Mengyao Sun Scott Lerner Writing 39A 03/05/2018 Meaning is the soul of all kinds of writing. A writing without meaning is worthless. Every writer writes essays with their purpose. Expressing a clarify meaning in a essay is an important step to carry the writer’s point. A successful writing always makes people think about the author’s idea in depth. Of course, every successful writing needs a meaningful main viewpoint. But the most significant trait to determine whether the article makes its argument meaningful is to see how its development express the writer’s significant value and influence readers’ thoughts. And the most efficient way to make the argument meaningful is to support the argument with details. Here I want to make some examples of details in the passage “Captioning Emily” and explain how details make meanings. This article discussed about different meanings that different people gave on the death of Emily. At the end of the first part of the article, there is a passage “What I find is that I’m not the only one looking for meaning in Emily’s death. People who knew her even less well than I did—people who never met her—plug the hole of her death with their opinions. They stencil her name across their cause, caption her face with their slogans.” This is a foreshadowing for the article and for the meaning. After the background of Emily and her death, the author set a plain stage for the trend of the story. This foreshadowing indicated that in the rest of the article, the author wanted to describe those purposive implication from people with different relationships with Emily. People who heard about the death give their selfish meaning to her death and use her death to support and create advantage to their own proposition. However, besides the holistic meaning of the article, fractional meanings are also indispensable. The fractional meaning sometimes describe the character of people in the article, sometimes express the emotion in the article and sometimes set the theme. But ultimately, they all give persuasion to the main meaning, the value that the author want to state. Through the entire article, the author has mentioned “Google” and for three times. This “Google” detail is an object . It guide the mainline of this article and connect all those fractional meanings. Every time the author googled about Emily, he had new discovery of either her death’s meaningful point of its meaningless point. Every time this “Google” detail led the author to different development of Emily’s death from different group of people. This helped the author develop his article more fluently and connected his evidence naturally. Also, this detail is a character growth. It indicated that the author persistently concern about Emily. Then in the second part, the author describe the white supremacist website as “ In the upper left corner, against a background of flames,.

1. Mengyao Sun
Scott Lerner
Writing 39A
03/05/2018
Meaning is the soul of all kinds of writing. A writing without
meaning is worthless. Every writer writes essays with their
purpose.
Expressing a clarify meaning in a essay is an important step to
carry the
writer’s point. A successful writing always makes people think
about
the author’s idea in depth. Of course, every successful writing
needs a
meaningful main viewpoint. But the most significant trait to
determine
whether the article makes its argument meaningful is to see how
its
development express the writer’s significant value and influence
readers’
thoughts. And the most efficient way to make the argument

2. meaningful is
to support the argument with details.
Here I want to make some examples of details in the passage
“Captioning Emily” and explain how details make meanings.
This article
discussed about different meanings that different people gave
on the
death of Emily. At the end of the first part of the article, there
is a passage
“What I find is that I’m not the only one looking for meaning in
Emily’s
death. People who knew her even less well than I did—people
who never
met her—plug the hole of her death with their opinions. They
stencil her
name across their cause, caption her face with their slogans.”
This is a
foreshadowing for the article and for the meaning. After the
background
of Emily and her death, the author set a plain stage for the trend
of the
story. This foreshadowing indicated that in the rest of the

3. article, the
author wanted to describe those purposive implication from
people with
different relationships with Emily. People who heard about the
death give
their selfish meaning to her death and use her death to support
and create
advantage to their own proposition.
However, besides the holistic meaning of the article, fractional
meanings are also indispensable. The fractional meaning
sometimes
describe the character of people in the article, sometimes
express the
emotion in the article and sometimes set the theme. But
ultimately, they
all give persuasion to the main meaning, the value that the
author want to
state. Through the entire article, the author has mentioned
“Google” and
for three times. This “Google” detail is an object . It guide the
mainline of
this article and connect all those fractional meanings. Every
time the

