Examine the strategies that a writer uses to persuade a reader Examine the strategies that a writer uses to persuade a reader.

Consider the Rhetorical Situation The Writer The Writer’s Purpose The Writer’s Audience The Topic The Context.

The Writer What is his/her background, education, experience, race, gender, political beliefs, religion, age, etc.

The Writer’s Purpose What does the writer hope to accomplish with his writing?

The Writer’s Audience Are they friendly or hostile? Do they know a great deal about the subject? Do writer and audience share common ground?

The Topic Why has the writer decided to write about this topic?

The Context What creates the need for the argument? The social, economic, historical, or cultural conditions.

Means of Persuasion

The Appeal to Reason (Logos) The Appeal to Reason (Logos) In letter from the Birmingham Jail, King states that there are two types of laws: Just and Unjust In letter from the Birmingham Jail, King states that there are two types of laws: Just and Unjust

Means of Persuasion The Appeal to Reason (Logos) The Appeal to Reason (Logos) He then states that we have a moral responsibility to “disobey unjust laws.” He then states that we have a moral responsibility to “disobey unjust laws.”

Means of Persuasion The Appeal to Emotion (Pathos) The Appeal to Emotion (Pathos) King makes an emotional appeal by quoting a hypothetical five year old: King makes an emotional appeal by quoting a hypothetical five year old:

Means of Persuasion The Appeal to Emotion (Pathos) The Appeal to Emotion (Pathos) “Daddy, why do white people treat colored people so mean?” “Daddy, why do white people treat colored people so mean?”

Means of Persuasion The Appeal to Authority (Ethos) The Appeal to Authority (Ethos) Referring to Thomas Jefferson, Henry David Thoreau, and the 1954 Supreme court decision that outlawed segregation. Referring to Thomas Jefferson, Henry David Thoreau, and the 1954 Supreme court decision that outlawed segregation.

Means of Persuasion The Appeal to Authority (Ethos) The Appeal to Authority (Ethos) He did this to demonstrate that he wasn’t some outside agitator that some believed him to be. He did this to demonstrate that he wasn’t some outside agitator that some believed him to be.

Rhetorical Strategies Thesis: Your Primary Argument Thesis: Your Primary Argument What is the argument, where is it placed, and what effect will that placement have on the reader. What is the argument, where is it placed, and what effect will that placement have on the reader.

Rhetorical Strategies Organization: Organization: How do you arrange the argument? This can have an impact on how the message is received. How do you arrange the argument? This can have an impact on how the message is received.

Rhetorical Strategies Evidence: Evidence: The proof/examples/stories you provide will directly affect the success of your argument. The proof/examples/stories you provide will directly affect the success of your argument.

Rhetorical Strategies Stylistic Techniques: Stylistic Techniques: Simile: a figure of speech that compares two unlike things using the words like or as. Simile: a figure of speech that compares two unlike things using the words like or as.

Rhetorical Strategies Stylistic Techniques: Stylistic Techniques: “Like a boil that can never be cured as long as it is covered up, but must be opened in all its ugliness.” “Like a boil that can never be cured as long as it is covered up, but must be opened in all its ugliness.”

Rhetorical Strategies Stylistic Techniques: Stylistic Techniques: Metaphor: a comparison where two dissimilar things are compared without like or as. Metaphor: a comparison where two dissimilar things are compared without like or as.

Rhetorical Strategies Stylistic Techniques: Stylistic Techniques: “the disease of segregation.” “the disease of segregation.”

Rhetorical Strategies Stylistic Techniques: Stylistic Techniques: Allusion: a reference within a text to a person, literary or biblical text, or historical event to enlarge the context of the situation being written about. Allusion: a reference within a text to a person, literary or biblical text, or historical event to enlarge the context of the situation being written about.

Rhetorical Strategies Stylistic Techniques: Stylistic Techniques: “I would agree with St. Augustine that ‘an unjust law is no law at all’.” “I would agree with St. Augustine that ‘an unjust law is no law at all’.”

Rhetorical Strategies Stylistic Techniques: Stylistic Techniques: Parallelism: Use of similar grammatical structures to emphasize related ideas. Makes the passage easier to follow. Parallelism: Use of similar grammatical structures to emphasize related ideas. Makes the passage easier to follow.

Rhetorical Strategies Stylistic Techniques: Stylistic Techniques: “their sublime suffering, their willingness to suffer, and their amazing discipline in the midst of great provocation.” (47) “their sublime suffering, their willingness to suffer, and their amazing discipline in the midst of great provocation.” (47)

Rhetorical Strategies Stylistic Techniques: Stylistic Techniques: Repetition: Intentional repetition is repeating a word or phrase of emphasis, clarity, or emotional impact. Repetition: Intentional repetition is repeating a word or phrase of emphasis, clarity, or emotional impact.

Rhetorical Strategies Stylistic Techniques: Stylistic Techniques: “Are you able to accept blows without retaliating? “Are you able to endure the ordeal of jail?” “Are you able to accept blows without retaliating? “Are you able to endure the ordeal of jail?”

Rhetorical Strategies Stylistic Techniques: Stylistic Techniques: Rhetorical Questions: questions asked to encourage readers to reflect on an issue, not to elicit a reply. Rhetorical Questions: questions asked to encourage readers to reflect on an issue, not to elicit a reply.

Rhetorical Strategies Stylistic Techniques: Stylistic Techniques: “Will we be extremists for hate or for love?” “Will we be extremists for hate or for love?”

From the Practical Argument Chapter 4: Writing a Rhetorical Analysis The Practical Argument Second Edition