA Style

SAMPLE STUDENT ESSAY SAMPLE STUDENT SUMMARY

The Gluten-Free Epidemic Summary of “Biodiversity”

by Dalton Anderson by Candace Savage

Use a dictionary and a
[1] Gluten-free dieting has been one of the most popular health trends in the last de- Although only one word, “biodiversity” describes the wondrous variety of life on our unique thesaurus to help you
change the wording
cade. This diet has received plenty of attention from health enthusiasts who claim eating planet surrounded by the barrenness of space. The author believes that life today is more of the original. Ensure
gluten-free is one of the easiest ways to lose weight. Even professional athletes, such as the diverse than ever, but our insatiable demands are degrading our biodiversity. Three over- that the word is the best
NBA’s Steve Nash and tennis star Novak Djokavic, have jumped on the gluten-free bandwag- lapping standards can measure species stability, beginning with simple numbers: many replacement; otherwise,
Anderson’s thesis your summary could be
expresses a value
on (Gulli 58). Studies have confirmed that eating gluten-free benefits the small percentage species—of birds, mammals, amphibians, and fish—are nearing extinction today. While unclear.
claim. However, in his of the population afflicted with Celiac Disease, but there is no indication that gluten-free an inevitable part of nature’s cycles, extinction becomes threatening when species loss is
conclusion, he goes is beneficial to the average, healthy consumer. In fact, evidence suggests that eating glu- disproportionate to species gain. Second, species are losing their genetic variability, which In paragraph 2, the
beyond this to make a
ten-free can be detrimental to a consumer’s wallet and well-being. aids in adaptation by encoding richnesss into species
speci DNA. Third,
i planetary life, including author expresses her
recommendation to his
[2] There is only one rule to the gluten-free diet: consumers can eat whatever they point about biodiversity
readers. l
human life, creati as ecosystems
will become less adaptable and creative s are less able to pro-
today as a probability,
wish, but their food cannot contain gluten. This problematic protein is constructed from vide forr our basic needs. We must, therefore,
efore, safeguard
e safe v
biodiversity for our sake and our not as a fact. The
gliadin and glutenin (Boissonneault et al. 13). Gluten is essential to many baking techniques summary phrasing
n
children’s.
because it supports the structure for pastries and other wheat products. Interestingly, glu- acknowledges her
rhetorical purpose.
Although this paragraph ten is also found in products that the average consumer wouldn’t imagine having a con-
gives mostly background nection to gluten, such as soy sauce, hot dogs, beer, and toothpaste (Gulli 55). Therefore, Concision and clarity are essential in Th
The summary writer uses parallel phrasing
information, Anderson effective summaries. You should experiment to improve clarity. Transitions are used
efficiently makes an
the common availability of gluten-containing foods makes a gluten-free diet very diffi-
with different phrasing, ensuring that your spa
a
sparingly to help with sentence flow.
argumentative point in cult to follow, especially considering that bread is the most consumed product in every
prose can be understood by the average
the last sentence. country (Troncone, Auricchio, and Granata 330). reader.
[3] Dr. William Davis was the first pioneer for the gluten-free revolution. Davis’s book,
Wheat Belly, promises that by removing wheat (and, therefore, gluten) from the reader’s
diet, the reader will “lose 20, 30, or 50 pounds just within the first few weeks” (10). The
solution is simple: “eliminate the wheat, eliminate the problem” (12). Since the release of
Wheat Belly, the popularity of gluten-free dieting has skyrocketed. Twenty-five percent
of consumers now look for gluten-free options when shopping (Boissonneault et al. 13).
Gluten-free has grown into a $6.2 billion worldwide market that continues to expand every
day with large companies like Kellogg’s, Campbell, and Domino’s all converting to get a
Examples of student writing provide readers
share of the market. Gluten-free options make up a $90 million market in Canada alone
(Gulli 55). In addition, the market is expected to grow 20% annually for the foreseeable
future (Mitchell 9).
with a peer-focused approach to honing
Anderson uses four
sources in this relatively
short paragraph,
[4] Most of the consumers who make up this emerging market are people who don’t
have a medical requirement to eat gluten-free. Currently, the only portion of the population their skills and developing technique.
carefully placing his restricted to eating gluten-free for life is the small percentage suffering from Celiac Disease.
citations so the reader
is clear on where the
Celiac Disease is a rare autoimmune disease that affects 1% of the population (Zannini et al.
information comes from. 13) and occurs in individuals who are genetically sensitive to gluten (Troncone & Jabri 582).
See chapter 7, page 213, The disease is caused by an irregular reaction of specialized white blood cell to the gliadin
and chapter 8 for more
portion of gluten. Celiacs usually suffer from wheat allergy and gluten sensitivity as well, which
about citations.
are conditions that are more common in the general public (Boissonneault et al. 13). Celiacs
who consume gluten may experience anemia, skin lesions, chronic diarrhea, osteopenia, and
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xvi From the Publisher

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5 The Argumentative Essay 151

After reading the essay, consider

• the writer’s audience
• the journal in which it appeared (the name is given at the end of the essay)
Access the home page of the journal to determine the suitability of the essay for the
target audience. What inference can you make about argumentative purpose from this
information?

SAMPLE PROFESSIONAL ESSAY Professional essays—almost all of them

Why Politicians Should Be More Like Professors

by David D. Perlmutter
The writer introduces
his topic in the first
new—have been selected for currency and
paragraph by means of
[1] As a professor of political communication, I find it fascinating that one of the most
common negative criticisms of President Barack Obama by pundits and politicians is that he
a personal observation.
While using the first
person is not usually
readability.
is too “professorial.” a good way to begin
[2] Personal tone and style have always affected the public’s attitudes toward its an argument, here
it helps Perlmutter
leaders. From speeches by Pericles in Athens to Franklin D. Roosevelt’s fireside chats
establish his credibility
via radio, and, more recently, tweets from Mayor Cory Booker of Newark, N.J., during as an expert in “political
one of this winter’s Northeast blizzards, it’s clear that successful mass communication communication.”

is that which best approximates successful personal communication. The politicians

