Sanelli

Style Analysis

Essay #2

5 pages

If you were to direct someone to write like Joan Didion, what would you say? How

would you describe her approach carefully enough to encourage imitation? How would

you support your description and model your direction?

Write an analytical essay that proves a conclusive thesis about how
Didion writes. Writing style involves. . .what? Voice? Vocabulary? Sentence
structure? Choice of topics? What else? A sense of what makes this writer unique (or at
least idiosyncratic)? What else?
questions are meant to encourage your critical assessment and representation of how
a specific writer characteristically writes; I mean “writes” in the broadest sense.
This means including representative
quotations and paraphrases to illustrate your points. Be sure to organize your essay by
ideas or style characteristics, rather than by Didion’s essays. The We should
make a specific point about Didion’s writing style. The examples-in each paragraph
sWtEWbTTfiE”fi§§fiEd‘fiays In other words, do not organize
your body paragraphs by Separating out her essays and focusing on one at a time.
Synthesize the examples to illustrate the pint of the paragraph.

You needn’t approve of or appreciate how Didion works to earn a good grade; you do
need to demonstrate your carerl analysis and direction.
follow standard formats: double-spaced, one- inch margins, 12-

point Times New Roman font, and clear references. Follow MLA documentation for in-
text citations and include a Works Cited page. Do not use “I” “you” or “we” in your
writing. A

In order to receive a full grade for this essay you must participate in the peer workshop.