RHETORICAL

ANALYSIS
Here is where your
presentation begins
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

01 03
What is Rhetorical Goals and Guide
Analysis? Questions

02 Three kinds of
Appeals
Literary Piece
Analysis 04
 01
Rhetorical Analysis
 Rhetorical Analysis
■ Rhetoric is the art of effective writing, speaking, or
communicating.
■ Rhetorical analysis is an essay that breaks a work
of non-fiction into parts and then explains how the
parts work together to create a certain effect on its
audience—whether to persuade, entertain, or inform.
 Rhetorical Analysis
■ This type of analysis helps the reader get a
sharper sense of the literary aspects of the
writing, and its rhetorical dimension as a piece
of communication.
■ It also helps stimulate a different type of class
discussion.
When writing a rhetorical analysis…

1. You are NOT saying whether or not

you agree with the argument.
Instead, you’re discussing HOW the
author makes that argument and
whether or not the approach used is
successful.
When writing a rhetorical analysis…

2. Your focus should be not on WHAT

the author writes but HOW s/he writes
it.

A rhetorical analysis explores an

author’s use of rhetorical appeals
02
Rhetorical Appeal
 Rhetorical Appeal

■ An appeal is an attempt to earn

audience approval or agreement by
playing to natural human tendencies or
common experience.
 3 Kinds of Rhetorical Appeal
Ethos (credibility)
- or the ethical appeal, involves the author
presenting themselves as an authority on their
subject.
- Ethos refers to the credibility or trustworthiness
of the source.
 3 Kinds of Rhetorical Appeal
Pathos (emotional)
- or the pathetic appeal, evokes the audience’s
emotions. This might involve speaking in a
passionate way, employing vivid imagery, or
trying to provoke anger, sympathy, or any other
emotional response in the audience.
 3 Kinds of Rhetorical Appeal

Logos(reasoning/logic)
- or logical appeal, refers to the use of
reasoned argument to persuade.
- Logos refers to the logic or factual basis of
the source.
 03
Goals & Guide Questions
 Goals of Rhetorical Analysis

■ The goal of a rhetorical analysis is to

explain what is happening in the text, why
the author might have chosen to use a
particular move or set of rhetorical moves,
and how those choices might affect the
audience.
 Guided Questions
■ Does the author successfully support the thesis or claim?
■ Is the evidence the author used effectively for the intended
audience?
■ What rhetorical moves do you see the author making to help
achieve his or her purpose?
■ Describe the tone in the piece.
■ Is the author objective, or does he or she try to convince you to
have a certain opinion?
 Guided Questions

■ Do you feel like the author knows who you are?

■ Does the text’s flow make sense?
■ Does the author try to appeal to your emotions?
■ Do you believe the author?