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Standard English: Module C The Craft of Writing

J.K. Rowling The Fringe Benefits of Failure, and the Importance of Imagination

The 2019 Standard English Syllabus emphasises the need to examine how

writers of complex texts use language creatively for a range of purposes. J. K.

Rowling’s commencement address to the Harvard graduating class of 2008 and guests

offers a skilfully crafted persuasive oration. As it is a commencement speech,

Rowling was asked to stand at a podium and provide influential pieces of advice that

could stand the longevity of graduate’s futures in the ‘real world’ outside of college.

In order to endure the test of time and resonant with its audience, the text had to touch

into the emotional energy of its authentic audience, the graduates. However, this text

has reached beyond its original audience, it has become a quality text that validates

the power of language justifying its position as a current model and stimulus for the

development of a student’s writing.

In crafting and enacting an address such as a speech, it is crucial for writers to

generate a persuasive text, otherwise it fails at its purpose to convey a writers

premise. The modes of persuasion are the rhetoric devices that classify a

writer/speakers appeal to the audience. J.K. Rowling’s commencement address, The

Fringe Benefits of Failure, and the Importance of Imagination (Fringe Benefits), in

essence as a commencement speech has to be highly persuasive in order to appeal the

writer’s thoughts for their audience. Rowling’s address excels at the art of persuasive

writing and for that reason it is suitable for the module The Craft of Writing.

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When crafting a persuasive piece, there are three key modes of persuasive

writing. Of the three modes of persuasion Rowling articulates to produce her quality

address, a large emphasis is placed upon the appeal of emotion. It is clear at the on-

start of the address that her use of humour to dismiss her nerves generates a

connection and appeal with her audience, whom are possibly experiencing the same

array of emotions. Rowling further displays her comical side through her recollection

of her own graduation ceremony, she has further bonded with her audience through

the recollection of herself in their position. Rowling’s own personal experiences are

heavily embedded throughout her oration; they typically attempt to instil carefully

sought out feelings in her audience. In this regards, we can see Rowling’s use of craft

to generate an emotional connection with her authentic audience. The establishment

of an emotional connection within the opening stage of her address allows Rowling to

appeal to her audience. This successfully establishes a structure of engagement and

connection within her audience, to which she will endeavour to develop and

substantiate her later claims. Ironically, it is also this connection that creates longevity

for Rowling’s address. In her words “if all you remember in years to come is the ‘gay

wizard’ joke, I’ve come out ahead of Baroness Mary Warnock” (her commencement

speaker at her graduation), implying that even of her advice fails to resonant with her

audience at least she has left a lasting impression of some regard with her audience,

one-upping her commencement address. It is the nature of Rowling’s pathos

Persuasive texts only achieve complete persuasiveness when the intended

audience can accredit credibility and authority to the writer. Upon taking the podium,

Rowling already holds a significant amount of credibility as a well-known author and

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craftsman who wrote the magical narrative of a generation. Rowling not only appeals

to her audience through creating an emotional connection, she also eases herself into

rhetorical expression by pitching a joke that exposes her audience to something they

could all relate to… a Harry Potter reference, her narrative of a generation. The

comical nature in which Rowling references her claim to fame is an effort to attribute

credibility to herself as a writer and a point of connection with her audience.

However, it is not just the humour and previous work that attributes credibility to

Rowling. Nevertheless, it is her personal stories that are associated alongside her

arguments that foster credibility, as she is able to describe the world through her

experiences. It is her personal experiences with failure that allows her to stand and

demand credibility and trust from her audience when she argues the benefits to failing

itself as she herself had “fail[ed] on an epic scale”. Audiences are much more likely to

give credibility when they can encompass where a writer’s thoughts could stem from.

As the writer of one of the best-selling novels in contemporary history, Rowling

proves relevant in modern society as she holds the attention of the current generation.

Rowling’s Fringe Benefits proves highly persuasive in nature due to the relationship

of her personal experiences and argument but also her preconceived notoriety as a

writer. It is Rowling’s preconceived notoriety in contemporary society that also

makes the text highly suitable for the module, as she is an acclaimed writer for the

students of today, her work would prove useful to students to deconstruct and model

they writing off.

If not on an emotional or credible level, Rowling’s writing showcases her

ability to creatively appeal to her audience on a logical ground. It is Rowling’s appeal

to logic in her address that gives her the grounds to substantiate her arguments. Her

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arguments are not to be mistaken for acts of fantasies as depicted in her novels, rather

they are real life examples. The irony of a commencement address with a focus on

failure is not lost on Rowling, however she notes “that the fact you are graduating

from Harvard suggests you are not very well-acquainted with failure”. The notion of

how do you pitch the benefits of failure to an audience not well-acquainted to it is a

challenge for Rowling’s writing but one easily overcome with logic. In an effort to

appeal to her audience she enlists logic within her arguments, “it is impossible to live

without failing at something, unless you live so cautiously that you might as well not

lived at all – in which case, you fail be default”. In her pursuit to redirect her

audiences view of imagination into the powerful ability to relate with other human

beings whose experiences we have never shared, Rowling delves into the realities and

brutalities of her experiences at Amnesty International offering credibility to her

appeal. Being capable to engage with an audience through the right tone and relevant

appeals are crucial for crafting a commencement address. Rowling’s persuasive craft

allowed her to appeal to her audience on a level in which she could deliver a lasting

impression through her address.

