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AUTHOR'S PURPOSE- Brought to you by Ms. Jasztal

Purpose: Determine whether an author is trying to inform, persuade, or entertain you!

Instructions:

Real authors and even you write for several reasons. What authors write can create many different feelings. Some authors such as C.S. Lewis write fictional stories like The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe. Of course, the author’s purpose of writing a fiction story is to entertain. Some authors write non-fiction, which is mainly to inform. Other authors may write to persuade you to think something else or try to get you to do something.

There are three different types of author’s purpose…

To Inform- To tell you about a topic such as the Civil War, historical sites you can visit in Georgia, or about the first World Series game. Even biographies can be written to inform you about someone. If a book were to be written about Michael Vick, the NFL football player, it would be to inform you about Michael Vick. You would use these writings to write a decent report.

To Entertain- To tell you an exciting story. All fictional stories are stories the author writes to entertain you. Stories could be those such as The City of Ember, The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe, and Because of Winn-Dixie.

To Persuade- When an author tries to persuade, he or she wants you to take his or her view on something. For example, you could write a letter to the school principal about school uniforms. You could also persuade people your age to eat more vegetables. You could write a persuasive letter to the school newspaper or even the St. Petersburg Times trying to convince others to take your view on something. Big words to remember are I am not saying that, you won’t be sorry, believe me, trust me, and viewpoint.

JOURNAL ASSIGNMENT:

Write answers in your journal for your entry:

READ EACH OF THE FOLLOWING WRITINGS AND WRITE WHETHER THE AUTHOR'S PURPOSE IS TO persuade, inform, or entertain- 1. The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo- STORY SUMMARY- Welcome to the story of Despereaux Tilling, a mouse who is in love with music, stories, and a princess named Pea. It is also the story of a rat called Roscuro, who lives in the darkness and covets a world filled with light. And it is the story of Miggery Sow, a slow-witted serving girl who harbors a simple, impossible wish. These three characters are about to embark on a journey that will lead them down into a horrible dungeon, up into a glittering castle, and, ultimately, into each other's lives. And what happens then? As Kate DiCamillo would say: "Reader, it is your destiny to find out."

2. Hail- What can I do to convince you that it really was hail and not acid rain that had the greatest erosion? I am not suggesting that acid rain is not effective, yet hail had the lowest angle on day nine. It was at a 20-degree angle while acid rain and rain were BOTH at a 25-degree angle. Also, hail has a force that can crack open rocks because water expands 10 percent when frozen. That will DEFINITELY wear down a mountain. Hopefully you will take my viewpoint now.

3. Erosion- There are many types of erosion, and these are the types…

4. Replay by Sharon Creech- STORY SUMMARY- Twelve-year-old Leo has a talent for transforming the everyday into the extraordinary. That's why they call him fog boy. He's always dreaming, always replaying things to his brain. He fantasizes about who he is in order to discover who he will become. As an actor in the school play, he is poised and ready for the curtain to open. But in the play that is his life, Leo is eager to find out what part will be his.

5. Why We Need To Stop Wearing School Uniforms- Come on! I know that I and probably 95% of the rest of the school are tired of wearing school uniforms. Polo shirts, khaki pants, and sneakers at least four days a week are NOT my idea of a decent wardrobe.

6. The Homework Machine- Only $79.99! You will NEVER have to complete your homework again. I am telling you, the Read-Your-Mind Homework Machine can be manipulated to where it writes in your handwriting and answers questions even more completely than you do. Then for an extra $59.99, you can purchase the Insta-Matic Report Writer, which writes however many words you want about any topic you want. Purchase it today and you will never have to complete homework again!

7. Fire!- Karina’s heart pounded with terror when she realized she could not escape the raging flames that were surrounding her. All of a sudden, she felt protective arms wrap around her. From there, she realized that she was being led to safety.

8. The Whatever-Talent-You-Wish Potion- The Whatever-Talent-You-Wish potion is available in stores for only $129.95. Drink this potion and imagine yourself running down the football field alongside Michael Vick! Whack a baseball in the air higher than any player on the Atlanta Braves or New York Yankees. You can even drink this potion to be the smartest person in your class, make any friends you want, beat your friends at any Xbox game, or play the piano with precision. Think about it. You won’t be sorry.

9. Simple Machines- The six simple machines are the wedge, screw, lever, pulley, wheel and axle, and inclined plane. Let me tell you about each of these six simple machines.

10. New York City- New York City is probably one of the busiest cities in the world. It is located in southeastern New York, and if you drive just a little farther, you drive down the Long Island Expressway onto Long Island. In New York City, there are several attractions to visit such as the Empire State Building and the massive New York Public Library.

When you are done, keep the paper in your binder. Remember again, your answers should be one of three words: persuade, entertain, or inform.

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