“Don’t You Think It’s Time to Start Thinking” By Northrop Frye
Questions
1. State Frye’s thesis in your own words.
Frye’s thesis in my own words is that the ability to think and properly articulate ideas is
becoming less common in our society today.
m
er as
co
eH w
2. Explain two arguments Frye gives to support his thesis.
o.
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Frye offers two arguments that include rhetorical devices to support his thesis. In the first
o
few paragraphs Frye states that the average student's education in English is often limited to
aC s
vi y re
merely developing basic skills like reading and writing. It is evident that Frye believes that
simply being able to read and write does not mean that a student is fully capable of effectively
ed d
ar stu
expressing their thoughts. This point is supported by the use of an analogy in the sixth paragraph,
in which Frye explains that students “have to learn that ideas do not exist until they have been
is
incorporated into words, until that point you don't know whether you are pregnant or just have
Th
gas on the stomach.” Frye helps the reader fully comprehend the fact that language has a
structure, and that ideas must be properly structured in order for it to carry any importance.
sh
As well, Frye uses a metaphor found in the third last paragraph to support his thesis by
explaining to the reader why society would force literacy into the decline, because it is crucial to
This study source was downloaded by 100000823516103 from CourseHero.com on 07-06-2021 09:03:47 GMT -05:00
https://www.coursehero.com/file/35766126/Dont-You-Think-Its-Time-to-Start-Thinkingpdf/
, maintain order and to “preserve the present power structure.” The metaphor is “there are various
epidemics sweeping over society which use unintelligibility as a weapon to preserve the present
power structure...Understanding and articulateness can lead to its destruction.” This literary
device helps support the thesis by proving that the ability to think and properly articulate ideas is
becoming less common in our society today.
3. Explain concisely how the introduction is effective.
m
er as
I think the introduction is effective because it catches you off guard. Frye starts with the
co
eH w
sentence “A student often leaves high school today without any sense of language as a structure”
o.
which is confusing in a way because how can a student not have any sense of language as a
rs e
ou urc
structure after fourteen years of school? Frye hooks the reader and makes them want to continue
reading. As well, Frye mentions that “reading and writing are elementary skills that he mastered
o
aC s
in childhood” which is a very bold statement that makes the reader curious where he is going
vi y re
with the idea that there is more to literacy than reading and writing. I think that the first and
ed d
second paragraph are very effective and crucial to attaining the overall goal of this essay.
ar stu
4. a) Identify one rhetorical device used in the third-last paragraph and explain how it
is
Th
develops the thesis.
sh
One rhetorical device used in the third-last paragraph is an allusion “This is the
kind of thing that George Orwell was talking about, not just in Nineteen Eighty-Four, but
This study source was downloaded by 100000823516103 from CourseHero.com on 07-06-2021 09:03:47 GMT -05:00
https://www.coursehero.com/file/35766126/Dont-You-Think-Its-Time-to-Start-Thinkingpdf/
Questions
1. State Frye’s thesis in your own words.
Frye’s thesis in my own words is that the ability to think and properly articulate ideas is
becoming less common in our society today.
m
er as
co
eH w
2. Explain two arguments Frye gives to support his thesis.
o.
rs e
ou urc
Frye offers two arguments that include rhetorical devices to support his thesis. In the first
o
few paragraphs Frye states that the average student's education in English is often limited to
aC s
vi y re
merely developing basic skills like reading and writing. It is evident that Frye believes that
simply being able to read and write does not mean that a student is fully capable of effectively
ed d
ar stu
expressing their thoughts. This point is supported by the use of an analogy in the sixth paragraph,
in which Frye explains that students “have to learn that ideas do not exist until they have been
is
incorporated into words, until that point you don't know whether you are pregnant or just have
Th
gas on the stomach.” Frye helps the reader fully comprehend the fact that language has a
structure, and that ideas must be properly structured in order for it to carry any importance.
sh
As well, Frye uses a metaphor found in the third last paragraph to support his thesis by
explaining to the reader why society would force literacy into the decline, because it is crucial to
This study source was downloaded by 100000823516103 from CourseHero.com on 07-06-2021 09:03:47 GMT -05:00
https://www.coursehero.com/file/35766126/Dont-You-Think-Its-Time-to-Start-Thinkingpdf/
, maintain order and to “preserve the present power structure.” The metaphor is “there are various
epidemics sweeping over society which use unintelligibility as a weapon to preserve the present
power structure...Understanding and articulateness can lead to its destruction.” This literary
device helps support the thesis by proving that the ability to think and properly articulate ideas is
becoming less common in our society today.
3. Explain concisely how the introduction is effective.
m
er as
I think the introduction is effective because it catches you off guard. Frye starts with the
co
eH w
sentence “A student often leaves high school today without any sense of language as a structure”
o.
which is confusing in a way because how can a student not have any sense of language as a
rs e
ou urc
structure after fourteen years of school? Frye hooks the reader and makes them want to continue
reading. As well, Frye mentions that “reading and writing are elementary skills that he mastered
o
aC s
in childhood” which is a very bold statement that makes the reader curious where he is going
vi y re
with the idea that there is more to literacy than reading and writing. I think that the first and
ed d
second paragraph are very effective and crucial to attaining the overall goal of this essay.
ar stu
4. a) Identify one rhetorical device used in the third-last paragraph and explain how it
is
Th
develops the thesis.
sh
One rhetorical device used in the third-last paragraph is an allusion “This is the
kind of thing that George Orwell was talking about, not just in Nineteen Eighty-Four, but
This study source was downloaded by 100000823516103 from CourseHero.com on 07-06-2021 09:03:47 GMT -05:00
https://www.coursehero.com/file/35766126/Dont-You-Think-Its-Time-to-Start-Thinkingpdf/