The Fringe Benefits demonstrates a powerful contemporary text embedded

with persuasive writing. It is Rowling’s mastery over rhetoric that crafts and persuade

her audience into developing comfort in the risk of failure and exploring the alternate

approach to significance of imagination. The ability for a writer to appeal to a

specific/intended audience is not a minor challenge. Therefore, it is for that reason

that students can improve their own writing skill by increasing their awareness of the

stylistic choices adopted by credible authors such as J.K. Rowling. It is through using

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such texts as models and stimuluses that we can deconstruct words, sentences and

paragraphs and discover the essential elements of craft, we analyse texts as a means to

understand what we can do with our craft. The module The Craft of Writing combats

the notion in which we are assigning and assesses writing but we aren’t adequately

teaching the craft behind it, the Rowling commencement address is a good means to

analyse the craft of writing and is worthy of its place on the 2019 English prescription

list.

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Lesson 1: (60 mins)

Unit Module C: The Craft of Writing

Fringe Benefits of Failure, and the Importance of Imagination
Class Year 12 Standard English

To introduce students to the workings of persuasive writing,

the art and craft a writer employs to be persuasive.

Teacher Objectives To get students engaging with the nature of rhetoric in

Rowling’s speech

EN12-3 analyses and uses language forms, features and

structures of texts and justifies their appropriateness for
purpose, audience and context and explains effects on
meaning
Students:
Syllabus Outcomes for  Engage with complex texts through their language
forms, features and structures to understand and
Students
appreciate the power of language to shape meaning.
 Understand and use language appropriately and
effectively for particular purposes, for example
making connections, questioning, challenging,
analysing, speculating and generalising.

- Whiteboard
- Marker
- Computer with access to internet
- Projector
Resources/ Teaching - Speech link
Aids https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2008/06/text-
of-j-k-rowling-speech/
- Students transcript handed out in previous lesson

Procedures:

In this lesson outline, students will explore the text, Fringe Benefits of Failure, and
the Importance of Imagination. Students will respond and analyse this
commencement speech, delivered at Harvard University in 2008 in order to
experiment and develop their skills with rhetoric in their own craft.

Prior to this lesson, students have already read through the speech transcript obtaining
an understanding of Rowling’s argument. This lesson will explore how Rowling is
able to convey her arguments.

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Time Organisation Teaching/ Learning Actives

10 mins Whole class/ Rhetoric Triangle diagram

Teacher led Students are to draw triangle on A4 size page in notebook and
fill in as teacher discusses each appeal. Becomes a source for
future analysis and students craft practice
 Draw triangle onto board, in the centre write ‘appeals to
audience’. This is the goal of rhetoric
 Label each point either Pathos, Logos, or Ethos
 Discuss with class the meaning of each. Students to write
corresponding definition.
Pathos: appeal to emotion
Logos: appeal through logic
Ethos: appeal through credibility and authority
 Discuss how collectively they make a heightened
persuasive argument or appeal to their authentic audience

Model should represent something similar to:

5 mins Whole class Screen opening address of Rowling’s Fringe Benefits

viewing and speech: Start at 3:20 and stop at 8:25
listening https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2008/06/text-of-j-k-
rowling-speech/
 Students are to read along with their transcript and mark
down points in which Rowling obtains engagement with
her audience, when do her words gain a reaction?
15 mins Whole class Whole class analysis of speech:
discussion Propose focus questions to guide a group discussion
with teacher  What is the purpose of Rowling’s speech?
lead  Does she have a specific audience she is addressing?
 What is her tone?
 How does Rowling connect with her audience, is it through
humour? Do her jokes about her famous fictional novels
create a point of connection?
 How does Rowling use emotion to connect with her
audience?
20 mins Individual/ Think, pair, share activity:
group work  Building on prior activity, students are to individually find
a quote from the opening section of the transcript that
appeal to the emotions of the audience. They are to outline
why that quote would appeal to the audience’s emotion.
 Students are to then pair up with a peer.
 Together they share their quotes and its appeal to
audience’s emotions.
 Class comes together to share their thoughts

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 Walk around room and monitor students, offer assistance

where needed.
 If certain students are struggling with the task, workshop
one example with them. Then ask them to attempt to locate
another.
 If students accomplish task with ease, ask them to locate
two more examples.
10 mins Individual Reflection Task:
 Students are to reflect upon lesson and there learning to
write a paragraph in response to the following question

How important is the aspect of rhetoric to writing craft?

