How to Write a Rhetorical Analysis
Introduction
The introductory paragraph to a rhetorical analysis essay is usually brief. However, it must contain some
essential information.
Put SOAPS in your introduction and follow this format:
FORMAT:
1. Speaker, Occasion, and Subject: (writer’s first and last name), in (title of text), (verb) (writer’s subject).
2. Audience He/she adopts a[n] (adjective describing the attitude/feeling conveyed by the writer)
tone in order to (verb phrase describing what the writer wants readers to do/think) in his/her
(intended audience).
3. Purpose (Writer’s last name)’s purpose is to (what the writer does in the text).
4. Finally, end your introduction with your thesis. (Writer’s last name) furthers his purpose by effectively
employing (rhetorical strategy 1), (rhetorical strategy 2), and (rhetorical strategy 3).
EXAMPLE:
Novelist Amy Tan, in her narrative essay, “Fish Cheeks,” recounts an embarrassing Christmas Eve dinner
when she was 14 years old. She adopts a sentimental tone in order to appeal to similar feelings of and
experiences with embarrassment in her adult readers. Tan’s purpose is to convey the idea that, at fourteen,
she wasn’t able to recognize the love her mother had for her or the sacrifices she made. Tan furthers her
purpose by effectively employing (rhetorical strategy 1), (rhetorical strategy 2), and (rhetorical strategy 3).
Body
Every analysis paragraph MUST:
•
Identify the part of the text you are analyzing by using transition words and strong verbs to explain
what is being said.
•
Identify the rhetorical strategy used in that particular section. This includes incorporating specific
text examples.
•
Clearly and specifically explain how the rhetorical strategies are used to help the writer achieve his
purpose.
•
The above items must be woven together seamlessly into one sophisticated paragraph of the body
of your analysis essay. A sample format is below:
FORMAT and EXAMPLE [from Pres. Reagan’s speech after the space shuttle Challenger explosion in the
1980s]:
1.
The first sentence identifies which rhetorical strategy you are discussing and how it relates to purpose.
This is your topic sentence.
 In his speech regarding the Challenger tragedy, Reagan employs pathos in order to both comfort the
nation and memorialize the astronauts.
2.
The second sentence conveys the writer’s support for the assertion made in the topic sentence by
providing specific textual evidence.
 He appeals to the mournful emotions of the audience by admitting that he and Nancy are “pained to
the core” (3), that today is rightfully a “day for mourning and remembering” (2-3), and that the
accident is “truly a national loss” (4).
3.
The third sentence explains how the rhetorical strategies you discussed in the previous sentences help
the writer achieve his purpose by using an in order to statement.
 He joins in this time of mourning in order to unify the nation and humbly admit that “we share this pain
with all of the people of our country” (4).
4.
The fourth sentence is a transition into the next piece of textual evidence:
 Another way that Reagan appeals to the emotions of the audience is through his praise of the
astronauts.
5. The fifth sentence introduces and identifies the next piece of textual evidence.
 He describes them as “daring and brave” (12) and asserts that they “honored us by the manner in
which they lived their lives” (38).
6. The sixth/seventh sentence(s) explain how the rhetorical strategies you discussed in the previous
sentences help the writer achieve his purpose by using an in order to statement.
 Reagan praises the astronauts in order to comfort the nation and assure them that this “national loss”
(4), while tragic, will be forever remembered, and that the astronauts were “pioneers” (19) who met a
challenge “with joy” (13).
7. The final sentence ties all of the analysis back to the purpose/thesis:
 Through Reagan’s skillful employment of pathos, he effectively achieves his purpose of comforting the
nation and memorializing the fallen astronauts.
Put it all together and this is what one paragraph of the body of a rhetorical analysis essay might
look like:
In his speech regarding the Challenger tragedy, Reagan employs pathos in order to both comfort the nation
and memorialize the astronauts. He appeals to the mournful emotions of the audience by admitting that he
and Nancy are “pained to the core” (3), that today is rightfully a “day for mourning and remembering” (2-3),
and that the accident is “truly a national loss” (4). He joins in this time of mourning in order to unify the
nation and humbly admit that “we share this pain with all of the people of our country” (4). Another way
that Reagan appeals to the emotions of the audience is through his praise of the astronauts. He describes
them as “daring and brave” (12) and asserts that they “honored us by the manner in which they lived their
lives” (38). Reagan praises the astronauts in order to comfort the nation and assure them that this “national
loss” (4), while tragic, will be forever remembered, and that the astronauts were “pioneers” (19) who met a
challenge “with joy” (13). Through Reagan’s skillful employment of pathos, he effectively achieves his
purpose of comforting the nation and memorializing the fallen astronauts.
Conclusion
In the conclusion, you must restate your thesis, refer back to the points made above, and end with a reflection
of your own thoughts on the effectiveness of the speech. This reflection should be new information not
previously mentioned in the paper. Even though it is your own thoughts, make sure not to use the word “I”.
You still need to stay in the third person.