HOW TO WRITE A
RHETORICAL ANALYSIS
Rhetoric-using the available means of
persuasion
INTRODUCTORY PARAGRAPH
Using SOAPS-TONE
• Refer to Speaker, Occasion, Audience, Purpose, Subject
and Tone
EXAMPLE:
Reflecting on the difficulties of being the child of
Chinese immigrants, Amy Tan, in her narrative essay,
“Fish Cheeks,” recounts an embarrassing Christmas Eve
dinner when she was 14 years old. 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. She adopts a sentimental tone in
order to appeal to similar feelings and experiences in
her adult readers.
BODY PARAGRAPHS
• This is the analysis part.
• This is where you include a detailed
explanation of strategies used in the text.
• Work chronologically through the text. Start
at the beginning of the text and work your
way through—discuss strategies used at the
beginning, middle and end of the text.
• To work chronologically, use transition words:
begins, shifts to, juxtaposes, contrasts, closes
Body Paragraphs: Using Claim, Data,
and Commentary
• Identify the part of the text you’re analyzing by using
transition words and strong verbs to explain what’s
being said. Then,
• Make a CLAIM-identify the strongest rhetorical
strategies used in that particular section (don’t try to
identify every strategy)
• Use DATA as examples of your claim-Incorporate
specific text examples
• Use COMMENTARY to clearly and specifically explain
how the rhetorical strategies are used to help the
writer achieve his purpose and reach his audience
Identify the part of the text you’re analyzing by using transition words and strong
verbs and follow that with Claim, Data, Commentary
• Reagan begins his tribute to the Challenger astronauts by
acknowledging that the shuttle accident has appropriately
postponed his planned State of the Union address and by
expressing the depth of his and his wife’s personal grief. He
appeals to the mournful emotions of the audience by
admitting that he and Nancy are “pained to the core,” that
today is rightfully a “day for mourning and remembering,”
and that the accident is “truly a national loss.” He joins in
this time of mourning in order to unify the nation and
humbly admit that “we share this pain with all the people
of our country.” This outpouring of emotion from the
President conveys a calming tone that reassures the Nation
that their grief is both understandable and proper.
Conclusion
Be brief. In 2-3 sentences, remind your reader of the things you said in the
introduction, but don’t simply re-write the introduction.
• Reflecting on the difficulties of being the child of Chinese
immigrants, Amy Tan, in her narrative essay, “Fish Cheeks,”
recounts an embarrassing Christmas Eve dinner when she
was 14 years old. Tan’s purpose is the convey the idea that,
at fourteen, she wasn’t able to recognize the lover her
mother had for her or the sacrifices she made. She adopts
a sentimental tone in order to appeal to similar feelings and
experiences in her adult readers.
• Tan’s sentimentality allows readers to empathize with her
adolescent inability to reconcile her mother’s strange
customs with her obvious love for her daughter. Ultimately,
Tan reveals that only maturation grants Tan the insight into
her mother’s love.
Analyzing Diction-words the writer chooses to convey a
particular meaning
• Don’t say a writer uses diction; rather, make a
statement about the effect of the diction.
• Look for patterns in the words a writer chooses
(Do they imply a particular tone?)
• Effective diction is characterized by words that
are clear, concrete, and exact. Good writers avoid
words like pretty, nice and bad because they are
non-specific.
Ex: slingshot instead of travel
tattered instead of worn
Words to Describe Diction
• academic, figurative, grandiose, inflammatory,
offensive, scholarly, slang, bombastic,
cacophonous, informal, concrete, passionate,
technical, colorful, euphemistic, loaded
Analyzing Syntax-the way words are
arranged within sentences
1. Sentence length
-generally short sentences=straightforward and long
sentences = description/detail
2. Sentence Type
-simple=subject-verb
-compound=2 independent clauses joined by a
conjunction
-complex=independent clause and dependent clause
-compound-complex=2 independent clauses and one or
more dependent clauses
Sentence Type (cont’d)
• Declarative-statement
• Exclamatory-strong feeling
• Interrogative-question
• Imperative-command
3. Punctuation
-semi-colon=gives equal weight to two or more
independent clauses to reinforce parallel ideas
-colon=directs reader’s attention to word that follow are
important
-dash=marks a sudden change in thought or tone or sets
off a brief summary
Analyzing Tone-writer’s attitude about
the subject of the text
• Tone is created by the writer’s use of all other
rhetorical strategies
• Avoid saying a writer uses tone since ALL
writers use a tone of some kind. Instead,
specifically describe the tone:
accusatory, amused, candid, contemptuous,
cynical, elated, enthusiastic, disapproving,
dramatic, impassioned, apathetic
Reminders
• If you can’t remember the name of a device
you may still discuss the use of the device.
Even if you forgot the word simile, you’d still
being able to talk about the comparison.
• Remember to discuss how the devices
contribute to the PURPOSE! PURPOSE is
KING!
• Don’t include “nothing” statements! Make
every sentence count!