Preface to the Instructor xii
Preface to the Student xiv

INTRODUCTION | Thinking, Reading, and Writing 1

Thinking Critically 2
Reading Critically 4
Preparing to Read 4
Reading 7
Rereading 12
Reading Inventory 15
Writing Critically 16
Preparing to Write 17
Writing 23
Rewriting 25
Writing Inventory 26
Conclusion 29

CHAPTER 1 | DESCRIPTION: Exploring Through the Senses 31

Defining Description 31
Thinking Critically by Using Description 33
Reading and Writing Descriptive Essays 34
Student Essay: Description at Work 39
Some Final Thoughts on Description 43
Description in Review 43
DAVID ADAMS RICHARDS My Old Newcastle 46
Using vivid sensory details, Richards takes the reader back to his home town in a loving yet starkly realistic series of vignettes drawn from his childhood.
SALLY ARMSTRONG P4W 52
Could you imagine life in prison? Sally Armstrong shows us life inside a Canadian penal institution for women. The writer reveals the grim stories and horrific environment of P4W in a clear-eyed and unflinchingly perceptive essay.
LESLEY CHOYCE Thin Edge of the Wedge 64
Choyce's essay uses poetic descriptive language to bring alive the vital forces at work in a small corner of Nova Scotia.
TOMSON HIGHWAY What a Certain Visionary Once Said 69
In this descriptive essay, Tomson Highway paints a vivid picture of the landscape, climate and wildlife of the Canadian North.
RAY GUY When Jannies Visited 73
Ray Guy treats the reader to an amusing view of his Newfoundland boyhood and the Christmas tradition of mummering.

CHAPTER 2 | NARRATION: Telling a Story 83

Defining Narration 83
Thinking Critically by Using Narration 85
Reading and Writing Narrative Essays 86
Student Essay: Narration at Work 90
Some Final Thoughts on Narration 94
Narration in Review 94
ALLEN ABEL A Home at the End of the Journey 96
What does it mean to be a Canadian? Allen Abel takes the reader to his Oath of Citizenship ceremony.
STEVEN HEIGHTON Elegy in Stone 102
The author, a poet and short story writer, recounts the moving experience of visiting Vimy Ridge. Heighton's visit leads to reflections on Canada's participation in World War I and the essential nature of Canada and Canadians.
EVELYN LAU I Sing the Song of My Condo 110
In her mid-twenties, Evelyn Lau decided to take the plunge into home ownership. In this essay she tells the story of her year of searching for a condominium.
BRIAN LEWIS Teeth 118
The writer, an MLA in the Northwest Territories, tells the story of the significance of a small necessity of life to a Native Canadian and to a group of government officials.
KAREN CONNELLY Touch the Dragon 124
In this travel memoir from her Governor General's Award-winning book, Karen Connelly uses vivid descriptive details to recreate her arrival in Thailand.

CHAPTER 3 | EXAMPLE: Illustrating Ideas 131

Defining Examples 131
Thinking Critically by Using Examples 133
Reading and Writing Essays That Use Examples 134
Student Essay: Examples at Work 137
Some Final Thoughts on Examples 141
Example in Review 141
LYNN COADY Genius or Madness? 143
Award-winning novelist Lynn Coady offers us some thoughts about socially acceptable behaviour and society's perceptions of those who don't always conform.
ALFRED LEBLANC The Reel Thing 148
Can traditional Cape Breton fiddle music survive in the face of a range of modern influences? Alfred LeBlanc introduces the reader to a variety of musicians and finds that traditional music is thriving and finding new audiences at the same time.
CECIL FOSTER Why Blacks Get Mad 156
Using strongly affective examples drawn from his own and his family's lives, Foster speaks forthrightly and personally of the insidious presence of racism in everyday life in Canada.
DIANE FRANCIS Once a Kinder and Gentler Nation 165
One of Canada's most noted financial writers takes some carefully aimed shots at our abuses of Canada's social support systems. Cross-border shopping, anyone?
MARK KINGWELL Not Available in Stores 171
Yours for only three easy payments of $39.99 ... In this essay, Mark Kingwell, television columnist for Saturday Night, outlines the appeal and the changing nature of infomercials.

