English I Honors
Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird
Rhetorical Analysis
of Atticus Finch’s Closing Remarks
Important things to include to have an effective analysis:
1. Identify the speaker, occasion, subject, purpose, and
audience
2. Identify Rhetorical strategies
a. Appeals (ethos, logos, and pathos)
b. Rhetorical devices/Style (diction, imagery,
details, language, and syntax)
3. Analysis—explain why the author chooses the above
strategies for the audience, occasion, and/or purpose.
Think about the following questions:
a. HOW do the rhetorical strategies help the author
achieve his/her purpose?
b. WHY does the author chose the strategies for that
particular audience and/or occasion?
After you have analyzed the text, you will begin to format
your ideas into an effective rhetorical analysis essay.
Begin with a simple format; as you become more comfortable
with analysis, you may deviate from the simple format…just
be sure to always focus on #1-3 above.
Introductory Paragraph: This paragraph will be brief, but
will contain essential information (3 sentences).

Speaker, Occasion, and Subject (May also want to
include the author and title of the novel from which
the passage is taken)
o [Author and Title of Novel] [Speaker’s first and
last name] [occasion] [strong verb] [subject].
 Purpose
o [Author’s last name]’s purpose is to [what the
writer does in the text].
 Audience
o 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 the reader to do/think] in his/her
[intended audience].
EXAMPLE:
Amy Tan, in her narrative essay, “Fish Cheeks,” recounts an
embarrassing Christmas Eve dinner when she is 14 years old.
Tan’s purpose is to convey the idea that, at fourteen, she
is unable to recognize her mother’s love for her or the
sacrifices her mother makes for her. She adopts a
sentimental tone in order to appeal to similar feelings and
experiences in adult readers.
Body Paragraphs: This is the analysis. Work
chronologically through the text. Some transition words
that will help you move chronologically through the text
are:
Begins
opens
closes
contrasts
(There are others
Shifts to juxtaposes
ends
moves to
you may
add)
Body paragraphs MUST include the following:
1. Include transition words and strong verbs when
analyzing the text.
2. Identify the strongest rhetorical strategies used in
the passage. Incorporate specific textual examples.
(DO NOT try to discuss EVERY rhetorical
device/strategy…ONLY discuss the STRONGEST!)
3. EXPLAIN how the rhetorical strategies/devices are used
to help the writer achieve his purpose and reach the
audience.
4. WEAVE the previous items together into a
sophisticated, cohesive paragraph.
FORMAT and EXAMPLE:
1. [Writer’s last name] [transition word] his/her [type
of text] by [strong verb] that [main idea of the
section of the text].
2. The next sentence(s) conveys the writer’s support for
the main idea by identifying and providing a specific
example for on rhetorical strategy used. This is where
you integrate phrases/examples from the text into the
sentence. This can be repeated if you are discussing
more than one rhetorical strategy.
3. The next sentence(s) explains how the rhetorical
strategies discussed previously help the writer
achieve his/her purpose by using an in order to
statement. (Again, try to integrate phrases from the
text).
4. The next sentence(s) identifies the effect of the
writer’s use of these rhetorical strategies on the
audience.
Conclusion Paragraph: Be brief—1-2 sentences reminding the
reader of the introduction.
Weak Verbs (summary) vs. Strong Verbs (analysis)
To aid in the transition from summary to ANALYSIS, the
following is a list of weak verbs vs. strong verbs. Weak
verbs lead to summary while strong verbs emphasize
analysis.
Weak Verbs (summary)
Says
relates
goes on to say
tells
this
quote shows explains
states
shows
Strong Verbs (analysis)
implies
trivializes
flatters qualifies processes
describes
suggests denigrates
glorifies
dismisses analyzes
questions compares
vilifies
praises
supports
enumerates
contrasts emphasizes
demonizes
establishes
admonishes
expounds argues
defines
ridicules minimizes narrates lists
warns
Alternatives to “show”
Acknowledge
address
analyze
apply
argue
assert
Augment
broaden
calculate capitalize
characterize
claim
Clarify
compare
complicate
confine
connect
consider
Construct contradict
correct
create
convince
critique
Declare
deduce
defend
demonstrate
deny
describe
Determine differentiate disagree discard
discover
discuss
Dismiss
distinguish
duplicate elaborate emphasize
employ
Enable
engage
enhance
establish evaluate
exacerbate
Examine
exclude
exhibit
expand
explain
exploit
Express
extend
facilitate
feature
forecast
formulate
Fracture generalize
group
guide
hamper
hypothesize
Identify illuminate
illustrate
impair
implement implicate
Imply
improve
include
incorporate
indicate
induce
Initiate inquire
instigate integrate interpret
intervene
Invert
isolate
justify
locate
maintain manifest
Manipulate
measure
merge
minimize modify
monitor
Necessitate
negate
nullify
obscure
observe
obtain
Offer
omit
optimize organize outline
overstate
Persist
possess
predict
present
probe
produce
Promote
propose
prove
provide
qualify
quantify
Question realize
recommend reconstruct
redefine
reduce
Refer
reference refine
reflect
refute
regard
Reject
relate
rely
remove
repair
report
Represent resolve
signify
Simulate solve
support
Suspend
tailor
translate
Undermine unify
view
Vindicate yield
retrieve
reveal
specify
revise
structure suggest
terminate testify
theorize
utilize
vary
validate
Diction
When writing an essay, never write, “The writer uses
diction…”
Instead, write, “The writer creates a __________ diction
through the use of …” OR “The language of the text is
___________.”
Fill in the previous blanks with the following words which
describe the type of diction a writer uses.
Abstract academic ambiguous biting
bombastic
brusque
Cacophonous
casual
caustic
concrete
colloquial
colorful
Common
connotative
cultured crisp
curt
denotative
Detached divisive emotional esoteric euphemistic
everyday
Exact
fanciful flowery
figurative
folksy
formal
Grandiose idiomatic inflammatory
inflated informal
insincere
Jargon
learned
loaded
lyrical
melodious monosyllabic
Nostalgic obscene
obscure
offensive ordinary ornate
Passionate
patriotic picturesque
plain
poetic
political
Polysyllabic
precise
pretentious
provincial
romantic scholarly
Sentimental
shocking sincere
symbolic
Tame
technical trite
vague
Vulgar
literal
slang
unifying
subdued
uppity
Tone
When writing an essay, avoid, “The writer uses tone…”
Instead, use, “The writer creates a ____________ tone in
order to…”
Fill in the previous blank with one of the following words
which describes tone.
Angry
sad
sentimental
cloying
bitter
Sharp
cold
fanciful
dramatic
audacious
Upset
urgent
complimentary provocative
benevolent
Silly
joking
condescending didactic
tired
Boring
poignant sympathetic
proud
frivolous
Afraid
detached contemptuous
giddy
irreverent
Happy
confused apologetic
pitiful
seductive
Hollow
childish humorous
restrained
sweet
Joyful
peaceful horrific
somber
objective
Allusive mocking
sarcastic
candid
nostalgic
Vexed
vibrant
zealous
dreamy
shocking
Sarcastic patriotic serious
mocking
satiric
Motivational
tactful
respectful
humorous