Question
Write a point paragraph by reading two articles:
1. Selections from the writings of M. K. Gandhi, in Sources of Indian
Tradition, 2nd ed., vol. 2, Stephen Hay, ed. New York: Columbia University
Press, 1988, pp. 256-270.
(file attached below)
2. Mines, Caste in India, pp. 47-65.
https://www.scribd.com/document/316622701/Caste-in-India
A Point Paragraph (PP) is [a short comment] students write after completing a reading assignment.
In their PP, students name a worthwhile discussion point inspired by the reading(s) and develop that
point with evidence and argumentation. On class days when they will discuss the readings … the
syllabus instructs them to bring a PP as their “ticket” to class. I check tickets at the door; those
without a PP are kindly turned away. (I generally have to do this only once per semester.) This
policy counteracts the free rider problem, ensuring that every person in the room comes with at least
a modicum of readiness to contribute to a meeting whose success or failure depends on students’
willingness to risk their ideas out loud, something they are more likely to do if they have already
thought through some ideas on paper. If my “ticket to class” policy seems harsh or a lot to ask, bear
in mind that a PP need not be particularly brilliant. A merely acceptable Point Paragraph will admit a
student to class.
An acceptable PP has three components. The paragraph begins with a statement called the “They
Say,” which briefly summarizes “what everyone knows” or what an authority has said or what the
student used to think before encountering a new idea in the reading. (The book to read is Gerald
Graff and Cathy Birkenstein, They Say/I Say: The Moves That Matter in Academic Writing.) Next
comes an “I Say,” a point responding to the “They Say,” either to agree, to disagree, or to agree but
with a difference. Requiring students to position their “I Say” in conversation with others increases
their awareness of the social dimension of thinking, where the significance of a point depends upon
how much it surprises others in some way, providing new insight into the material at hand. The rest
of the paragraph explains and supports the point, using quotations, data, and reasoning to
demonstrate the plausibility of one’s claim.
Thus an acceptable Point Paragraph does three things: it makes a single, significant point focused on
the reading for the day, marshals strong evidence in support of the point, and exhibits good writing
style….
Answer
They say communities require coordination and cooperation of critical components for everyone to survive. I agree with these arguments because a community consist of different aspects that people need for their survival. The two readings present similar arguments regarding caste systems in India. They also have well illustrated ideas with case studies that enable readers to grasp more about the case systems in India. The perspectives of the two historians borrow from the fact that India has rich cultural and social traditions, which act as unifying factors. The discourse on sources of oral tradition in India notes that societies need political power to survive. Political power is a significant means of representing local people through national representatives (De Bary 258). The case system in India empathizes on the need for a mutual and communal understanding among individuals to enhance their living standards.
The two articles explicitly contribute to a reader’s knowledge of the issues surrounding communities. They talk about the political, social and economic factors needed by all to live. India is an agricultural society that mostly relies on crops for survival. The readings further provide an in depth educational knowledge that learners can employ in developing sound arguments in academic work. These works ease one’s ability to analyze situations after understanding all the laid down perspectives. The caste system and sources of oral tradition in India are distinct scholarly works, which are also game changers in issues related to India’s history. Mahatma Gandhi has rational arguments that learners can learn from and use when developing their opinions. The modern world can as well borrow many ideas from these scholars and change the world’s views on certain aspects of society. An individual may learn crucial lessons from these ideas such as involving everyone in a community by allowing them to utilize their full potential.
Works Cited
De Bary, Wm Theodore. Sources of Indian Tradition: Modern India and Pakistan. Vol. 464. Columbia University Press, 1988.