In this logically
we call “great communicators” are those who can reach a person standing in a gigantic
developed paragraph,
plaza, watching at home on television, or even reading an article shared on Facebook, the writer begins with
and make that person feel (in the proverbial language of the focus-group response) a topic sentence,
as if they were “talking to me personally.” That said, what exactly is wrong with being follows with supporting
examples, and
professorial? concludes with a SAMPLE SCHOLARLY ESSAY
[3] The intellectual distance and aloofness of some professors is often exaggerated question that leads the
as the signature characteristic of a profession practiced by tens of thousands of indi- reader into the next
The Teenage Brain: Self Control The abstract outlines the
paragraph.
viduals in different ways every day. I do know aloof scholars. But I also know charis- problem to be investigated
by B. J. Casey & Kristina Caudle and the focus of the article.
matic and charming ones. And rather than protest against a stereotype, I’d like to offer
Here Perlmutter makes Abstracts of scientific
a counter-argument: We would live in a better world if our political leaders were more a brief concession, experiments often
professorial. acknowledging the Abstract outline the stages of the
partial truth of the Adolescence refers to the transition from childhood to adulthood that begins with the experiment. However, this
[4] Among good professors, facts matter. Take a familiar tale from academe: A professor
stereotype. He places paper reports on the results
is contacted by a legislative staff member to get information on a topic on behalf of a poli- his simple thesis, a
onset of puberty and ends with successful independence from the parent. A paradox for
of many experiments, not
tician. The professor soon discovers that facts are of minor importance, and that the staffer value claim, in the last human adolescence is why, during a time when the individual is probably faster, stronger, just the authors’ own.
is interested only in those numbers, quotes, or cases that support the position already held sentence. of higher reasoning capacity, and more resistant to disease, there is such an increase
by the politician, and will ignore any that contradict it. Instead of taking stances and making in mortality relative to childhood. This is due not to disease but, rather, to preventable
By this statement,
decisions based on careful investigation, as academic researchers do, politicians usually take forms of death (accidental fatalities, suicide, and homicide) associated with adolescents Although this definition of
Perlmutter reveals
008612_11_11.indd
stands basedPage
on342 24/12/14 7:22research
cherry-picked PM f403 and pre-approved talking points that echo existing argumentative purpose:
/207/OUPB021/work/indd putting themselves in harm’s way, in part because of diminished self-control—the abil- adolescence might seem
raising awareness, or ity to suppress inappropriate emotions, desires, and actions. This article highlights how unnecessary, the authors
party ideologies and pander to donors and voting constituencies.
considering a new return to the idea that
self-control varies as a function of age, context, and the individual and delineates its “successful independence”
The paragraph is developed partly perspective on a familiar
topic. neurobiological basis. can be considered an
through an illustration. However, like
adaptive mechanism that
most of the paragraphs in the essay,
compare and contrast is the primary Introduction equips adolescents for
adulthood. See paragraphs
organizational method. [1] During adolescence, people are probably the quickest that they will ever be; their
3, 4, and 17.
crushes will never be better, and their thrills will never quite be the same. That’s the
good news. The bad news is that during this time, relative to childhood, their chances
of dying from putting themselves in harm’s way will increase by 200% (Dahl, 2001). This

The readings include paragraph

numbers, encouraging students to refer
to specific text in their analyses.

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Add commas to the following sentences if required, and name the rule category that ap-
EXERCISE plies. There is one comma rule to apply in each sentence.

11.1 1. After her inaugural speech several members of the House rose to congratulate her.

Check answers to
select questions
2.
3.
4.
The optional package includes bucket seats dual speakers and air-conditioning.
We have collected more than $20,000 and there is a week remaining in our campaign.
Metaphors similes and personification all are examples of figurative language.
Appendix E
5. Although many are called few are chosen.
6. The magnificent country estate is hidden behind a long elegant row of silver birches.
7. “We can’t achieve peace in our time if we assume war is inevitable” he said.
8. As well as the Irish many Africans were forced to leave their families behind during ANSWERS TO EXERCISES
times of famine.
9. Because of the humidity levels it feels hotter than the actual temperature. Note that your responses may vary from those given here.
10. Joe Clark the former prime minister has a famous wife.
11. Even though most people are aware of global warming and climate change fewer are
aware of the term carbon footprint. Chapter 1
12. James Earl Jones who is the voice of Darth Vader in Star Wars is a well-known actor.
13. The Globe and Mail is a popular paper across Canada whereas the Toronto Star was Exercise 1.6 (p. 16)
created for the Toronto and area market. 1. b. The instructor announced class cancellation yesterday.
14. Trust is important in any relationship and it always takes time to develop. 2. b. Todd is sarcastically voicing his displeasure (c is a possible inference).
15. People have immigrated to Canada from countries in Asia Europe the Middle East and 3. c. The school has been designed for students with behavioural problems.
Central and South America. 4. a. Meghan will likely face many challenges at the university,
16. Caffeine a stimulant is unregulated and completely legal. 5. d. No inference is possible.
17. Since climate change is a global problem it requires global solutions.

Chapter 2
Exercise 2.6 (p. 30)
1. high school history teachers: neutral?
phys-ed teachers: positive
Exercises, including both individual and 2.
high school students: mixed
NHL hockey fans: mixed?
referees’ union: positive
collaborative activities, provide students with NHL team owners: negative
3. pet owners: mixed?
opportunities to practise their skills. city council: positive
pet breeders: negative
4. a citizen’s rights group: negative
RCMP officers: positive
dentists: neutral
5. students who own laptops: positive
students who do not own laptops: negative? neutral?
instructors who have taught for 20 years or more: negative

Exercise 2.7 (p. 34)

An icon indicates which exercises 2. Borderline personality disorder is a controversial condition.

It is a topic (it is not complete enough to serve as a thesis).
Possible subject: personality disorders
have an answer key in the appendix.
008612_00_FM.indd Page xvii 29/01/15 8:17 PM f403 /207/OUPB021/work/indd

From the Publisher xvii

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Finding Fragments
The “Fast Track” feature in the Does the word group contain a subject (tells who or If NO . . . it’s a fragment
what), and is there an action performed by the subject?
grammar chapters presents a succinct
Does the word group consist of only nouns/pronouns If YES . . . it’s a fragment
recap of complex rules. preceded by prepositions?

Is the only identifiable verb form in the word group an If YES . . . it’s a fragment
infinitive (e.g., to be, to know, to learn)?

Does the only identifiable verb form in the word group If YES . . . it’s a fragment
end in -ing, -ed, or -en and is not preceded by a helping
verb (e.g., is, were, has been)?

Does the word group begin with a subordinating If YES . . . it’s a fragment
conjunction (one of the words on p. 321), and express a
incomplete thought?