4. author googled about Emily, he had new discovery of either her
death’s
meaningful point of its meaningless point. Every time this
“Google”
detail led the author to different development of Emily’s death
from
different group of people. This helped the author develop his
article more
fluently and connected his evidence naturally. Also, this detail
is a
character growth. It indicated that the author persistently
concern about
Emily. Then in the second part, the author describe the white
supremacist website as “ In the upper left corner, against a
background of
flames, a black eagle perches on a swastika. Overlapping its
feathers,
which look like puffy quilt squares, is the word RESISTANCE,
followed
by a skull and crossbones.”. This signal is an object detail. It
presented
the radicalization of those white supremacist. And this detail
indicated

5. that the author would give the evidence of the utilization of
Emily’s death
in this website. Then after one passage, the author gave us a
setting, “In
the caption under Emily’s photo, the white supremacists that
run this
website describe McKnight as a “24 year old Black man” and
his wife as
“a 35 year old white race traitor.” They say almost nothing
about Emily
herself, except where she grew up. So they don’t know that
Emily
studied and joked and hung out every day with both whites and
nonwhites
like me, or that she would have found their page disgusting.”.
Associated
this setting and the website, the author state a clear viewpoint
that those
white supremacists only cared about the conflict between black
and
white, and naturally distorted their characteristic, regardless of
the
victim’s nondiscrimination. The description of website I
mentioned

6. previous expressed the radical character of those white
supremacist. Later
the character those white supremacist gave to the killer and the
discussion
about the the blind idealism of those white supremacist
associated
together and shaped the egoism character once again. Another
evidence
the author write about in the article begin with a background
“But Emily
had been opposed to the death penalty. She was a philosophy
major,
believed in forgiveness, planned to become an Episcopal priest.
She’d
tattooed a dove on her back as a sign of her faith”. This is a
character
growth. It described Emily’s virtuousness and her forgiveness
of sinners.
This is a setting. It appeared Emily’s attitude and set up a
foundation
background of this crime that Emily, even as the victim, didn’t
want send

7. the killer to death. Also this is a foreshadowing. It expressed
Emily’s
attitude to draw forth to the controversy of the pro-death-
penalty and the
anti-death-penalty. And then, support the meaning of the article,
“A
person’s life can be boiled down to a single encapsulating
principle, a
rule that sums up the meaning of all those days lived.”. The
meaning of
the last part of this article is my favorite. At the beginning of
this part, the
author wrote “Throughout the trial, he didn’t look Emily’s
parents in the
eye, but he didn’t look down at the floor either. He looked
nowhere.”
First, this description is a character growth. It build an apathetic
character
for the killer, as if there was nothing about him in the court.
Also this is a
foreshadowing. It use the killer’s expression to foreshadow for
his neglect
of Emily which he discussed in the later paragraph. Also the
“Google”

8. detail was mentioned again to draw forth the development of
Emily’s
meaning to the killer. By Google, the author found the killer’s
pen pal site
with a greeting: “Peace and love to all people we’re all leaves
of the same
tree . . .” and describe it with “There’s a list of interests that’s
oddly
specific but so broad as to be almost generic; it begins with
“god” and
moves from “comedy” to “film production” to “lions, tigers,
collecting
postcards.”. This website is an object. It described a normal,
ordinary pen
pal site which normally express its owner’s interests, belief and
life. It
also has a greet about peace and love, which controversial with
the
identity of killer. This is a foreshadowing for later discussion
about
Emily’s meaningless to McKnight, the killer. He killed Emily
and got in
to prison. But on his website there was nothing about Emily,

