Author s Purpose. Chapter 1 Lesson 6. Getting the Idea

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1 Chapter 1 Lesson 6 Author s Purpose Getting the Idea Authors write for various reasons and to achieve different effects. An author s purpose is his or her reason for writing a text. Authors generally write for one of three basic reasons: to inform, to persuade, or to entertain. When an author writes to inform, he or she presents information to expand the reader s knowledge. Types of informational writing include textbooks, encyclopedias, biographies, instruction manuals, and nearly every other form of nonfiction writing. Read the following sentences: At 1,235 feet, Charles Mound is the highest point in Illinois. Charles Mound is located near the town of Galena, in the northwest corner of the state. It is named after Elijah Charles, who settled at the base of the mound in This is an example of informative writing. The author provides information that is factual and that can be verified independently. When a writer s purpose is to persuade, he or she attempts to convince the reader to think or act in a certain way. A persuasive text is an opinion supported with facts and examples. Letters to the editor and editorials are examples of persuasive texts. In a persuasive text, the author expresses a clear point of view. The author s point of view is his or her perspective, attitude, or opinion about a subject. Read the sentences below: Students should not be allowed to bring cell phones to school. Students who use cell phones get distracted and disrupt the class. Some students also use them to cheat on tests. The author s purpose is to convince the reader that cell phones should be banned from school. The author states his or her point of view directly: cell phones are disruptive and may facilitate cheating. As you can see, a persuasive text does not have to be written in the first person (I) for it to state an opinion. However, authors will often use phrases like I feel, I believe, and I think to express their point of view. 38 Chapter 1: Reading Comprehension

2 Lesson 6: Author s Purpose Another purpose for writing is to entertain. Novels, short stories, poems, and plays are literary texts with the chief purpose of entertaining the reader. The events and characters are typically fictional but may refer to real people or historical events. An author s point of view can shape his or her description of characters and events. For example, James Baldwin does not directly express his opinions in his short story Sonny s Blues. However, the story reflects the author s perspective on race relations, music, and family. Point of view is also evident in the expository essay, a short literary composition on a single subject. Expository essays can inform, persuade, or entertain. Typically, the author s purpose in an expository essay is to describe a personal experience, sometimes expanding on that experience to make a broader statement about life. When you interpret an author s purpose or point of view, think carefully about the author s statements. Pay attention to the details in the text and ask yourself why the author included those details. Thinking It Through Read the following paragraph, and then answer the question that follows. I remember my first hiking trip in the mountains. As I lumbered up the trail on that hot, muggy afternoon, I wondered what had ever possessed me to embark on such an outing. My backpack grew heavier with every step. But that night, I gazed in awe at more stars than I had ever seen in my life and fell asleep to aspen leaves rustling in the wind. I understood what it was all about. How does the author s point of view change in the passage? Hint The author feels differently by the end of the passage. 39

3 Coached Example Read the passage and answer the questions. Pearls are the only precious stone made by living creatures. They are formed inside the shells of oysters and certain other shellfish. A grain of sand, a parasite, a piece of shell, or some other irritant finds its way into the oyster s shell. If the oyster cannot expel it, it coats the object with layers of nacre, a shiny substance its body produces. Over time as long as four years a pearl is formed. Like snowflakes, each pearl is unique, with tiny variations in color and shape. Originally, people dove for pearls, opening each oyster to search for the elusive stone. Not every oyster forms a pearl, and not every pearl is round or has bright luster. Even when pearl farmers help the process along by inserting an irritant into the oyster shell, only about five percent produce pearls. Pearl farming, now the primary source of pearls, is a tough business. 1. What is the main purpose of the passage? A. to entertain the reader with a story about pearls B. to inform the reader about how pearls are created and harvested C. to persuade the reader that pearls are the most precious stones D. to inform the reader about ancient traditions Hint Think about the type of information included in the passage. 2. Read this sentence from the passage. Not every oyster forms a pearl, and not every pearl is round or has bright luster. Which BEST explains why the author includes this sentence in the passage? A. to show that not all oysters are alike B. to describe a pearl-producing oyster C. to illustrate historical uses of pearls D. to show how rare the perfect pearl is Hint Compare each answer choice with the sentence. 40 Chapter 1: Reading Comprehension

