What is Rhetorical Analysis?
When we teach our students how to “do” rhetorical analysis, we
want them to learn how to explain what TECHNIQUES writers
(speakers, advertisers, etc.) use to create and communicate
meaning, and HOW they use these techniques.
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Determining, and then explaining, what makes a piece “work” is
RHETORICAL ANALYSIS.
Getting Started with Rhetorical Analysis
Insider “Tips” from an AP LANG reader:
►When
students read a text or listen to a
speech they need to ask themselves:
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What did the writer/speaker DO to make the piece/speech engaging and
effective?
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What techniques may have evoked any type of emotional response the
INTENDED audience felt upon reading the article (essay, letter, etc.) or
listening to the speech?
Traps to avoid:
►Don’t
let students fall into the “ethos,
pathos and logos” trap. There’s so much
more to rhetorical analysis than
identifying the appeals writers use.
Traps to avoid:
►Teach
students to avoid saying the
author “used diction” or “used syntax.”
Don’t we all? HOW did the writer or
speaker use diction and syntax to craft
an effective message?
Traps to avoid:
► Instructors
do not need to teach students to recognize or memorize
obscure rhetorical terms such as: zeugma, asyndeton, isocolon,
anaphora, anadiplosis, chiasmus, etc. (These words are not even
MENTIONED in m/c questions! Readers ARE NOT IMPRESSED with
the inclusion of these words in the analysis essay.)
► “Name
dropping” of these devices does NOT assure students a
better score on their rhetorical analysis essays or make them sound
more intelligent! Most students misuse and misunderstand these
words anyway.
► Most AP
readers will agree that students who use these terms in their
essays simply point out that a writer used one of these techniques,
but never explain how or why. This typically results in a score of “4”
or lower on the rhetorical analysis essay.
Common Rhetorical Tools:
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Humor/sarcasm
Using statistics, facts or figures
Citing experts, authorities or religion; invoking God or using
“testimony”
Examples, evidence, anecdotes
Dialogue
Description, imagery, sensory language
Rhetorical questions
Word choice (diction) with a PURPOSE
Varying sentence structure (syntax) for a reason
Nostalgia
Allusions
Running style/listing/litany/series
Figurative language (simile, metaphor, personification, hyperbole)
Evoking emotions (pathos)
Inclusive language (us, our, you, we)
THIS LIST IS NOT ALL INCLUSIVE!
Some rhetorical techniques don’t even HAVE a specific name! As
long as students can describe how and why an author is doing
something, that’s what’s most important.
Literary Tools: Evidence, Appeals
Types of Evidence
►Examples, anecdotes
►Use of statistics, facts, or figures
►Citing experts, authorities
►Personal Experiences
►Historical facts, stories
Appeals
►Pathos—emotional appeals
►Logos—logical appeals
►Ethos—ethical (right/wrong) appeals; author’s
credibility
Literary Tools: Diction
►Tone
words (see tone sheet)
►Vocabulary—denotation vs. connotation, archaic
►Humor, satire, irony
►Imagery, description, sensory language
►Figurative language—metaphors, similes,
personification, hyperbole)
►Sound words (alliteration, consonance,
assonance, onomatopoeia)
►Repetition, Repetition, Repetition
Literary Tools: Syntax
►Short vs. Long sentences
►Litanies, listings, series
►Rhetorical questions
►Dialogue vs. description
►Periodic vs. Loose sentences
►Compound, simple, complex, compound-complex
sentences
►Repetition, Anaphora
►Parallel Structure
Thesis Statements
Thesis Formula:
In his/her adverb/adjective from tone list (or)
adjective/adjective from tone list genre of writing, name of
person AP POWER VERB + adverb and AP POWER VERB
+ adverb then author’s purpose & most prominent rhetorical
techniques.
Example:
In her indignantly critical and cleverly crafted speech given to
the National Association for Women’s Suffrage, Florence
Kelley clearly articulates and emotionally persuades her
audience through the use of parallelism and inclusive
language to advocate for changes to child labor laws.
Embedding Text
(taken from presentation by Janet Kratz, North Penn HS, Lansdale, PA)
Definition: Placing textual evidence in to
subordinate phrases and clauses so that the
main clause of the sentence focuses on the
writer’s analytical point. This strategy
results in greater complexity and concision
since analytical ideas, when combined,
reduce excess verbiage.
Before Embedding
• In the first sentence Douglass describes his new overseer as
“proud, ambitious, and persevering.” He then begins a new
sentence with “He was artful, cruel, and obdurate.” Douglass
separated these stremas of adjectives into two sentences
because the first set describes Mr. Gore’s positive traits that
make him a respectable business man while the second set of
adjectives describes the traits that make him a brutal overseer.
• Sample rhetorical analysis of Frederick Douglass’ Slave Narrative
After Embedding
Describing his new overseer as “proud,
ambitious, and persevering” yet “artful,
cruel, and obdurate,” Douglass juxtaposes
these streams of adjectives to contrast the
positive qualities of a respectable
businessman with the negative qualities of a
brutal overseer.
Your Turn
Combine these 3 sentences analyzing Darcy’s attitude toward Elizabeth into
one by embedding. Consider using participial phrases at the beginning and
the end of a single sentence.
He remarks that “the country…can in general supply but few
subjects for such a study” the study being Elizabeth’s character
observations. By saying this Darcy showcases his condescending
view of the country towns. He views the society of the country as
simple in an attempt to challenge how Elizabeth could find such
intricate people to observe.
Possible Embedded Version
Remarking that “the country…can in general supply
but few subjects for such a study,” such as
Elizabeth’s character observations, Darcy
showcases his condescending view of the society of
the country town as simple, challenging how
Elizabeth could find such intricate people to
observe.
5 Embedding Strategies Using In Cold Blood
• Participial Phrase (adjective)
• Describing Perry’s tattoo as “more elaborate—not the self-inflicted work of an amateur but epics of the art
contrived by Honolulu and Yokohama masters” (31), Capote portrays . . .
• Gerund Phrase (noun)
• Describing Perry’s tattoo as “more elaborate” and “epics of art” rather than “self-inflicted work of an
amateur” (31) is an effective means of . . .
• Adverb Phrase
• When the narrator describes Perry’s tattoos as “more elaborate . . . epics of the art contrived by Honolulu
and Yokohama masters” (31), he sets up the reader for . . .
• Prepositional Phrase
• With the phrase “epics of art contrived by Honolulu and Yokohama masters” (31), the narrator . . .
• Possessive
• Perry’s “more elaborate . . . epics of the art contrived by Honolulu and Yokohama masters” (31) symbolize
him perfectly.