Part III: Writing Exercise

THE CRIMSON TIDE*

Combine the following sentences into an explanatory essay which develops the thesis that in our society . . . . Omit details that weaken your thesis and add details to strengthen it.

As you combine the following sentences into an explanatory essay, change the angry, sarcastic tone into one that gives at least some credit for the entertainment value of bloody movies.

1. Blood has become a hot commodity.

2. No, the hot commodity is not a pint of A positive or B negative.

3. You may donate the pint of A positive or B negative to your local blood bank.

4. The pint of A positive or B negative could save a life.

5. The hot commodity now is cheap crimson liquid.

6. The liquid splashes from human bodies.

7. The bodies are severed and hacked.

8. The bodies are gouged and mangled.

9. The liquid splashes all over neighborhood movie screens.

10. At the same time, audiences look on.

11. Their eyes are wide.

12. Their mouths are gaping in horror.

13. Fourth-rate movie producers are turning filth into gold.

14. They appeal to the basest of human instincts.

15. In some cases a $300,000 investment yields a $50 million profit.

16. Only limits to the imagination set limits to the gore.

17. Some sick minds have the imagination.

18. We are now privileged to witness the gore.

19. Kids boil their parents to death in The Children.

20. This is "kid's stuff" in comparison.

21. A woman impaled on a meathook in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.

22. Take your pick.

23. Merely an arm or two is chopped off.

24. This is shown in a close-up.

25. This has lost its novelty.

26. Therefore producers of a recent hit have the sole survi-

vor of a massacre behead the alleged murderer.

27. The recent hit is Friday the 13th.

28. The murderer is then seen walking around.

29. He is headless.

30. Its arms are still jerking in the air.

31. Is all this ordinary for you?

32. Then you can watch the cannibalistic ghouls.

33. Their rotting skins drip like candle wax.

34. They munch on their victims.

35. Or you can watch walking monsters.

36. Prehistoric fish have turned into walking monsters.

37. The monsters are forcing their attentions on reluctant women.

38. The greed of producers may never run its course.

39. Yet one wonders about this.

40. When will producers run out of human body parts?

41. The body parts are to be chopped or ripped apart in a novel way.

42. Then the current horror epidemic can become only a frightening memory.

43. Even movies based on history are gory.

44. Movies like Glory.

45. Movies like Platoon.

46. And now we have movie producers like Quentin Taratino.

47. Tarantino likes to produce blood and gut movies.

48. Like Reservoir Dogs.

49. Like Pulp Fiction.

50. The Cohen Brothers now have blood splattering from Fargo.

51. They kill in Brainerd.

52. They kill in Minneapolis.

53. They kill at a peaceful resort.

54. And they even grind a guy up in a wood chipper.

55. What will be next?

*Adapted from The Writer's Options: Combining to Composing (2nd ed.), by Donald A. Daiker, Andrew A. Kerieck, and Max Morenberg. NY: Harper & Row, pp. 354-356.