9. about his
anger or about his guilt. This detail indicate that killing Emily
means
nothing to him. Emily had no relevant relationship with him.
The victim
could be anyone. Unfortunately, Emily became the victim.
Then, the
author discussed about McKnight, “When I read this page, all I
can
conclude from Emily’s complete absence is that she meant
nothing to
him, that her death meant nothing to him, that killing her meant
nothing
to him. ” This is a character growth.For McKnight, Emily was a
random
meaningless girl. But for white supremacist, for pro death
penalty and for
the anti death penalty, Emily had meaning to support their own
belief.
All these details I have listed provided fractional meanings and
finally
they supported the holistic meaning of that article.Being
different from
evince meanings directly, showing meanings with details is

10. always more
persuasive and easier for readers to accept. Details could bring
more
emotional influence for the article. They can lead readers
realize
meanings by themselves, so that readers will believe in the
realization
more decided.
Insert surname 2
Student’s name
Professor’s name
Course number
Date
I’m so sorry to bother you again. But could you revise one more
time? I find that there’s only one quote in the paper. I need
several, maybe 4-5 details and each comes with its analysis.
And the analysis don’t need to be that long, only 5-6 sentences
is good. I want the analysis of each detail, how the detail create
meaning and how they influence the article, not the analysis of
the entire article. Thank you so much for your work.
Shadow of a Nation.
Analysis;
The author of the article tries to give an outline of how young
people go through life to become who they are. Using that as a
basis, he was able to show to the outside world what the
ordinary people are going through and also what they are going

11. through as a result of stigmatization in the society. The
stigmatization left those affected on the verge of dying due to
many dangers that faced them such as dangerous diseases and
also violence against them which mostly led to death. It
provides the readers with a rhetorical scenario where a reader
must work out on the above characteristics of the society to get
the real meaning. The writer also highlighted the importance of
the neglected part of the nation by showing how they were
hardworking if given a chance. Rhetorically, that means that
every person in the society is important according to the
contributions that he or she makes.
Quote;
The meaning of the article is well developed from some of the
quotes found in it. The quote “Trying to go from a world where
it's disrespectful to look someone in the eye into one where it'
disrespectful not to. Sitting alone in his dorm room for days….”
(Smith, and Smith 1) Tries to give an insight of what is
happening in the society through using one of the character's
situations of life. Stigmatization in the society occurs in many
ways which might leave someone with only one option. That
option will be to find the place and the people who are okay
with him or her and supports how he or she views life. If a
person is in such a situation, he should be able to know that
something is wrong and something has to get done before it’s
too late to do anything. The quote above belongs to the thematic
part of the article. Other than evoking emotions in a person who
is reading the text, the quote touches more on the larger part of
the article hence it better suits there.
Surface meaning;
The surface meaning as said above, involves the evils happening
in the society. That is evident from the way the writer gives the
narration of what the characters went through. Most of them
ended up in involving themselves with activities that could end
their lives. That was from the hopelessness that befell them
after trying to fit in the society that could no longer contain or
accept them. Were it not for the evils; many people could not be

12. dying. Also, if there was inclusion of everyone in the society,
spread of diseases such as cirrhosis that was killing people
would have stopped. Living in the part of the nation described
by the writer was survival of the fittest.
The outcasts in the society are used to perform tests for
new launched techniques. The part of the community that
considers itself as more important will use that trick to lure the
other. Though they will feel more important, the motive of the
facilitators is protecting their population from the repercussions
that might that may arise rather than accepting them. From the
way that is framed, it’s hard to note it without the help of good
observation. That is from the fact that the society will try as
much to cover it and make sure that no one can notice it openly
or have evidence to prove it. Despite the above being a
fractional meaning, it’s hard to tell which makes it better to
look for the deeper meaning.
Deeper meaning;
Right from the title, the article outlines it’s deeper meaning
there. A person can figure the rhetoric nature of the text right
from the beginning. A shadow is an outline of the real thing
which is not that easy to see. In the real world, people only see
the positive side of the nation or the society. That is from their
inability to do a precise survey of how the situation is with the
larger part of the population rather than the renown or the big
names. From the fractional meaning explained above, the deeper
meaning is quite evident and open to anyone of sound mind. A
part of the nation sees itself as more important than the other,
but they also depend on the other part for their survival.
However, they always take advantage, benefit themselves alone
and then leave the others to die and diminish.
From the quote, looking someone in the eye helps one to
know if he or she is lying. It will be easier to understand when
you are being lied and also to devise the next step to take. That
explains the deeper meaning of the text. In a world of whites
and blacks, whites always try to outshine the blacks in many
ways. They do that through imposing regulations to cover up for

