Teaching Outre Literature Rhetorically in First-Year Composition

Abstract

This dissertation argues that using rhetorical approaches to outré literature gleaned from popular culture within the context of first-year composition helps students become critical readers, thinkers, and writers. I suggest that if instructors privilege texts their students are likely to be familiar with in English 101, then they can more readily introduce unfamiliar concepts like rhetorical analysis; by the time students arrive in English 102, they can apply the now familiar concept of rhetorical analysis to new texts such as academic discourse. Thus, in designing this curriculum I draw on the Harry Potter novels, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Star Wars graphic novels to present nine rhetorical strategies that can be used not only for literary texts such as these, but can also be transferred to a variety of novel situations students are likely to encounter in college and in the everyday world. In the end, the dissertation makes arguments not only for using literature to teach composition, but also for using rhetorical analysis as a means to teach reading, thinking, and writing, and also for keeping first-year composition as a required part of the curriculum.