A Closer Look
Using Citations Efficiently
Parenthetical references are intended to give the reader
as much information as possible about the source while
interfering as little as possible with the essay’s content
and readability. This is an especially important principle
in the Modern Language Association (MLA); however, in
both MLA and American Psychological Association (APA)
documentation styles, you should not include unneeded
citations.
You can avoid citing the same source repetitively in
one paragraph if it is clear you are referring to that one
source throughout. Thus, you can combine references
from the same source in one citation. For example, let’s
say you used three pages from your source, Jackson;
when you were finished drawing from that source, you
could indicate your use of Jackson this way:
(Jackson 87–89)
This citation would tell the reader that you used that one
source continuously for three of her pages—perhaps one
The “A Closer Look” feature expands on topics of
idea from page 87, two facts from page 88, and a para- interest, including achieving objectivity in academic
phrased passage from page 89.
Another strategy for direct and economical docu-
mentation is to use a signal phrase to indicate a forth-
writing; reading for style and tone; identifying irony;
coming reference. After naming the source and following
with the material from the source, for example, a direct conducting research in the humanities, the social
quotation or paraphrase, provide the page number.
The reader can then clearly see the beginning and
end of the source material. Since you have named the
sciences, and the sciences; and writing indirect thesis
author(s) in your own sentence, you do not repeat the
name in the citation (see Signal Phrases in chapter 7
statements.
on p. 219).
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A third strategy is combining in one citation sources
that contain the same point. This method is use-
ful when you are summarizing the findings of several
studies in the same paragraph and want to avoid exces-
sive citations:
(Drinkwater, 2010, p. 118; Hovey, 2009, p. 75).

Glossary
absolute phrase A group of words that con-
sists of a noun/pronoun and a partial verb
form, modifying the entire sentence.
abstract A condensed summary used in many
scholarly essays; it is placed before the study
begins, is written by the study’s author, and in-
cludes its purpose, methods, and results.
adjectivally Acting as an adjective in a
sentence.
008612_15_appC.indd Page 394 24/12/14 4:45 PM f-w-143 /207/OUPB021/work/indd adjectival modifier A word or phrase that
describes or particularizes a noun and usually
precedes it.
adjective A word that modifies and precedes a
noun or follows a linking verb; it answers the
question Which?, What kind?, or How many?
adverbially Acting as an adverb in a sentence.
adverbial modifier A word or phrase that de-
scribes or particularizes a verb; may also mod-
ify an adjective or another adverb; a sentence
anaphora The repetition of words or phrases
at the beginning of lines or clauses.
annotated bibliography An expanded bibli-
ography that includes not only the informa-
tion of standard bibliographies but also brief
summaries of related works and, sometimes,
appraisals of each work.
antecedent The noun that the pronoun re-
places in the sentence.
apostrophe In poetry, an address to an absent
or dead person or to a non-human object.
appositive A word or phrase that is grammat-
ically parallel to the previous noun or noun
phrase and gives non-essential information.
argument A rhetorical mode concerned with
persuading a reader to adopt a specific point of
view or course of action.
aside In drama, a brief speech intended for the
audience, not for other onstage characters.

Appendix C adverb may modify the entire sentence.

adverb A word that modifies a verb, an ad-
jective, an adverb, or even an entire sentence;
it often ends in –ly and answers the question
When?, Where?, Why?, How?, To what degree?,
or How much?
alliteration Identical sounds at the beginning
of closely placed words.
A CHECKLIST FOR EAL WRITERS allusion A historical, religious, mythic, liter-
ary, or other kind of outside reference used
thematically or to reveal another aspect of the
The following are some English idiomatic expressions and rules for usage, organized work.
alphabetically by the parts of speech. Although they are not a major part of speech, analogy A logical comparison between two
articles can be confusing for EAL writers, so they have been allotted a separate section, objects in order to help the reader understand
beginning on page 396. the first object. See also metaphor.
analysis The act of taking something apart or
For more complete information, many useful references, including oup’s general breaking it down in order to look at it closely.
ESL dictionaries, can be consulted. analytical Refers to the activity of breaking
something down to see how it is put together
and the relationship between the parts.
Adjectives anapest A foot of poetic metre consisting of
two unstressed syllables and one stressed
One-word adjectives usually precede the words they modify, except predicate adjectives
syllable.
that follow linking verbs (see p. 313). However, relative (adjectival) clauses follow the
nouns they modify and present special challenges for writers (see p. 396).
The following adjectives often give students trouble:
Ago: When you want to refer to a time in the past and relate this time to today, you can
use the adjective ago; it follows the noun. To refer to a specific point in the past, you can
give the date (month, day, year) preceded by on. See “Times and dates,” below.
assonance The repetition of vowel sounds in
the middle of closely placed words.
audience Readers with common knowledge,
interests, attitudes, reading habits, and/or
expectations.
audience orientation The attitudes and
emotional/ethical positions that define a typ-
ical reader; it could be positive (agreeing with
your position), neutral (having no opinion),
negative (disagreeing with your position), or
mixed (including those who agree and those
who disagree).
bibliography A list at the end of the essay of all
the sources used in the essay. The title of this
list varies by citation style.
blank verse Poetry written in unrhymed
iambic pentameter.
block method A method of comparing and
contrasting in which a writer considers all
points related to one subject of comparison be-
fore moving on to the second subject.
Boolean operators Small words used to com-
bine, include, or exclude specific search terms.

The first truly successful cloning of an animal occurred more than ten
years ago. The first truly successful cloning of an animal occurred on
July 5, 1996.
The new glossary contains an
Few versus a few: Both can precede nouns that can be counted, but few means “not
many,” and a few means “some.” So, few usually refers to fewer of something than a
alphabetical listing of the
few! (Since a few has more letters than few, you can associate it with more of something
than few.) key-term definitions, providing a
Few Canadians know how to play cricket. However, a few people on my
listserv said they would be interested in learning how to play it.
handy reference for students.
Much versus many: Use much before nouns that cannot be counted and many before
countable nouns. Similarly, use amount before uncountable nouns and number before
countable nouns (see p. 302); use less before uncountable nouns and fewer before countable
nouns (see p. 402). Appendices include proofreading methods
The Canadian television channel MuchMusic features many different kinds
of music. and guidelines, peer edit forms, and a
checklist for EAL writers.
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xviii From the Publisher

ONLINE RESOURCES
For Instructors
• An instructor’s manual offers chapter overviews, review questions, discussion starters, collab-
orative exercises and activities, and answer keys to selected exercises in the book.
• A test bank provides multiple-choice and true-or-false questions to assess students’ under-
standing of the chapters.

