Rhetorical Analysis
“A way of seeing is also a way of
not seeing”- Kenneth Burke
When writers write rhetorically, they are
aware that they are writing to an
audience for a purpose within a genre.
What makes a message successful or
unsuccessful in achieving its intended
effect?
Rhetorical Theory
 The study of how human beings use language
and other symbols to influence the attitudes,
beliefs, and actions of others.
 “The symbolic means of inducing cooperation
in beings that by nature respond to symbols.”Kenneth Burke
 Involves both inquiry and persuasion.
 “The ability to see, in any particular case, all
the available means of persuasion.”-Aristotle
Aristotle’s Rhetorical Appeals
 Logos: Appeal to reason. Refers to the quality
of the message itself. Is the message
consistent? Is it clear? Are the reasons
logical?
 Ethos: Appeal to the character of the writer. Is
the writer credible and trustworthy?
 Pathos: Appeal to the sympathies, values,
beliefs and emotions of the audience.
This is Aristotle
This is not Aristotle
Reading Rhetorically
 Ability to listen to the text, recognize parts and functions, and to
summarize ideas.
 Ability to formulate a strong response to text by interacting with it,
either by agreeing with, interrogating, or actively opposing it.
 With the grain: See the world through author’s perspective.
 Against the grain: Question its points, analyze limits of argument.
 When reading ask questions about the author’s purpose, genre,
and motivating occasion. Write in the margins.
Criteria for an effective summary
 Represent the original article accurately and fairly.
 Be direct and concise, using words economically.
 Remain objective and neutral. Only reveal author’s perspective.
 Give the article balanced and proportional coverage.
 Use your own words to express author’s ideas.
 Keep your reader informed through attributive tags (such as
according to, or the author argues...).
 Include key quotes.
 Unified and coherent.
Rhetorical Analysis
Part 2
-Summaries
-Audiences
-Genres
-Styles
-Credibility (or lack thereof)
Questions about the audience…
 When we write, we tend to have an ideal
reader or set of readers in mind.
 If you know who the intended audience is, it
makes it easier to see where evidence and
credibility is lacking.
 One immediate question to ask: Where was
the text published? But you might not always have access to
this information.
Are you a part of the author’s intended
audience?
 Sometimes as readers, we can feel excluded because of
our gender, class, ethnicity, sexual orientation, political and
religious beliefs, etc
Ex: Many people feel that a lot of pre- and early 20th century authors assumed that
all their readers shared the same male-oriented values, and, in fact, as a result,
the entire genre of feminist literary criticism arose to question and explain this
assumption.
When you differ significantly from the text’s assumed audience, you can use this
difference to question the author’s underlying assumptions, values, and beliefs.
Writing Style
 How do the author’s language choices
contribute to the overall impact of the text?
 Does the author use any metaphors, similes, or
poetic language? Anecdotes or vignettes?
Epigraphs? Some readers might be put off by
this style, others attracted to it.
 Is the diction elevated or commonplace?
 Describe the tone of the writing…
Tone
 Diction and syntax often dictate what the
author's attitude toward his subject is at the
time.
 An example: “I surveyed the classroom of
dolts, congratulating myself for snatching the
highest test grade, the smug smirk on my face
growing brighter and brighter as I confirmed
the inferiority of my peers.“
 Gently critical, elevated, pessimistic,
contemplative, vehement, self-assured, lighthearted, didactic, impassioned, conversational,
Logos
 Do you see any flaws or fallacies in the argument?
 The red herring: raising an unrelated or irrelevant point to
deliberately throw an audience off track. An example…
 Q: As president, will you make sure our wounded veterans
receive the proper health care?
 A: Let me tell you why I love our troops. They’re out there
putting their lives on the line everyday to make sure we’re safe.
That’s what we should all aspire to be like. Next question.
Credibility and Evidence
 Do you think the author is knowledgeable and reliable? Explain
why or why not in your paper?
 An arrogant tone, for instance, usually indicates that the author is
not reliable or knowledgeable. When we spend all our time badmouthing and attacking the opposing view, that you usually
means that we don’t have a whole lot to say for ourselves.
 However, if the author provides a lot of evidence, if she cites
numerous sources, and admits the limits of her own argument,
then we can be sure that the writer has thought carefully and
fairly about her subject.
 When we evaluate evidence, we should look for sources that are
specific and up-to-date.
Pathos
Does the author use vivid descriptions,
short narratives, scenarios, or figurative
language to tap the emotions and
sympathies of the audience or appeal to
their values and beliefs?
Are these appeals to pathos fitting or
excessive and heavy-handed?
Questions for Developing Your Own Views about the
Text’s Subject Matter
Which of the author’s points do you agree with?
What new insights has the text given you?
Which of the author’s points do you disagree with?
What gaps or omissions do you see in the text? What
has the author overlooked?
 What questions or problems does the text raise for you?
How has it troubled you or expanded your views?
 In what contexts can you see the usefulness of the text?
What applications can you envision for it?
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THE END!!!!