CHAPTER 4 | PROCESS ANALYSIS: Explaining Step by Step 179

Defining Process Analysis 179
Thinking Critically by Using Process Analysis 181
Reading and Writing Process Analysis Essays 182
Student Essay: Process Analysis at Work 186
Some Final Thoughts on Process Analysis 189
Process Analysis in Review 189
ADRIAN FORSYTH Little Plants of Horror 191
In a musical they may be fanciful and endearing, but in this essay Adrian Forsyth takes a look a some real-life carnivorous plants.
PAUL QUARRINGTON Home Brew 197
What golden beverage is a Canadian institution? How do you make this product yourself? The answers to these and other questions are amusingly offered for your enjoyment in Quarrington's essay.
JESSICA MITFORD Behind the Formaldehyde Curtain 207
In this chilling and macabre essay, celebrated "muckraker" Jessica Mitford exposes the greed and hypocrisy of the North American mortuary business.
MAUREEN LITTLEJOHN You Are a Contract Painkiller 219
Canadians consume almost one billion Aspirin or ASA tablets each year. In this essay, Maureen Littlejohn considers exactly how ASA works and traces its history in medicine.
JOE FIORITO Breakfast in Bed 224
Award-winning columnist Joe Fiorito shares a recipe for popovers and explains why they are perfect fare for breakfast in bed.

CHAPTER 5 | DIVISION/CLASSIFICATION: Finding Categories 229

Defining Division/Classification 229
Thinking Critically by Using Division/Classification 231
Reading and Writing Division/Classification Essays 232
Student Essay: Division/Classification at Work 235
Some Final Thoughts on Division/Classification 238
Division/Classification in Review 239
WILLIAM GOLDING Thinking as a Hobby 241
William Golding, famed author of Lord of the Flies, divides thinking into three categories and explains how he learned to reason as a boy in grammar school.
DAVID FOOT Boomers Dance to a New Beat 252
Boom, Bust and Echo, Foot's best-selling book, explains the effect of demographics on Canadian societal and economic trends. In this essay, Foot gives us an overview of the demographic patterns in Canada and the way they influence our society.
AMY WILLARD CROSS Life in the Stopwatch Lane 258
When was the last time you said you didn't have time? In this amusing article Amy Willard Cross classifies time according to the way that we spend it.
LAURA MILLARD Images of Canada: Canadian Bank Notes 263
Do you remember life before loonies and twonies? Laura Millard reflects on the artistic aspects of Canadian paper currency.
SUSAN SWAN Nine Ways of Looking at a Critic 273
Writer Susan Swan describes the ideal reviewer along with eight types of reviewers that writers are less fortunate to encounter.

CHAPTER 6 | COMPARISON/CONTRAST: Discovering Similarities and Differences 281

Defining Comparison/Contrast 281
Thinking Critically by Using Comparison/Contrast 283
Reading and Writing Comparison/Contrast Essays 284
Student Essay: Comparison/Contrast at Work 290
Some Final Thoughts on Comparison/Contrast 293
Comparison/Contrast in Review 294
CHARLOTTE GRAY The Temple of Hygiene 296
More than anything, Charlotte Gray wants to visit a traditional Japanese bathhouse. In seeking this experience she learns a great deal about Japanese culture.
JOHN FRASER Save the Last Dance 306
John Fraser remembers his days as a dance critic as he compares two great Soviet dancers: Rudolph Nureyev and Mikhail Baryshnikov.
WILL FERGUSON The Sudbury Syndrome 313
Sudbury as a tourist destination? In "The Sudbury Syndrome," an excerpt from his book Why I Hate Canadians, Will Ferguson takes a humorous look at the changing faces of many Canadian communities.
GLORIA STEINEM The Politics of Muscle 322
Feminist Gloria Steinem examines the muscle-bound world of women's bodybuilding and discovers that strength means sexual power.
EVAN SOLOMON The Babar Factor 330
How do video games measure up against more traditional forms of entertainment and education for children? In this essay Evan Solomon compares Super Mario and Sonic the Hedgehog to Babar, hero of traditional children's stories, and finds that the elephant king reigns supreme.

CHAPTER 7 | DEFINITION: Limiting the Frame of Reference 337

Defining Definition 337
Thinking Critically by Using Definition 338
Reading and Writing Definition Essays 339
Student Essay: Definition at Work 342
Some Final Thoughts on Definition 346
Definition in Review 346
CAROL KRENZ Food for Sloth 348
What foods do you turn to for solace? In this humorous essay Carol Krenz examines the effects of comfort foods upon us.
DREW HAYDEN TAYLOR Pretty Like a White Boy: The Adventures of a Blue Eyed Ojibway 353
Like Kermit the Frog, Drew Hayden Taylor doesn't always find it easy to live with the way that he looks. In this essay he discusses the difficulties of not "looking the part."
WAYSON CHOY I'm a Banana and Proud of It 361
"Banana" is the endearing nickname given to children of Chinese heritage who have assimilated into North American life. In this essay Wayson Choy talks about the history of Chinese immigrants to Canada and his role as a "banana."
MICHAEL CLUGSTON Twice Struck 366
Michael Clugston investigates the phenomenon of lightning to discover how it generates the universal responses of wonder and respect.
NEIL BISSOONDATH Pieces of Sky 371
What qualities or values are distinctly Canadian? In this essay Bissoondath reflects on the values that create our Canadian culture.

