In his essay, “The Step Not Taken,” Paul D’Angelo fully follows “Csizzy’s Formula.” He hooks the reader in two ways, through the title, and the opening paragraph. The title, “The Step Not Taken” be an allusion to the widely known poem, “The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frosty due to the similarity in title. This, if noticed from the start, could give the reader an expectation of what the essay could contain. Additionally, one might read the essay hoping for it to be a parody of Frost’s work or that there may be parallelisms between the two works that would provide further insight into the essay. The opening paragraph of D’Angelo’s essay also acts as an effective hook. The first paragraph provides the opening to an anecdote, a very appealing literary device to use at the start of an essay.
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While the writer’s hooks are prime examples for “Csizzy’s Formula,” the focus is also well executed. As the essay starts off with an anecdote, a reader would not find a thesis of any form in the first paragraphs. It is rather revealed in a “moral of the story” style after the anecdote: when someone needs help, you may benefit yourself and that individual if you take the step (a reference to the title) to help them (141). Providing the focus in such an appealing way is exactly what Csizzy would want. D’Angelo does well to put momentum into the essay. One of his more noticeable methods is through emotional repetition. At many points in the essay, repetition or words or phrases are used to express emotion and provide momentum. Some examples include, “I should have” (141) to show a feeling of regret, “would he have” (141) to express anxiety, and “that I hope” (142) to express that the writer hopes that the man is okay, and all will be well for
While the writer’s hooks are prime examples for “Csizzy’s Formula,” the focus is also well executed. As the essay starts off with an anecdote, a reader would not find a thesis of any form in the first paragraphs. It is rather revealed in a “moral of the story” style after the anecdote: when someone needs help, you may benefit yourself and that individual if you take the step (a reference to the title) to help them (141). Providing the focus in such an appealing way is exactly what Csizzy would want. D’Angelo does well to put momentum into the essay. One of his more noticeable methods is through emotional repetition. At many points in the essay, repetition or words or phrases are used to express emotion and provide momentum. Some examples include, “I should have” (141) to show a feeling of regret, “would he have” (141) to express anxiety, and “that I hope” (142) to express that the writer hopes that the man is okay, and all will be well for