For Students
• A student study guide includes chapter summaries, interactive quiz questions, and links to
additional online resources.

www.oupcanada.com/Writing3e
008612_00_FM.indd Page xix 1/27/15 8:45 PM s-w-149 /201/PH01699/9780134038179_GADDIS/GADDIS_CONTROL_STRUCTURES_THROUGH_DATA_STRUCT

Preface
By the time students begin post-secondary study, most are familiar with the do’s and
don’ts of writing essays, having usually been taught rigid guidelines for the writing of
essays. While guidelines are essential, they should not hamper thought or expression.
They should not deprive writers of choices, but enhance their ability to make informed
choices given the wide range of variables affecting different kinds of writing tasks.
At the university level, student writers are capable of, and should assume responsi-
bility for, making informed choices. Only by doing so can they take up the challenges
offered by their studies and by the wide variety of workplace writing tasks that may
lie ahead. In a world that increasingly values solutions to its problems, the knowledge-
able, adaptable writer will always be in demand, since written forms of communication
are likely to reach the widest possible readership—to be heard, considered, and acted
on. This is true not only of formal academic essays written for professors but also of
other communications designed for a specific purpose, such as applying for a student
exchange or training opportunity.
As the Contents pages reveal, the composition sections of Writing by Choice are not
organized around the teaching of the traditional rhetorical modes. Detailed treatment
is given to three kinds of essays: expository, argumentative, and literary—the kinds
typically assigned in first-year composition and literature courses. Specialized writing
contexts are also considered: the appendices include proofreading guidelines and hints;
strategies for writing in-class or examination essays; and help for overcoming the chal-
lenges of EAL student writers. The grammar and the composition sections stress the
step-by-step approach of identifying, applying, and integrating.
Almost all of the examples in the text, including the many exercises, are taken
from students’ writing, which reinforce rules and concepts as they apply to realistic,
everyday writing contexts—ones that have occurred and will occur to students as they
write. The writing by students represents a wide variety of disciplines, reflecting the
diverse interests of today’s students. Several selections from the academic and profes-
sional worlds of the kind that students encounter in their research also are included as
teaching/learning devices.
Exercises are designed to engage students on their own as well as in group or collab-
orative environments. Many instructors consider editing by peers an indispensable part
of collaborative learning; peer edit forms are included in an appendix. An important fea-
ture of this text, full-length student essays illustrate expository, argumentative, and lit-
erary essays, as well as critical analyses and responses. The importance of summarizing
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xx Preface

is reflected in the text as well. MLA and APA documentation styles are outlined in a
separate chapter, along with the rudiments of the notes’ style.
The third edition of Writing by Choice retains the core features of the first and sec-
ond editions, as described above. However, much of the material has been rewritten
and redesigned to meet the needs of today’s students (and instructors) to access relevant
information quickly and efficiently.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Preparing the third edition of Writing by Choice has given me an opportunity to re-
flect on the privilege of working with many knowledgeable and enthusiastic experts at
Oxford University Press Canada in editorial, management, marketing, and sales over
the last decade; I particularly want to thank developmental editor Leah-Ann Lymer,
copyeditor Leslie Saffrey, and production manager Steven Hall for their proficiency and
professionalism.
I would like to express my gratitude to Chris Higgins, formerly of the University
of British Columbia, for her pioneering work on Chapter 7 in the first edition. Several
named and anonymous reviewers offered detailed comments, which proved invaluable
in planning the many changes and additions for this third edition. I would like to thank
the following reviewers, as well as those who elected to remain anonymous, for their
thoughtful feedback:

Rhonda Anderson, University of Saskatchewan

Jay Timothy Dolmage, University of Waterloo
Adam Lawrence, Cape Breton University
Craig Melhoff, University of Regina
James Christian Parsons, University of Ottawa
Jennifer Payson, University of British Columbia
Matte Robinson, St Thomas University
Thea Todd, Camosun College

I also thank the students in my composition and literature classes at the University
of Victoria who agreed to have their work published here; I can show no greater appre-
ciation than by noting their willingness to respond to my emails long after classes had
ended!
Some ten years ago, amid self-doubts occasioned partly, perhaps, by too many years
teaching continuing education, I at last took up the suggestion of Madeline Sonik that
a 40-page writing text called “The Gremlins of Grammar” could aspire to something
more; for that challenge, I will always be grateful.