CHAPTER 8 | CAUSE/EFFECT: Tracing Reasons and Results 379

Defining Cause/Effect 380
Thinking Critically by Using Cause/Effect 382
Reading and Writing Cause/Effect Essays 383
Student Essay: Cause/Effect at Work 387
Some Final Thoughts on Cause/Effect 390
Cause/Effect in Review 390
STEPHEN KING Why We Crave Horror Movies 393
Seen any good movies lately? Best-selling author Stephen King explains why we are so fascinated with movies that appeal to our darker instincts.
TRINA MCQUEEN Why We Crave Hot Stuff 399
Why are we attracted to stories about fascinating people, scandal, and difficult moral issues? Trina McQueen considers the appeal of "hot-stuff stories" and the role of ethics in journalism.
LAURA ROBINSON Starving for the Gold 407
A former competitive athlete, Laura Robinson exposes the serious problem of abuse and eating disorders in the sports world.
JOHN GRAY You're Thinking of Getting a What? 416
In this entertaining essay John Gray delves into the world of tattooing to examine the appeal and the repulsiveness of this form of body decoration.
TONY LEIGHTON The New Nature 422
Is seeing really believing? Is a picture still worth a thousand words if it has been digitally altered? Find out how digital imaging is changing our sense of reality and our ability to believe our own eyes.

CHAPTER 9 | ARGUMENT/PERSUASION: Inciting People to Thought or Action 433

Defining Argument/Persuasion 433
Thinking Critically by Using Argument/Persuasion 436
Reading and Writing Persuasive Essays 437
Student Essay: Argument/Persuasion at Work 442
Some Final Thoughts on Argument/Persuasion 446
Argument/Persuasion in Review 446
JENNIFER COWAN TV Me Alone 448
What do you think of TV in public places? Jennifer Cowan makes television, but here she argues that TV has a time and a place, and that is where it should be kept.
LAWRENCE SOLOMON Too Much Privacy Can Be Hazardous to the Person 453
Where do we draw the line between invasion of privacy and free speech? How much of your personal information is stored on various computer databases? Lawrence Solomon presents an argument in favour of the collection of personal information.
JUDY REBICK Kick 'Em Again 460
Judy Rebick argues against the growing practice of "poor-bashing" and explains what the real welfare problem is.
DAVID SUZUKI The Right Stuff 465
What do you remember from your high school science classes? David Suzuki proposes a curriculum change that will use "the right stuff" to generate student interest.
GERALD W. PAUL Stand Tall, and Pass the Ammunition 470
Instead of slinking away, Gerald Paul advocates fighting back when funeral directors and the funeral business come under attack.
Opposing Viewpoints: Wearing the Veil 476
MICHELE LEMON Understanding Does Not Always Lead to Tolerance 477
NAHEED MUSTAFA My Body Is My Own Business 480
In this pair of essays, Lemon and Mustafa present two quite different views of the traditional Muslim headscarf and what it represents.

CHAPTER 10 | DOCUMENTED ESSAYS: Reading and Writing From Sources 485

Defining Documented Essays 485
Reading and Writing Documented Essays 487
Student Essay: Documentation at Work 493
Some Final Thoughts on Documented Essays 500
Documented Essays in Review 501
BARBARA EHRENREICH The Ecstasy of War 503
Do men and women possess a natural "warrior instinct" that enables them to kill their enemies during battle? Not so, claims Barbara Ehrenreich, though many social and cultural rituals help transform ordinary people into effective soldiers.
JILL LESLIE ROSENBAUM and MEDA CHESNEY-LIND Appearance and Delinquency: A Research Note 512
Criminologists Rosenbaum and Chesney-Lind offer some fascinating evidence about the relationship between the attractiveness of female offenders and the severity of their punishment.
MARILYN DAHL The Role of the Media in Promoting Images of Disability 526
In this documented essay Marilyn Dahl explores the ways that the media shapes our images of people with disabilities.

CHAPTER 11 | ESSAYS ON THINKING, READING, AND WRITING 535

EUDORA WELTY Listening 536
DAVID SMITH Burying the Hatchet in Language 540
ROBERT FULFORD The Fading Power of the Written Word 545
NATALIE GOLDBERG The Rules of Writing Practice 548

Credits 553
Index of Authors and Titles 555