SOAPStone Graphic Organizer for Rhetorical Analysis
Citing Evidence in Persuasive Text
S
Who is the
Speaker?
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O
What is the
Occasion?
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A
Who is the
Audience?
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P
What is the
Purpose?
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S
TONE
What is the
Subject?
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TONE
What is the
Tone?
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CLOSE READING
Who is the speaker?
Identify the speaker’s age, gender, class, and education.
The voice tells the story. Whose voice is being heard within
the text?
What can you tell or what do you know about the speaker that
helps you understand the point of view expressed?
How do you know? Cite specific evidence in the text.
The speaker is Patrick Henry who is a male. He recieved
education from his father who went to a university in
scottland. Patrick is being heard. He is adressing the
president.
What is the time and place of the piece? What is the current
situation (that prompted the writing)?
Is this a political event, a celebration, an observation, a critique,
or …?
Identify the context of the text.
It is in the afternnon in the west virginia convention.
Patrick is hoping to recieve liberty for him and the
surrounding community. It is a political even being
discussed with the president.
Who are the readers to whom this piece is directed? It may be
one person or a specific group.
Does the speaker specify an audience?
What assumptions exist in the text about the intended audience?
We are like part of the group as if we are there
listening to the speach. He does not specify an
audience.
What is the purpose behind the text? Why did the author write
it? What is his goal? (To find the purpose, ask, “What did the
author want his audience to think or do as a result of reading this
text?”)
What is the message?
How does the speaker convey this message?
To discuss issues going on around in the area. his goal
is to be heard and be helped by the higher powers. The
message is that he wants liberty. He uses terms like
how they can't see thing but they can hear and just
want freedom.
What topic, content, and ideas are included in the text?
State the subject in a few words or a short phrase.
Is there more than one subject?
How does the author present the subject? Does he introduce it
immediately or do you, the reader, have to make an inference?
What is the attitude of the author?
Is the author emotional, objective, neutral, or biased about
this topic?
What types of details “tell” the author’s feelings about the topic?
What types of diction (choice of words), syntax (sentence
structure), and imagery (metaphors, similes, and other types of
figurative language) help reflect the tone?
How would you read the passage aloud if you were the author?
The freedom for the people and the different ways that
can be accomplished. there is more than one subject.
and the author introduces it immediatly (great britain)
positive and hopeful. the author is objective about the
topic. the author uses things like "and listen to the
song of the siren that transforms us into beasts" i
would read it in a older way with a deep voice.