She’s only filled with an old blind wish.

It isn’t even hers but came to her

in the rain or the soft wind

which is a gate through which her life keeps walking.

She can’t see

herself apart from the rest of the world

or the world from what she must do

every spring.

Crawling up the high hill,

luminous under the sand that has packed against her skin,

she doesn’t dream

she knows

she is a part of the pond she lives in,

the tall trees are her children,

the birds that swim above her

are tied to her by an unbreakable string.

—“The Turtle,”
Mary Oliver

Write one to three sentences explaining how the word “swim” adds to the idea that the turtle “can’t see herself apart from the rest of the world” in the final stanza.

In the space below, write a five-paragraph, 600-800 word persuasive essay arguing whether or not your chosen speech is effective in communicating its message, based on how it uses rhetorical strategies. include a clear thesis statement identifying whether, in your view, the speaker's argument is effective, based on his or her use of rhetorical strategies. explain why or why not. give your audience a sense of closure by providing a clear conclusion. throughout the essay, be sure to: use formal, objective language for an academic audience, connect your ideas using transitions that clearly tie together your ideas, base your argument on evidence from the text of the speech, and provide a clear conclusion about the speech's effectiveness.