Rhetorical Analysis Essay
Driving for Success
SCORING, Whole Test
SCALE: 1 - 5
• 45% on MC
• 55% on ESSAYS
–If you get three 6’s on the essays,
you automatically receive the score
of a 3 on the test, no matter how
bad the MC was.
Scoring: Essays
• 0–3
• 4
• 5
• 6
• 7 -8
• 9
No Evidence, Off-topic, didn’t understand
the prompt, no structure. Poor Grammar.
Some structure attempted, basic ideas
Has some ideas and structure but has
uneven or inconsistent analysis or
evidence
Great structure and analysis and ideas.
Stylistic problems only.
Writing shows stylistic variety and depth
of ideas.
God intervenes. 15 out of a 1000.
Not About Evidence or Strategy!
• I don’t care if you use emotionally charged
diction every time.
• I don’t care if you name polysyndeton,
metonymy, and synecdoche, identifying
strategies won’t earn you any extra points.
• You get points for organizing your essay
and for analyzing how the author uses
strategies to convey purpose or theme.
Another NOTE
• Writers do not SHOW, they…
CONSTRUCT
CREATE
CONTRAST
DEMONIZE
DECONSTRUCT
CHALLENGE
DON’T SAY “PAINT A PICTURE”. BORING!
Before we start: a note on THEME
• All good writing gets down to the most
fundamental level of analysis…
• HC = Human Condition
• HS = Human Spirit
How is this writer talking about what it means to
be human? What is she saying about life?
Rhetorical Analysis Essay: Our Formula
• INTRO [TPT & THESIS]
• BODY PARAGRAPH #1
– Adj + Rhetorical Appeal or Device + effect
– Evidence, Analysis; Evidence, Analysis; E, A
– Theme
• BODY PARAGRAPH #2
– Adj + Rhetorical Appeal or Device + effect
– Evidence, Analysis; Evidence, Analysis; E, A
– Theme
• CONCLUSION [Restate Thesis, Parting
Thoughts. Optional: analogy & simile]
1: Read, ID Strategies, & Finish TPT
• As you read, you must
identify SOAPStone,
Theme, and write a TPT.
• Then, identify at least 2
rhetorical strategies
MAKE SURE THAT YOU
ANSWER THE QUESTION!
WE WILL USE THE
FOLLOWING SIX…
•
•
•
•
•
Emotionally Charged Diction
Adj + Imagery
Contrast
Layered Figurative Language
“Patterned diction”
mechanical diction, religious
diction
• Rhetorical Appeals [usually
level 2]
Introduction
TPT
• Tone adj. + Tone adj, Speaker – description of
speaker, purpose verb + theme [larger].
THESIS
• Through the rhetorical strategies of
__________ & _____________, speaker’s
name specific answer to prompt.
Body Paragraphs 1 & 2
GOAL: Argue the rhetorical development of a
HC/HS Theme using the passage for evidence.
---It’s about attaching MEANING to EVIDENCE--• COMPONENTS [You can also do TIEA]
– TOPIC SENTENCE: Adj + Rhetorical Appeal or
Device + effect
– Evidence, Analysis
– Evidence, Analysis
– Evidence, Analysis
– CONCLUSION: Connection to Theme
Conclusions
• This is the last place to impress your reader.
• Make sure to…
– Reanswer the Question.
– Reconnect with Theme
• Consider Including
– ANALOGY – What does this author’s voice or
attitude make me think about?
– SIMILE – Like a dirge, Goodman’s voice speaks
over the grave and for the living.