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Investigating the Profile Essay and the Lizzie Borden Murders

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It reveals the writer’s perspective about a person, place, or activity.

It is a popular type of writing because it introduces the reader to unusual places or events or interesting people.

It often makes a connection with a social, political, or moral idea.

What Is A Profile Essay?

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There Are 3 Kinds of Profile Essays:

Profiles of Interesting People--with a unique talent, experience, or perspective.

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Profiles of Places– That Are Unusual or Interesting

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Profiles of An Unique or Uncommon Activity

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Andrew Borden had, as the old Scottish saying goes, short arms and long long pockets. He was cheap, not because he had to be frugal but because he hated to spend money. He had dedicated his entire life to making and saving money, and tales of his unethical and parsimonious business behavior were legendary in his hometown of Fall River, Massachusetts. Local gossips maintained that as an undertaker he cut off the feet of corpses so that he could fit them into undersized coffins he had purchased at a very good price.

From “Lizzie Borden” by James Kirby Martin et al. America and Its People, 2nd Edition.

A Profile Featuring Andrew Borden,

one of the murder victims

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A Profile of Fall River, Massachusetts Where the Bordens Lived

One hundred years ago, the city of Fall River, Massachusetts was a prosperous mill town, home to over 100 cotton mills. In fact, it was the leading cotton textile center in the United States in the late 19th century and early 20th century. The town was divided by economics and geography, with the wealthy families living in the elite section known as The Hill. The poorer people who worked in the mills lived in the less desirable section referred to as The Flats, which was near the business district.

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A Profile of An Unusual Activity:

Wood Chopping As A Sport

Hundreds of years ago, wood chopping was a necessity to provide fuel for the wood burning stove or fireplace, which heated the family home. Now, in many parts of the world, it has been reduced to a sport. In wood chopping competitions, skilled competitors race to cut through logs in record time. These competitions often take place at agricultural shows and state fairs.

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Profiles Also Use Vivid Language…

“(The maid) Bridget still managed toprepare a large breakfast of johnnycakes, fresh-baked bread, ginger and oatmeal cookies and raisins, and some three-day-old mutton and hot mutton soup.”

From James Kirby Martin. “Lizzie Borden.”

…To help the reader visualize the people, places or activities in the essay. Here, the author is describing the last breakfast at the Borden home before the murders.

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Vivid Language Helps the Reader Visualize To Describe

People and Places

“Tall and thin, he even had beady eyes and a bony face.”

“Their house was a grim boxlike structure that lacked comfort and privacy.”

From James Kirby Martin et al. “Lizzie Borden.” America and Its People

How could you describe Andrew Borden? Here’s how one writer did it.

How could you describe the Borden House? Here’s an example from the James Kirby Martin essay.

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Profiles Often Use Quotations.

“Come down quick; father’s dead; somebody came in and killed him.”

Lizzie was quoted as saying that her stepmother was “a mean good –for-nothing thing.”

Why? To convey information and help the reader visualize the people in the profile.

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Profiles Usually Reveal the Writer’s Perspective

Andrew Borden

was cheap.

Lizzie strongly disliked her stepmother.

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Test Your Understanding

When you’re ready to test your knowledge of the profile essay, return to Lesson 2 and take the profile essay quiz.