Rhetorical Analysis Basics

Bell Work Open up your class Padlet on the laptop: 1 st hour: 4 th hour: 6 th hour: As a group while watching “Daisy Girl”, comment on what you find persuasive. Make sure to include your group number along with your comments. The best worded comments will receive candy! Daisy Girl

Notes Create a tree map to take notes on the parts of a rhetorical analysis. Sections needed on your tree map: Text/Message, Reader/Audience, Writer/Speaker, Context, and Purpose

Rhetoric Used in advertising, politics, writing, and any other situation where you are attempting to persuade an audience. Rhetoric is the art of argumentation – the use of language (or other means) to persuade an audience.

Rhetorical Situation Audience/ReaderText/Message Writer/Speaker Rhetorical Context Purpose

Rhetorical Situation Text/Message = the work being read Reader/Audience = for whom the message is intended Writer/Speaker = writer/creator of the piece

Text/Message Nearly anything can be a “text” – clothing, attitudes, expressions, etc. all convey a “message” to a reader. The form the message takes can make a difference: Print ads versus television commercials Infomercials versus regular commercials

Reader/Audience A “reader” is only the intended recipient of the message; a reader is actually interpreting the message, regardless of what form it takes. Clearly identifying an audience makes a difference in what persuasive tactics and information are used in an argument.

Writer/Speaker Credibility is a concern – does the author have the credentials to back up what is being said? Does the author use credible resources? Should attempt to show a lack of bias in how the argument is presented (though a clear stance still must be taken).

Context Context is composed of the situational elements which affect an argument Includes things like: Constraints (limiting factors for the argument) Time and place

Purpose Purpose – Why does the audience need to hear the message? What is the problem or issue that is being addressed and what makes it important right now?

Rhetorical Analysis Analysis requires dissecting the piece and categorizing/labeling its various parts. The rhetorical analysis separates the parts of the argument to see how the whole works.

Using Rhetoric In every situation where you are attempting to persuade someone of something, you are using rhetoric. Your strategies adapt depending on the audience, situation, and other factors. Most of us do this more or less unconsciously. Actively thinking about rhetoric is a bigger challenge.

The Loan Example Say you need a loan for $500. By examining each factor involved, we can see how the various elements discussed contribute to the construction of the argument Author: You are the author of this argument. Your goal is to secure a loan of $500 Text: Depending on audience, this is how you will make your case for this loan Audience: In this example, the audience is perhaps the most important initial decision that you have to make. You have to determine who you can borrow money from (which is also a constraint!) Let us presume you have chosen to try to get a loan through a bank.

Loan Example, Con’t Context Must prove our ability to pay back loan Documentation will be used to formalize the agreement, with signatures. There are limits on how much you may be lent, dependent on your credit score and current financial obligations. There is a process to be followed – we cannot just show up and demand money. The time is a time of need for us, but also must take place within the business hours of the bank in question (which is also a constraint!) The place will be the bank itself

Strategy Choices Based on the elements of the rhetorical situation (bank, the amount of the loan, etc), we would choose strategies to best make our argument How would you dress for the loan interview? How would you support the argument that you are able to pay this loan back? How accurate would your information be? How would you speak to the loan officer? How would your strategies be different if you were asking a friend for the same loan? A family member? Consider that changes to the overall argument can impact all other factors – the amount of the loan, for instance, may limit audience possibilities as well as the requirements of that audience to verify that you will pay it back.

Frame of Reference Answer: Why is this important?

Assignment Work as a team to fill out the rhetorical analysis worksheet on “Daisy Girl”.