Eric Henderson
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PART I
Rhetoric with
Integrated
Reader
W hen you enter a college or university, you can expect to do a lot of writing.
Thus, the skills you have acquired from your previous schooling will be im-
portant. For most students, however, these skills represent a beginning, not an end:
they need to be expanded and refined in order to meet the variety of challenges—in
writing, reading, and thinking—you will encounter.
Educator Daniel J. Boorstin once defined education as “learning what you
didn’t even know you didn’t know.” In addition to the review presented in Part I, you
will be introduced to unfamiliar terms, concepts, and methods—“what you didn’t
even know you didn’t know.” Learning to master them, with the aid of examples
and exercises to practise your new skills, will be vital to success in all your courses.
Although writing and organizational skills are fundamental to this success, many
students are surprised by the amount of reading they have to do in their post-secondary
courses. Many assignments will require you to read and comprehend challenging
texts for various purposes, including discussing them with other students, respond-
ing to them in writing, summarizing them, or analyzing them. This is where critical
thinking often comes in: most of these activities require you to break down an idea,
topic, argument, or passage of text to evaluate its validity or the author’s style, tech-
niques, or use of rhetoric. Thus, we begin Part I by looking at the interconnections
among reading, thinking, and writing.
When you know the kinds of questions to ask about texts and the ways to ap-
proach them, you will be ready for chapters 2 and 3, which focus on developing ba-
sic skills in writing successful essays and paragraphs. Becoming familiar with these
skills will enable you to build on them to write with a specific purpose in mind.
Chapter 4 focuses on summarization and critical analyses. Chapters 5 and 6 high-
light the development of more complex writing and critical-thinking skills to master
the argumentative essay and the literary analysis, respectively.
Another random document with
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 No hint of this adventure reached Dr. Mitford, lest the shock should
make him worse, although, naturally enough, Miss Mitford would
gladly have told him, so shaken and unnerved was she. Weak and
ill, the brave and unselfish woman watched by her parent, tending
and nursing him, allowing no one to take the principal duties from
her; rarely sleeping, and then only when forced to do so from sheer
exhaustion, until at last, early on the morning of December 11, the
death of her father released her from the long vigil.
“All friends are kind and very soothing,” wrote the stricken woman
to Miss Barrett, “but not half so soothing as your sweet kindness, my
dearest. Oh! let me think of you as a most dear friend—almost a
daughter, for such you have been to me.... Everybody is so kind! The
principal farmers are striving who shall carry the coffin. Surely this is
not common—to an impoverished man—one long impoverished—
one whose successor is utterly powerless! This is disinterested, if
anything were so, and therefore very touching, very dear. Perhaps I
have shed more tears for the gratitude caused by this kindness and
other kindnesses than for the great, great grief! That seems to lock
up the fountain; this to unseal it. Bless you, my beloved, for all your
inimitable kindness! Oh! how he loved to bless you! He seldom
spoke the dear name without the benediction—‘Miss Barrett! dear
Miss Barrett! Heaven bless her!’ How often has he said that! I seem
to love the name the better for that recollection.... I am resigned—
indeed I am. I know that it is right, and that it is His will.”
The funeral was an imposing affair; “the chief gentry of the country
sent to request to follow his remains to the grave; the six principal
farmers of the parish begged to officiate as his bearers; they came in
new suits of mourning, and were so deeply affected that they could
hardly lift the coffin. Every house in our village street was shut up;
the highway was lined with farmers and tradesmen, in deep
mourning, on horseback and in phaetons, who followed the
procession; they again were followed by poor people on foot. The
church and churchyard were crowded, and the building resounded
with tears and sobs when the coffin was lowered into the vault. The
same scene recurred on the ensuing Sunday, when every creature in
the crowded congregation appeared in black to hear the sermon—
even the very poorest wearing some sign of the mourning that was
so truly felt.” This was, as may be easily inferred, Miss Mitford’s own
account of the proceedings, but, as Mr. H. F. Chorley pointed out in
his published volume of her letters, although one cannot doubt the
sincerity of the report, it was one “utterly baseless on anything like
fact, or the feelings of those who knew the whole story. Dr. Mitford
was tolerated because she was beloved. The respect paid to his
remains was not so much to them as to her.”
When all was over, there came the inevitable day of reckoning,
and Miss Mitford had to face an appalling list of debts accumulated
by her father’s extravagance, liabilities amounting to close upon
£1,000. The sum seems incredible in view of Miss Mitford’s earnings
and of the help which had been periodically obtained from William
Harness in addition to the State pension. How can such a condition
of affairs be accounted for? A clue is, we think, to be found in a letter
which Miss Mitford wrote to a friend some six months before her
father died. “At eighty, my father is privileged to dislike being put out
of his way in the smallest degree, as company always does, so that I
make it as unfrequent as possible, and the things that weigh upon
me are not an occasional bottle or two of port or claret or
champagne, but the keeping two horses instead of one, the turning
half a dozen people for months into the garden, which ought to be
cultivated by one person, and even the building—as I see he is now
meditating—a new carriage, when we have already two, but too
expensive. These are trials, when upon my sinking health and
overburdened strength lies the task of providing for them;—when, in
short, I have to provide for expenses over which I have no more
control than my own dog, Flush.... It is too late now for the slightest
hope of change; and his affection for me is so great, that to hint at
the subject would not only shock him, but perhaps endanger his
health.”
Thus, with a heritage of liabilities, Miss Mitford came back from her
father’s funeral to think out some scheme of personal effort which
would not only give her something upon which to exist but remove
the stigma attaching to her father’s name. When the true state of
affairs became public property her friends decided to raise a
subscription in the hope of clearing the whole amount. Nothing short
of complete satisfaction to all creditors would content Miss Mitford,
who determined that “everybody shall be paid, if I have to sell the
gown off my back, or pledge my little pension.”
The subscription project was taken up very heartily, appeals,
signed by many influential people, being printed in the Times and
Morning Chronicle, and by the following March nearly a thousand
pounds had been received, with a promise of further donations
amounting to some hundreds, the final idea of the promoters being
that not only should the debts be paid but that a goodly amount
should be handed over to Miss Mitford wherewith to make a fresh
start and to provide an annuity. Writing on the subject to Miss
Jephson, Miss Mitford intimated that the Queen was among the
subscribers, but desired that her name be not mentioned, “as she
gives from her private income, and fears being subjected to
solicitation (this adds to the compliment, as it proves it is not a matter
of form).” In addition to this there were contributions from many of
the nobility and notables in the literary and artistic world, thus
testifying to the great esteem in which Miss Mitford was held. It must
have been very gratifying to her to be thus remembered in this her
bitterest hour of need. Nor was this the only evidence of goodwill, for
many of the neighbouring gentry vied with each other in paying little
attentions to the lone woman, in offers of hospitality and in a hundred
small and unostentatious ways, which touched her deeply. “I never
before had an idea of my own popularity, and I have on two or three
occasions shed tears of pure thankfulness at reading the letters
which have been written to, or about, me.... I only pray God that I
may deserve half that has been said of me. So far as the truest and
humblest thankfulness may merit such kindness, I am, perhaps, not
wholly undeserving, for praise always makes me humble. I always
feel that I am over-valued; and such is, I suppose, its effect on every
mind not exceedingly vainglorious.”
Perhaps the most touching of the many kindnesses now showered
upon her was that of Mr. George Lovejoy, the famous bookseller of
Reading, who made her free of his large and very complete
circulating library and afforded her a most lavish supply of books.
The Library was founded in the year 1832 by Mr. Lovejoy and came
to be regarded as the finest of its kind in the Provinces. He was,
himself, a man of considerable learning and possessed amiable
characteristics which endeared him to all and sundry, especially to
the children, who were in the habit of appealing to him to solve any
problems which might be bothering their small heads, whilst he was
frequently besieged by them for pieces of string in the peg-top
season. And not only did the children consult him, for he gathered
about him quite a number of literary people to whom he was indeed
a counsellor and friend. His shop was the rendezvous for the County,
among the most frequent visitors being Charles Kingsley—Eversley
being but fourteen miles distant—and Miss Mitford, with any literary
friends who happened to be calling on her at the time. “In general we
can get any books we wish at the excellent Reading library
(Lovejoy’s); he, or I, have all you mention,” wrote Miss Mitford to a
friend who had suggested certain books for perusal.
 Mr. George Lovejoy, Bookseller, of Reading.