 Assist students by drawing connections from the earlier

tasks to focus their learning.
Homework Students are watch the remainder of J.K. Rowling’s speech
noting down aspects of rhetoric online from
https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2008/06/text-of-j-k-
rowling-speech/

Evaluation/ Extension:

Students to continue watching Rowling’s speech noting specific instances in which

students believe Rowling is utilising one of the rhetoric modes learnt in class.

In retrospect:

This lesson prompts students to think more critically upon the nature in which

writers attempt to convey arguments to their intended audience through the analysis

of rhetoric modes within a text. Initially, the first stage of the lesson is focused on

establishing the notion of rhetoric modes to students. From there, the lesson builds

upon this foundation by investigating the craft of J.K. Rowling’s commencement

speech. Students get to deconstruct Rowling’s speech for themselves in a thinking

routine, this “gets students to do real thinking for themselves, thinking that will

enhance their understanding” (Ritchhart, 2015) beyond mere teacher seminars.

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Lesson 2: (60 mins)

Module C: The Craft of Writing

Unit
Fringe Benefits of Failure, and the
Importance of Imagination
Class Year 12 Standard English

To get students to start to experiment with

rhetoric for the future use in their craft

Teacher Objectives
To gauge students learnings on the craft of
rhetoric through getting students to
experiment with rhetorical devices

EN12-1 Independently responds to and

composes complex texts for understanding,
interpretation, critical analysis, imaginative
expression and pleasure
Syllabus Outcomes for Students
Students:
 Analyse and assess the ways
language features, text structures and
stylistic choices shape points of view
and influence audiences
- Whiteboard
Resources/ Teaching Aids - Marker
- Fringe Benefits of Failure, and the
Importance of Imagination

Procedures:

Prior to this lesson commencing students should have viewed J.K. Rowling’s speech
online and analysed it for aspects of rhetorical modes.

Time Organisation Teaching/ Learning Actives

10 mins Class Reflection task:

discussion Student thoughts about the homework task.
 Any significant findings or issues discovered whilst
listening and reading the transcript?

15 mins Class Building exercise:

discussion Students to further utilise their findings in their homework task
 Ask students to see if they noticed a sequencing to
Rowling’s use of the rhetorical modes.
(speech establishes credibility, appeals to audiences emotion and then
solidifies her arguments with logic)
 Is there a purpose to crafting persuasive writing in this

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manner?

15 mins Class analysis, Rhetorical devices:

discussion Explore the nature of rhetorical devices in forming the rhetoric
modes for persuasive writing
 Provide students with a list of rhetorical devices
accompanied with their definition as a tool for analysis
 Write allusion and its definition on the board
e.g. a reference to something other than what is directly
being discussed. It is up to the reader to make the
connection
 Ask for student thoughts on the literary technique.
Do they have an example of allusion?
 Draw students to an example of allusion from Rowling’s
speech
“all I have to do is take deep breaths, squint at the red
banners and convince myself I am at the world’s largest
Gryffindor reunion”.
 Give students two minutes to evaluate this quote as an
illusion
 Deconstruct with the student’s assistance the element that
make the quote an example of allusion.
10 mins Individual/ Experimentation with the craft of allusion:
group work Students are to generate their own examples of allusion
 Ask students to spend the next few minutes either
individually or in pairs crafting their own examples of
allusion.
 After students have crafted their examples they are to write
their favourite on the board.
 Emphasis nothing inappropriate to be written
 After students have finished writing on the board read them
out loud to the class demonstrating their experimentation
with allusion.

10 mins Individual Student craft:

Students are to start a draft process for a craft piece with the
intention to utilise their newfound skills in rhetoric.
 Students are to start to draft ideas for a craft piece paying
particular attention to their persuasiveness.
 Ensure you a readily available to help assist students as
they start brainstorming ideas for their craft piece.
Homework

Evaluation/ Extension:

Students set to the task of incorporating persuasive writing into their own craft. The

tools and learning of the last two lessons has provided them the means to incorporate

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persuasive writing into their own craft. The writing process will continue into the

following lesson.

In retrospect:

This lesson builds upon the previous lesson and guides students to the beginning of

the writing process in the development of their own craft. The lesson also attempts to

further scaffold students learning as “what a student is able to do in collaboration

today he will be able to do independently tomorrow” (Vygotsky, 1987). Through the

study of Rowling’s writing and scaffolded examples, students are able to discover the

essential elements of craft that impart control and generate meaning for the

development of their own craft.

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References

Ritchhart, R. (2015). Creating cultures of thinking : the 8 forces we must master to

truly transform our schools. Retrieved from https://ebookcentral.proquest.com

Rowling, J, K. (2008). Fringe Benefits of Failure, and the Importance of Imagination.

Retirved from https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2008/06/text-of-j-k
rowling-speech/

Vygotsky, L. S. (1987). Thinking and speech. In L. S. Vygotsky, Collected works

(vol. 1)

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