Persuasive Essay Samples
Persuasive Essay SamplesKEY TO COLOR ESSAY
COLOR CODING
RED = should
statement / point of view
ORANGE = main
reasons supporting the point of view (these become the main topic of
the body paragraphs)
GREEN = transition
words (at the start of body and concluding paragraphs, and between
supporting details)
BLUE = supporting
details, provide added information for the main reasons / main topics
of body paragraphs
PURPLE = call
to action, telling the reader to take action by doing something now
that they agree with you.
MAROON = clarifiers,
statements that make the issue
clearer.
PINK = rhetorical question, a question
used to make the reader think about an issue without answering the question.
Rhetorical questions are considered as “compositional risks” that will earn
the writer of the essay extra points.
Essay Topic: Should the parental
accountability ordinance be passed?
Some states and cities are passing a “parental
accountability ordinance,” under which parents can be held responsible for
their children’s actions. Under this ordinance parents and
guardians can be
fined if their children skip school or commit acts such as vandalism.
I believe this ordinance should not be passed because
it is not fair to the parents because they
cannot have total control over their children. The law does
not teach children to be responsible for their actions and it gives
children an opportunity to deliberately injure their parent’s reputation.
To begin, it
is impossible for parents to have complete control over their children.
Children have minds of their own. They
have free will. Parents can only show
them the right direction. After that,
children can choose to follow their parent’s direction or disregard it.
According to Doctor Phil, a natural part of the
growing up process involves children making their own choices and rebelling
against their parents. [Expert opinion] Furthermore,
Statistics from the 2003 census show that 80% of
all children in the United States live in homes where both parents work.
[Statistics] That leaves kids with a lot
of unsurpervised time.
Another reason to not pass the ordinance is it
gives the child less responsibility. Any
child who gets in trouble doesn’t have to deal with their mistake; it will be
their parents’ problem [Detailed fact
from the ordinance] Also,
if a child drinks and drives then the parents
loses his license for that, and it goes on their permanent record. [Detailed
fact from the ordinance]
Finally, the
child would have too much power over his or her parents if this ordinance is
passed. My cousin lives in a state
that has passed an ordinance similar to this one. When my cousin came home with
a bad report card, my uncle grounded her. To get even, my cousin vandalised a
home just so her father would get in trouble. [Personal
anecdote] Was it fair for my uncle to
be punished because his daughter wanted to get him in trouble? He
was only trying to be a good parent. Yet,
Senator Wilson, who is opposed to the parental
ordinance, says, “this ordinance would allow parents with clean records to
have them tarnished by their vengeful childen.” [Expert
opinion]
In conclusion, our town should not pass this ordinance [Restatement of point of view] It is their child’s life, it makes children less responsible, and it gives the child power over his parents. [Restatement of reasons supporting POV] I urge all concerned citizens to go out there and spread the word not to vote for this ordinance.
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