13. the lies that they have already put in place. They control them,
and for them not to hit back, restrictions are added to the
regulations. You cannot talk to them for you to correct them or
tell them what to do. Due to lack of avenues and better ways of
expression, it’s hard for the stigmatized to talk point out the
wrongs. The shadow is availed here where that part is not
touched or talked about by anyone. Also, to address such issues
openly will pause a danger to the writer which made him use
rhetoric for it to be easy to present them.
Work Cited;
Smith, Gary, and Gary Smith. "The Crows Now Seek Glory—
But Often Find Tragedy—In Basketball". SI.Com, 2018,
https://www.si.com/vault/1991/02/18/123632/shadow-of-a-
nation- the-crows-once-proud-warriors-now-seek-glory--
--but-often-find-tragedy----in- basketball.
Insert
surname
1
Student
’
s
name
Professor
’
s
name
Course
number
Date
I
’
m
so
sorry
to

14. bother
you
again.
But
could
you
revise
one
more
time?
I
find
that
there
’
s
only
one
quote
in
the
paper.
I
need
several,
maybe
4-5
details
and
each
comes
with
its
analysis.
And
the

15. analysis
don
’
t
need
to
be
that
long,
only
5-6
sentences
is
good.
I
want
the
analysis
of
each
detail,
how
the
detail
create
meaning
and
how
they
influence
the
article,
not
the
analysis
of

16. the
entire
article.
Thank
you
so
much
for
your
work.
Shadow
of
a
Nation.
Analysis;
The
author
of
the
article
tries
to
give
an
outline
of
how
young
people
go
through
life
to
become
who
they

17. are.
Using
that
as
a
basis,
he
was
able
to
show
to
the
outside
world
what
the
ordinary
people
are
going
through
and
also
what
they
are
going
through
as
a
result
of
stigmatization
in
the

18. society.
The
stigmatization
left
those
affected
on
the
verge
of
dying
due
to
many
dangers
that
faced
them
such
as
dangerous
diseases
and
also
violence
against
them
which
mostly
led
to
death.
It
provides
the
readers

19. with
a
rhetorical
scenario
where
a
reader
must
work
out
on
the
above
characteristics
of
the
society
to
get
the
real
meaning.
The
writer
also
highlighted
the
importance
of
the
neglected
part
of
the
nation
by

20. showing
how
they
were
hardworking
if
given
a
chance.
Rhetorically,
that
means
that
every
person
in
the
society
is
important
according
to
the
contributions
that
he
or
she
makes.
Surname 1
Student’s name:
Tutor:
Course:
Date:

21. This paper doesn’t accord with my draft and my requirements.
Please read the draft I send to you. The paper should be written
with quote from the “shadow of a nation”. Could you find
several details in the article and analyze under my requirements.
I don’t need the reword. Just analysis and quote please.
Must analyze:
1 quote
2 belong to what type (character growth, emotions, prediction
shadow, environment, theme, object)
3 surface meaning
4 deep meaning
Select the following obvious features to write(each detail
should have one of these):
1 rhetorical situation
2 connection、relation between details
3 influence to audience
4 appeal to emotion
Shadow of a nation.
This is dated back to 1930s during the period when there was a
lot of sorrow and brutality. There was much war and horse
stealing when the author was young. When that era gone people
were happy and they had shifted to other better thinks like
education and playing basketball for younger siblings who were
still in school and junior colleges. On March twenty fourth
1983, boys went to Billing to participate in a state basketball
tournament. They were twelve teenagers in total.
One of the teenagers was Everritte Walks, a boy who had
naturally big hands and he had never known his biological
father. The other teenager was Miles Fighter who is described in
this context as astounding leaper. The boy had no dad and his
mother had died recently of cirrhosis.
The other teenager was Jo Pretty Paint who is described as a
brilliant long-range shooter, a child who is dedicated. Just a few

