We want our readers to care about, and engage with, our writing and argument. With this, I would want to stress to my students that titles are not part of the paratext (an opinion I have come across within the Writing Center and with many writers beginning to enter academic writing), but are integral when composing a piece of writing.Īs the title showed, Twain’s argument creates tension, which is necessary in academic writing. Here Twain’s title is attention grabbing, it lets the reader know the topic, and creates immediate tension. Titles should engage the reader, persuading them to read further. “On the Decay of the Art of Lying” is a notable title that draws the reader into the work. This essay immediately beings teaching writing, specifically how to build an argument, through its title. When looking at his non-fiction essays, “On the Decay of the Art of Lying” modeled these two goals. With his acerbic wit, beautiful prose, and tendency to always have a strong opinion, I realized his works would be a good representation of the writing and critical thinking/engagement I would want my EN 110 students to perform. When thinking of writers that I admire who also have written non-fiction pieces, Mark Twain came to mind.
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