Based on the premise that writing is valued only when it makes readers think, this anthology combines the content of literature and argument texts into one easy to use book. 

Reading Literature and Writing Argument is the result of the authors' experiences as teachers of two college composition courses:  "Writing Argument and Persuasion" and "Writing about Literature." Both courses enrich students, as both readers and writers, through their active engagement with ideas in written text.  Based on their experiences in the two composition courses as their guide, the authors harnessed the courses' complementary strengths in Reading Literature and Writing Argument.  The result is a book that provides students with a diverse range of reading experiences-fiction, non-fiction, poetry, drama- that will immerse students in critical and creative thinking as they address problems and issues from multiple perspectives.  This book prompts students to see language as a way to create meaning in their lives and to see themselves as writers with a purpose and an audience.