“I have been too much spoiled,” she wrote later; “at this moment I
have eight sets of books belonging to Mr. Lovejoy. I have every
periodical within a week, and generally cut open every interesting
new publication—getting them literally the day before publication.”
The Lovejoy Library was noted from its earliest days for the very fine
collection of Foreign works which it contained, and this alone would
have made it invaluable to Miss Mitford, whose love for French and
Italian literature was remarkable.
Then, too, Mr. Lovejoy undertook little commissions for his friend
when she required anything obtained specially in London, getting his
London agents to enclose the goods in his book parcel and, when
received, despatching it by special messenger to the cottage at
Three Mile Cross. Throughout the letters he is frequently referred to
as “Dear Mr. Lovejoy,” or “My dear friend, Mr. Lovejoy. Nobody
certainly ever had such a friend as he is to me, and all his servants
and people are as kind as he is himself.”
So, with kind friends about her, Miss Mitford strove to forget her
sorrow and to devote herself once more to literary work.
Unfortunately, however, the cottage was once again showing itself
the worse for wear, and it was a question as to whether it should not
be given up in favour of some other habitation near at hand. It was at
length decided, at the suggestion of Mr. Blandy, of Reading—who
was at that time managing Miss Mitford’s affairs under instructions
from William Harness—that, if the rent could be adjusted to suit Miss
Mitford’s purse, the cottage should be renovated and she stay on.
This was all agreed to, and while the painters and decorators were in
possession, Miss Mitford departed to Bath for a fortnight’s holiday.
Returning somewhat unexpectedly, she found the workmen
dawdling and the maid, who had been left in charge, absent at the
theatre, a state of things which stirred her to great activity and
indignation, “and the scolding which I found it my duty to administer,
quite took the edge off my sadness.”
 FOOTNOTES:
[29] Kerenhappuck, her companion.
 CHAPTER XXVII

LOVE FOR CHILDREN AND LAST DAYS AT

THREE MILE CROSS

Love of little children was one of the noticeable characteristics of Dr.

Mitford’s life, and it was one in which his daughter shared. That she
entered most fully into the games and pursuits of the village
youngsters is evidenced in Our Village, where we obtain delightful
little portraits of Joe Kirby, Jack Rapley, Jem and Lizzie, which
sufficiently indicate the author’s knowledge of the child-mind, to say
nothing of those breezy, hilarious descriptions of the slide and the
cricket-match.
Shortly after Dr. Mitford’s death there came into her life a little boy
named Henry Taylor—frequently alluded to as “K——’s little boy” in
her letters, and as “little Henry” in the Recollections, but not to be
confounded with the “little Henry” of Our Village, who was a lad
sometimes hired by the Doctor for the performance of odd jobs.
Henry Taylor was born in Reading—the child of K——, Miss
Mitford’s companion and hemmer of flounces—and at the mistress’s
own request the boy was brought to live at her cottage when he was
just upon two years old. He came as a new and welcome interest
into her life and, while she petted and spoiled him, gave him wise
and tender counsel. “A little boy, called Henry,” she wrote of him in
her Recollections, “the child of the house (son, by the way, to the
hemmer of flounces), has watched my ways, and ministered
unbidden to my wants and fancies. Long before he could open the
outer door, before, indeed, he was half the height of the wand in
question” [her favourite walking-stick], “there he would stand, the
stick in one hand, and if it were summer time, a flower in the other,
waiting for my going out, the pretty Saxon boy, with his upright figure,
his golden hair, his eyes like two stars, and his bright, intelligent
smile! We were so used to see him there, silent and graceful as a
Queen’s page, that when he returned to school after the holidays,
and somebody else presented the stick and the rose, I hardly cared
to take them. It seemed as if something was wrong, I missed him so!
Most punctual of petted children!”
Whilst the child was at boarding-school in Reading, a rather
serious outbreak of smallpox in the town, and particularly in a house
adjoining the School, necessitated his being sent home to the
cottage without delay, though not, unfortunately, in time to prevent
his being infected. He was extremely ill and his life, at times,
despaired of, the mother and Miss Mitford taking it by turns to watch
over and nurse him. In the Recollections there is a most touching
reference to this incident, which proves how strong was Miss
Mitford’s affection for the child, how much a mother’s heart was hers.
Quoting from Leigh Hunt’s poetry, she says:—“There is yet another
poem for which I must make room. Every mother knows these
pathetic stanzas. I shall never forget attempting to read them to my
faithful maid, whose fair-haired boy, her pet and mine, was then
recovering from a dangerous illness. I attempted to read these
verses, and did read as many as I could for the rising in the throat—
the hysterica passio of poor Lear—and as many as my auditor could
hear for her own sobs.” And then she quotes those beautiful verses:
—“To T. L. H., six years old, during a sickness.”

“Sleep breathes at last from out thee,

My little patient boy;
And balmy rest about thee—
Smooths off the day’s annoy.
I sit me down and think
Of all thy winning ways;
Yet almost wish with sudden shrink
That I had less to praise.
 To say he has departed,
His voice, his face is gone!
To feel impatient-hearted
Yet feel we must bear on!
Ah, I could not endure
To whisper of such woe,
Unless I felt this sleep ensure
That it will not be so.”

“Little Henry” is one of the few survivors of those who knew Miss
Mitford intimately, and he has many tender memories of the kindly
woman who, as time went on, made him her constant companion
when she walked in the lanes and meadows in and about the
neighbourhood. Woodcock Lane, of which we have already made
mention, was among her favourite haunts, and thither she would
take her way, with little Henry and the dogs, and while she sat with
her writing-pad on her knee, would watch the eager child gathering
his posies of wild flowers. “Do not gather them all, Henry,” was one
of her regular injunctions on these occasions, “because some one
who has not so many pretty flowers at home as we have may come
this way and would like to gather some”; and sometimes she would
add, “remember not to take all the flowers from one root, for the plant
loves its flowers, and delights to feed and nourish them”—a pretty
fancy which the child-mind could understand and appreciate. “Never
repeat anything you hear which may cause pain or unhappiness to
others” was a precept which often fell from her lips when speaking to
the child and it was a lesson which he says he has never forgotten
and has always striven to live up to in a long and somewhat arduous
life spent here and abroad. Miss Mitford had a great and deep-
seated objection to Mrs. Beecher Stowe. It arose principally from
disapproval of certain derogatory statements about Lord Byron and
his matrimonial relations which Mrs. Stowe had expressed to friends
of Miss Mitford’s and which, after Miss Mitford’s death, were
published in the work entitled Lady Byron Vindicated. The reason for
this attitude of mind on Miss Mitford’s part is not difficult to
understand when we remember that her great friend, William
Harness, was among the earliest and dearest of Lord Byron’s
friends. Thus, when Uncle Tom’s Cabin was published in this
country, Miss Mitford refused to give any credence to the revelations
it contained, and in this connection it is interesting to record that it
was among the few books which she counselled the boy not to read.

The “House of Seven Gables,” a view on the road to Swallowfield.

