The Art of Persuasion: Introduction to Rhetorical Analysis

Rhetorical Analysis Using the Joliffe Framework Design

What is Rhetorical Analysis?     While the term "rhetorical analysis" is, at first, rather intimidating for many people, it is easily understood (at least at its most basic form) when broken down and defined. In rhetorical analysis, then, we examine how authors attempt to persuade their audiences by looking at the various components that make up the art of persuasion. Rhetoric The art of persuasion Analysis The breaking down of something into its parts and interpreting how those parts fit together

Everything is an Argument! Every text—oral, written, or visual—is, in some sense rhetorical; each one is a strategic presentation of particular ideas. Human beings both produce and receive such texts; as such, we must understand what they mean. Typically, this is done implicitly; we understand the meaning of a text without thinking about how or why it works the way it does. Rhetorical analysis asks us precisely that: to understand how texts create meaning, how they construct knowledge, and how they make us take action. Rhetorical analysis, then, helps us to understand explicitly (rather than simply implicitly, as most of us do) how the language of a text works and how we can use such language to work for us.

Rhetorical Situation: Exigence (Occasion) Problem, incident, or situation causing the writer to write the piece What prompted the writing of this piece? Most likely, the piece would not have been written if it had not been for this.

Rhetorical Situation: Audience An audience has either an: Immediate response Intermediate response (think about later) So, which type of response does the author want from the audience? In this way, the audience shapes the rhetoric. No audience is a tabula rosa.

Rhetorical Situation: Purpose The author considers a purpose of the writing in a sense of consideration for what the audience feels.

Appeals in Rhetoric: The Politics of Persuasion Logos, Pathos and Ethos (among other devices)

Technique Example Persuasive Term (to be filled out later)

What is Rhetoric? Rhetoric is the way we use words in ___specific_______ways to achieve a desired ____result____.   Rhetorical strategies are different methods of persuading an ____audience_____. They can be divided into three major categories: logos, _pathos_, and ethos.

Logos (L is for Logic) Logos = Logic Logos means appealing to the audience through the use of ___logic___ or ____reason_____. The author attempts to persuade the audience by appealing to their brains. Ex. If we do not reduce our green house gas emissions by 35% the polar ice caps will melt.

Appeals: Logos The central appeal of anything is that it must be logical. Without logic, nothing that follows is reasonable. You must consider the logos within the author’s writing.

Pathos (P is for Pathetic) Pathos = Pathetic (sad) Pathos means appealing to the audience’s ___emotions___. The author uses these strategies to get to the audience’s hearts. Ex. As you sit there chowing down on your cheeseburger and fries, children in Africa die every day from starvation. What will you do about it?

What is Connotation? Connotation refers to the positive and negative __feelings__ that we have/associate with words. Ex. Young adult  positive, formal connotation teenager  neutral connotation punk  negative, casual connotation

Appeals: Pathos An appeal to emotion An attempt to persuade the reader by causing them to respond to the way an issue/topic makes them feel Can invoke bias or prejudice Uses non-logical appeals Informal language

Ethos (E is for Ethical) Ethos = Ethical (trust) Ethos means appealing to the audience’s sense of right and wrong. Part of this involves the author convincing the audience that he/she is worthy of ___trust____ and is an authority on the topic. The audience needs to believe the author knows ___what she’s talking about___! Ex: Just like Martin Luther King Jr. once had a dream, I too have a dream for this country.

Appeals: Ethos The ethical appeal An attempt to persuade based on moral grounds Right vs. Wrong Good vs. Evil

Aristotle’s Rhetorical Triangle Writer/ Ethos Audience/ Pathos Context/ Logos

Tone You must understand Logos, Ethos, and Pathos to understand Tone Logos, Ethos, and Pathos all contribute to determining Tone If you don’t recognize the Tone of the piece, you miss everything that follows

What is Tone? The writer’s or speaker’s attitude toward a subject, character, or audience Conveyed through the author’s: Choice of words (diction) Word order (syntax) Detail, imagery, and language (figurative language)