4 Lesson 6: Author s Purpose Lesson Practice Use the Reading Guide to help you understand the passage. Reading Guide What is the author s main purpose in the passage? How does paragraph 2 help you understand the author s purpose and point of view? Look for details that reveal the author s point of view. excerpted and adapted from The Jungle by Upton Sinclair 1 During the early part of the winter, the family had had money enough to live and a little over to pay their debts with; but when the earnings of Jurgis fell from nine or ten dollars a week to five or six, there was no longer anything to spare. Spring found them still living from hand to mouth, hanging on day by day, with literally not a month s wages between them and starvation. Marija was in despair, for there was still no word about the reopening of the canning factory, and her savings were almost entirely gone. She had had to give up all idea of marrying then; the family could not get along without her though for that matter, she was likely soon to become a burden even upon them. So Jurgis and Ona and Teta Elzbieta would hold anxious conferences until late at night, trying to figure how they could manage this without starving. 2 Such were the cruel terms upon which their life was possible, that they might never have nor expect a single instant s respite from worry, a single instant in which they were not haunted by the thought of money. They would no sooner escape from one difficulty than a new one would come into view. In addition to all their physical hardships, there was a constant strain upon their minds. This was, in truth, not living. It was scarcely even existing, and they felt that it was too little for the price they paid. They were willing to work all the time; and when people did their best, ought they not to be able to keep alive? 3 There seemed never to be an end to the things they had to buy and to the unforeseen contingencies. Once, their water pipes froze and burst; and when, in their ignorance, they thawed them out, they had a terrifying flood in their house. It happened while the men were away, and poor Elzbieta rushed out into the street screaming for help, for she did not even know whether the flood could be stopped, or whether they were ruined for life. The plumber charged them seventy-five cents an hour, and seventyfive cents for another man who had stood and watched him, and 41

5 Why does the author include details about the real estate agent? included all the time the two had been going and coming, and also a charge for material and extras. 4 Then, when they went to pay January s installment on the house, the agent asked them if they had had the insurance attended to yet. He showed them a clause in the deed which provided that they were to keep the house insured for one thousand dollars, as soon as the present policy ran out, which would happen in a few days. Poor Elzbieta, upon whom again fell the blow, demanded how much it would cost them. Seven dollars, the man said. 5 That night Jurgis, grim and determined, requested that the agent be good enough to inform him, once for all, as to all the expenses they were liable for. The deed was signed now, Jurgis said, with sarcasm proper to the new way of life he had learned the deed was signed, and so the agent had no longer anything to gain by keeping quiet. Jurgis looked the fellow squarely in the eye, and so the fellow wasted no time in conventional protests, but read him the deed. They would have to renew the insurance every year; they would have to pay the taxes, about ten dollars a year; they would have to pay the water tax, about six dollars a year. This, besides the interest and the monthly installments, would be all unless by chance the city decided to put in a sewer or to lay a sidewalk. They would have to have these, whether they wanted them or not, if the city said so. The sewer would cost them about twenty-two dollars, and the sidewalk fifteen if it were wood, twenty-five if it were cement. 6 So Jurgis went home again, relieved to know the worst so that he could no more be surprised by fresh demands. He saw now how they had been swindled; but there was no turning back. They could only go on and make the fight and win for defeat was a thing that could not even be thought of. 42 Chapter 1: Reading Comprehension

6 Lesson 6: Author s Purpose Answer the following questions. 1. The author MOST LIKELY includes details about Jurgis s earnings in paragraph 1 to A. show that money is not as important as family. B. emphasize the family s financial difficulties. C. provide information about wages of the time period. D. suggest that Jurgis was overpaid. 2. Which phrase in paragraph 2 BEST reveals the author s point of view? A. single instant B. cruel terms C. come into view D. willing to work 3. The main purpose of paragraph 3 is to A. show how the family is overwhelmed by unforeseen circumstances. B. provide insight into the plumbing industry of the early 1900s. C. persuade the reader that being a plumber is hard work. D. suggest that Elzbieta overreacts to situations. 4. Based on the passage, with which statement would the author MOST LIKELY agree? A. Accept what life offers you with a smile. B. People always get what they deserve. C. One should never give up. D. Most people are generally trustworthy. 5. Based on the passage, what is the author s point of view on real estate agents? 43