For the children in the village she had ever a kind word and smile,
inquiring why they did this or that when playing their games, and
nothing delighted her more than to come upon a game of cricket
being played by the youngsters, for then she would watch the game
through, applauding vigorously and calling out encouraging remarks
to the players, all of whom referred to her as the “kind lady.”
During the year 1844 Queen Victoria paid an unofficial visit to the
Duke of Wellington at Strathfieldsaye, and Miss Mitford conceived
the idea that it would please the Queen to be greeted on the
roadside by the village children. With the co-operation of the farmers,
who lent their wagons, some two hundred and ninety children were
carried to a point near Swallowfield—some few miles from Three
Mile Cross along the Basingstoke Road—each carrying a flag
provided at Miss Mitford’s expense and by the industry of her maid,
Jane, who was very skilful at such work. The wagons were decked
out with laurels and bunting and made a very brave show when the
Queen, escorted by the Duke, passed by them. “We all returned—
carriages, wagons, bodyguard and all—to my house, where the
gentlefolk had sandwiches and cake and wine, and where the
children had each a bun as large as a soup-plate, made doubly nice
as well as doubly large, a glass of wine, and a mug of ale”—rather
advanced drinks for children, but probably thin enough to do no
harm. “Never was such harmless jollity! Not an accident! not a
squabble! not a misword! It did one’s very heart good.... To be sure it
was a good deal of trouble, and Jane is done up. Indeed, the night
before last we none of us went to bed. But it was quite worth it.”
All this sounds very delightful and light-hearted and truly the years
seemed now to be passing very gently and kindly with the
warmhearted woman who had, hitherto, suffered so much.
There were, of course, the usual ailments due to advancing age,
which had to be endured, but, with short trips to town and a long
holiday at Taplow, these ailments had no serious, immediate effect
on Miss Mitford’s general health.
In 1846 the dear friend, Miss Barrett, was married to Robert
Browning, an incident which proved—so Miss Mitford recorded—that
“Love really is the wizard the poets have called him”. There is no
mention of a wedding-present being despatched from Three Mile
Cross—it will be remembered that the marriage was a somewhat
hurried and secret affair, due to Mr. Barrett’s opposition to the whole
idea—but we do know that when the happy couple left for Italy via
Paris they took with them Flush, the dog, which Miss Mitford had
sent as a gift to her friend some years before. Flush was a character,
and figures very much in the Barrett-Browning correspondence from
1842 to 1848; he died much loved and lamented, and now lies
buried in the Casa Guidi vaults.
All the world knows what a wonderful marriage that was—two
hearts beating as one—and how remarkable and romantic was the
courtship, the story of which, from Mrs. Browning’s own pen, is so
exquisitely told in Sonnets from the Portuguese—the “finest sonnets
written in any language since Shakespeare’s,” was Robert
Browning’s delighted comment—“the very notes and chronicle of her
betrothal,” as Mr. Edmund Gosse writes of them, when he relates
how prettily and playfully they were first shown to the husband for
whom they had been expressly written. But—and this is why we
make mention of them here—before ever they were shown to the
husband they had been despatched to Miss Mitford for her approval
and criticism, and she urged that they be published in one of the
Annuals of the day. To this suggestion Mrs. Browning would not
accede, but consented at last to allow them to be privately printed,
for which purpose they were again sent to Miss Mitford, who
arranged for their printing in Reading—probably through her friend,
Mr. Lovejoy—under the simple title of Sonnets: by E. B. B., and on
the title-page were the additional words:—“Reading: Not for
Publication: 1847.”
Miss Mitford often made complaint of the number of visitors who
thronged her cottage, but now that she had none but herself to
consider she seems to have found her chief delight in receiving and
entertaining, in quiet fashion, the many literary folk who made
pilgrimages to her, visits which were always followed by a
correspondence which must have fully occupied her time. This year,
1847, brought Ruskin to the cottage through the introduction of Mrs.
Cockburn (the Mary Duff of Lord Byron). “John Ruskin, the Oxford
Undergraduate, is a very elegant and distinguished-looking young
man, tall, fair, and slender—too slender, for there is a consumptive
look, and I fear a consumptive tendency.... He must be, I suppose,
twenty-six or twenty-seven, but he looks much younger, and has a
gentle playfulness—a sort of pretty waywardness, that is quite
charming. And now we write to each other, and I hope love each
other as you and I do”—Miss Mitford’s note on the visit, written to
another friend, Mr. Charles Boner, in America.
 Miss Milford’s Cottage at Swallowfield.
(From a contemporary engraving.)
Hearing that William Chambers, the Edinburgh publisher, was that
year in London, an invitation was sent to him to call at the cottage,
and while there he, his hostess and Mr. Lovejoy discussed a project
which had long been occupying the minds of Miss Mitford and her
bookseller-friend, on the subject of “Rural Libraries.”
Mr. Chambers refers to the visit in his Autobiography. “The
pleasantest thing about the visit was my walk with the aged lady
among the green lanes in the neighbourhood—she trotting along
with a tall cane, and speaking of rural scenes and circumstances.... I
see she refers to this visit, stating that she was at the time engaged
along with Mr. Lovejoy in a plan for establishing lending libraries for
the poor, in which, she says, I assisted her with information and
advice. What I really advised was that, following out a scheme
adopted in East Lothian, parishes should join in establishing
itinerating libraries, each composed of different books, so that, being
shifted from place to place, a degree of novelty might be maintained
for mutual advantage.”
 In any case, this Mitford-Lovejoy project was well considered and,
after many delays, the two friends issued a little four-page pamphlet
(now very rare) with the front page headed “Rural Libraries,” followed
by a circular letter in which was set forth the origin of the scheme—
due to a request from the young wife of a young clergyman in a
country parish who wanted to stimulate the parishioners to the
reading of sound literature—and an invitation to interested persons
to correspond with “M. R. M., care of Mr. Lovejoy, Reading.” The rest
of the pamphlet was occupied with a list of some two hundred titles
of books recommended, among them being Our Village, the
inclusion of which caused Miss Mitford to tell a friend that she
“noticed Mr. Lovejoy had smuggled it in.” Whether anything definite
resulted from the distribution of this pamphlet is not certain, but the
labour it entailed is a proof of the interest which both Miss Mitford
and her coadjutor had in matters affecting the education of the
people.
By the year 1850 the cottage again became so bad as to be
almost uninhabitable—“the walls seem to be mouldering from the
bottom, crumbling, as it were, like an old cheese; and whether
anything can be done to it is doubtful,” and, acting under Dr. May’s
advice, it was decided to leave the old place for good. The
neighbourhood was scoured in the endeavour to find something
suitable, and at last the very thing was found at Swallowfield, three
miles further along the Basingstoke Road. “It is about six miles from
Reading along this same road, leading up from which is a short
ascending lane, terminated by the small dwelling, with a court in
front, and a garden and paddock behind. Trees overarch it like the
frame of a picture, and the cottage itself, though not pretty, yet too
unpretending to be vulgar, and abundantly snug and comfortable,
leading by different paths to all my favourite walks, and still within
distance of my most valuable neighbours.”
The removal, “a terrible job,” involving, among other items, the
cartage and re-arranging of four tons of books, took place during the
third week of September, 1851, just in time to enable the household
to get nicely settled in before the winter.
 “And yet it was grief to go,” she wrote. “There I had toiled and
striven, and tasted as deeply of bitter anxiety, of fear, and of hope, as
often falls to the lot of woman. There, in the fulness of age, I had lost
those whose love had made my home sweet and precious. Alas!
there is no hearth so humble but it has known such tales of joy and
of sorrow! Friends, many and kind, had come to that bright garden,
and that garden room. The list would fill more pages than I have to
give. There Mr. Justice Talfourd had brought the delightful gaiety of
his brilliant youth, and poor Haydon had talked more vivid pictures
than he ever painted. The illustrious of the last century—Mrs. Opie,
Jane Porter, Mr. Cary—had mingled there with poets, still in their
earliest dawn. It was a heart-tug to leave that garden.... I walked
from the one cottage to the other on an autumn evening, when the
vagrant birds, whose habit of assembling here for their annual
departure gives, I suppose, its name of Swallowfield to the village,
were circling and twittering over my head; and repeated to myself the
pathetic lines of Hayley as he saw these same birds gathering upon
his roof during his last illness:—