22. minutes before a game at Miles City, his coach had found him
alone, crouched, shuffling, and covering an invisible in the
locker room shower. There was also another teen known as
Darren Big Medicine who was an easy going center.
There was a lot of weeping after the people became happy.
Many people lost their lives in different mysterious ways. Sobs
for those who went missing from that glorious caravan, the
owners of decaying body in the reservation dust, for Dale
Spotted and Star were not Afraid and Darrell Hill and Tim Falls
Down, Crow stars of the past dead of cirrhosis and suicide and
knife-stabbing and a liquor-fogged car wreck. Sobs for the slow
deaths took place every night a mile from Jonathan Takes
Enemy's high school, where an entire squad of jump shooters
and dunkers and power forwards from the past could be found
huddling against the chill and sprawled upon the sidewalks
outside the bars on the south side of Hardin.
Takes Enemy had sharp mind and very wonderful skills. The
white coaches, instructors, and teachers kept on telling him that
he had a smart mind and that was the reason why he was alive
while some other individuals lost their lives. Oregon state and
Arizona state had sent him letters wanting him too. Simpson
would shake his hands and present him as the best athlete of
1984 presenting him a crystal cup for being the best athlete of
the year. He was the hero of the town since every person
bragged of him despite that he already had two kids. Children
used to use his pictures on their chests and school girls used to
write on the walls on how they were with Jonathan and some
also had hope of bearing a kid with him.
On winter 1989 the custodian had forgot to switch off the bulb
and two of five games were being played. Eighty three thousand
people who are Indians had been stuck to alcoholism and
poverty. Ninety five percent of that population are unemployed.
Their children used to spend their days shooting at crooked rims
and rotting backboards which were wooden. Young men
belonging to them drove for days to arrive to Indian
tournaments all across America and came home to strut the

23. dusty streets in the sheeny jackets they had won there.
Community members viewed Jonathan as a very important
member of the clan since he had a lot of fame. He planned for a
party to thank the people from the society but he could not raise
the amount to give all the people gifts and therefore he was
assisted by well-wishers. His father was a mere medic and also
his mother Dorothy could not do so. Rituals were being
performed to him before he could go for any tournament. Later
on his a girlfriend and they bore a baby girl. After four months
the lady informed Jonathan of the second pregnancy and he was
very uneasy. He had to take the responsibility and pause his
studies despite the many scholarships he had. Later on he
decided to go back to school.
There so many rhetoric questions used for example where there
was a lot of weeping since so many people had died Mickey
Kern asks on how many people have died of which nobody
answers since there is no appropriate answer for that and the
exact number is not known.
Foreshadowing is also evidenced in the context. The
unemployment and drunkenness of Miles Fighter is foretold
immediately he was introduced in the text. Everrete Walks
dropping out of school and death of his mother due to cirrhosis
is also foretold. The death of Pretty Paint is also foretold. He is
said to go out drinking one evening, get into a car and careen
over an embankments. He is also said that he will go to the
grave with his photograph and his basketball uniform.
Theme of death is present in the text. During the error of
weeping many people lose their lives including the important
society members like mother to Everrete. Theme of education is
also present. Jonathan gets scholarship to go and study abroad.
There is also teachers and instructors who train students in both
junior and senior school. The basketball team was travelling in
a school bus. There is also theme of tradition such that before
basketball players go to the field they have to undergo some
rituals. Jonathan is forced to hold a celebration so that he can
award the senior clan members.