AP Success - AP English Language: "We Are Virginia Tech"

Highlight the diversity within the Virginia Tech community

Provide a rhythmic structure to the passage

Contrast the current state of mourning with the institution's past

Introduce various perspectives from members of the Virginia Tech community

Grieving processes differ among individuals

Emotions should be suppressed for the sake of unity

Strength is shown through emotional restraint

Grief is inconsistent and unpredictable

Offer a solution to the community's grief

Provide a historical context for the tragedy

Minimize the tragedy experienced by Virginia Tech

Draw a parallel between Virginia Tech and other suffering communities

Anger and retribution

Desperation and helplessness

Confusion and uncertainty

Isolation and introspection

Has unrealistic expectations for itself

Rejects the current state of affairs entirely

Feels disconnected from its past

Is indifferent to self-assessment and growth

Await an uncertain future without taking action

Ignore the past and focus solely on what lies ahead

Reject any changes moving forward

Literally create new technologies as a form of coping

Acknowledge the community's past defeats

Suggest that victory is the only acceptable outcome

Question the community's ability to overcome adversity

Indicate a passive approach to overcoming challenges

Critical and demanding

Resigned and melancholic

Detached and observational

Joyful and celebratory

Emphasize the geographic location of the incident

Highlight the academic achievements of Virginia Tech

Remind the audience of the institution's reputation

Distance the community from the tragedy

Differentiate between members and non-members of the community

Downplay the individual experiences of grief

Assert the speaker's authority over the audience

Appeal to external audiences for sympathy