‘Ye gentle birds, that perch aloof,

And smooth your pinions on my roof,
Preparing for departure hence
Ere winter’s angry threats commence;
Like you, my soul would smooth her plume
For longer flights beyond the tomb.
May God, by Whom is seen and heard
Departing man and wandering bird,
In mercy mark us for His own
And guide us to the land unknown!’

Thoughts soothing and tender came with those touching lines, and
gayer images followed. Here I am in this prettiest village, in the
cosiest and snuggest of all cabins; a trim cottage garden, divided by
a hawthorn hedge from a little field guarded by grand old trees; a
cheerful glimpse of the high road in front, just to hint that there is
such a thing as the peopled world; and on either side the deep,
silent, woody lanes that form the distinctive character of English
scenery.”
 CHAPTER XXVIII

SWALLOWFIELD AND THE END

It will be remembered that some time after the correspondence with

Sir William Elford had been well established, he suggested to Miss
Mitford that much of the literary criticism contained in the letters was
valuable and might be edited with a view to publication. To this Miss
Mitford would not consent at the time, for, although the idea
appealed to her, she feared that her rather outspoken comments on
contemporary authors might, if published during their lifetime, lead to
unpleasantness which it were wiser to avoid. Many years had now
elapsed since the suggestion was made, and many changes had, in
consequence, taken place. The death of a large number of the
authors mentioned had removed Miss Mitford’s principal objection.
She herself was now a comparatively old woman, with a maturer
judgment, whose criticism was therefore more likely to command
respect, and as the death of her father had increased her leisure for
the performance of literary work—and she was still unwilling to tackle
the long-projected novel—she arranged with Miss Elford (Sir William
being dead) to gather the letters together and forward them to Three
Mile Cross. The task thus undertaken was both congenial and easy,
and by the time of her removal to Swallowfield she had made such
progress that it was decided to publish without delay. Mr. Bentley,
who was approached on the subject, suggested that the work be
amplified and issued in three volumes under the title of Recollections
of Books. Acting on this advice, Miss Mitford completed the work,
after she had settled herself in her new home, and by 1852 the book
was published under the more imposing title of Recollections of a
Literary Life, and Selections from my Favourite Poets and Prose
Writers. It was dedicated to Henry F. Chorley, one of a number of
young men whose dramatic and literary talent had brought him under
the author’s notice some years before and which, as usual, resulted
in the establishment of a warm friendship between the two. The book
was much sought after and, on the whole, was well received,
although certain of the critics thought the title too ambiguous—a
criticism which Miss Mitford disarmed, somewhat, by admitting, in
the Preface, that it gave a very imperfect idea of the contents. News
of her removal took many old friends to Swallowfield, anxious to see
whether the change was for the better. Ruskin was delighted with it;
so too, in a modified sense, was young James Payn, “that splendidly
handsome lad of twenty-three—full of beauty, mental and physical,
and with a sensibility and grace of mind such as I have rarely
known.”

Miss Mitford’s Cottage at Swallowfield, in 1913.

Mr. Payn’s Literary Recollections, published in 1884, contain some

delightful pen-portraiture of his old friend, whom he calls “the dear
little old lady, looking like a venerable fairy, with bright sparkling
eyes, a clear, incisive voice, and a laugh that carried you away with
it.” Here, too, came Charles Boner from America, and Mr. Fields, the
publisher, the latter bringing with him Nathaniel Hawthorne—“whom
he found starving and has made almost affluent by his
encouragement and liberality”—with each of whom a constant
correspondence was afterwards maintained. Many of the letters to
Mr. Boner are to be found in his Memoirs, published in 1871, while
Mr. Fields gives a charming reminiscent sketch of Miss Mitford in his
Yesterdays with Authors, published in 1872. Like all the visitors to
Swallowfield, Mr. Fields took a great fancy to “little Henry,” and at
Miss Mitford’s own request he agreed that when the boy should be
fourteen years of age he should be sent to America to be
apprenticed to the publisher’s business of which Mr. Fields was the
head. The arrangement was one which gave the keenest delight to
Miss Mitford, who was most anxious that her little companion should
be properly and adequately provided for. Unfortunately (or
fortunately—for little Henry eventually became a Missionary), the
arrangement fell through, but Miss Mitford did her best to provide for
the boy’s welfare by making him her sole legatee.
Among the letters of 1851, written just prior to her removal, Miss
Mitford frequently mentioned Charles Kingsley, who had by this time
made himself felt as a strong man in the neighbouring village of
Eversley, in addition to the fame which his literary work had brought
him. “I hope to know him when I move,” wrote Miss Mitford, “for he
visits many of my friends.” In another letter she remarked:—“ Alton
Locke is well worth reading. There are in it worldwide truths nicely
put, but then it is painful and inconclusive. Did I tell (perhaps I did)
that the author begged Mr. Chapman to keep the secret?” [of the
authorship], “and Chapman was prepared to be as mysterious as
Churchill on the ‘Vestiges’ question, when he found Mr. Kingsley had
told everybody, and that all his fibs were falsehoods thrown away!”
It was not long, however, before Mr. Kingsley called at the cottage
and commenced a friendship which lasted until Miss Mitford’s death.
She found him “charming—that beau-ideal of a young poet, whom I
never thought to see—frank, ardent, spirited, soft, gentle, high-bred
above all.” It was a friendship which ripened rapidly, for Kingsley
loved to discuss deep social questions with this learned little woman
who, although at first she did not like his opinions, came to see that