Rhetorical Writing/Analysis

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Rhetorical Writing/Analysis

• An Overview

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Identifying techniques

• S- speaker -voice that tells story)
• O- occasion -context that prompted writing
• A- audience- to whom piece is directed
• P- purpose- reason behind the text
• S- Subject
• T- attitude of author
• O
• n
• e

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Traditional elements of rhetorical composition

• Invention- art of generating material
• Arrangement- placement of ideas for effect
• Style- choices the writer makes in language for
  effect
• Memory- access to info. and collective knowledge-
  (readers cultural assoc.)
• Delivery- presentation and format

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Terms

• Logos- Appeals to reason
• Pathos- Appeals to emotion
• Ethos- Appeals to ethics (credibility of writer
• Hyperbole- Exaggeration for effect
• Parallelism- set of similarly structured words,
  phrases or clauses that appears in a sentence or
  paragraph

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Terms

• Anecdote-a brief narrative offered in text to
  capture audience attention
• Causal Relationship- if x is the cause, y is the
  effect
• Aim-goal of speaker or writer- intention or
  purpose

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Terms

• Syllogism- logical reasoning from inarguable
  premise ex John is an AP student All AP
  students are dedicated John is dedicated

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Techniques

• Anticipated Objection- technique writer or
  speaker uses in an argumentative text to address
  and answer objections, even though the audience
  has not had the opportunity to voice objections
  (ex some of you may feel, but let me assure
  you)

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Techniques

• Inductive Reasoning- Reasoning that begins by
  citing a number of specific instances or
  examples, and then shows how collectively they
  constitute a general principle
• Deductive Reasoning- Reasoning that begins with
  general principle and concludes with specific
  instance

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How to write a rhetorical analysis essay

• Start by identifying SOAPS, appeals (logos, ethos
  and pathos) and style (diction, syntax, imagery,
  details)
• Examine- WHY did the author use these strategies
  and HOW did they help achieve his purpose

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Introduction

• Include speaker, occasion, subject, purpose and
  audience
• For example Journalist, Barbara Ehrenreich, in
  her non- fiction work Nickel and Dimed On Not
  Getting By in America, recounts her experiences
  as a minimum wage worker to convey the idea she
  uses atone in order to appeal toreaders

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Body Paragraphs

• Work chronologically through the text
• Identify the part of the text
• Use specific examples from text
• Identify rhetorical strategies , explain how
  strategies elucidate the aim

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Writing style

• Use strong transitions (begins, shifts to, opens,
  contrasts)
• Strong verbs- Implies, ridicules, establishes,
  enumerates
• Weak verbs- Says, relates, states
• Avoid summary and focus on analysis
• Paraphrased from auburnschools.org