1. 1. In your composition notebook, brainstorm every type of writing that you do on a regular basis (in and out of class) 2. Next to each, jot down the reason, or purpose, that type of writing exists. Intro to Rhetoric

2. IN GROUPS, IDENTIFY (FOR EACH TYPE SELECTED): Who is the audience? What is the purpose? What are you trying to achieve through each piece of writing? Intro to Rhetoric

3. 3 Types of Essays Rhetorical Analysis  …students are simply trying to prove that they understand what the author of an article is trying to argue and how effective it is. They should not delve into whether or not the author is correct or incorrect. They are proving that they understand what the article is about and its effectiveness. Synthesis  …much like a research paper. You will be given 6 different sources concerning a controversial topic and asked to draft an essay proving one side of the argument or the other. Open Prompt  Your opinion—your evidence.

4. The Rhetorical Triangle Rhetoric may be defined as the faculty of observing in any given case the available means of persuasion. —Aristotle Aristotle believed that from the world around them, speakers could observe how communication happens and use that understanding to develop sound and convincing arguments. In order to do that, speakers needed to look at three elements, graphically represented by what we now call the rhetorical triangle:

6. “The art of ruling the minds of men” There are three elements that will assist in you in “ruling the minds of men” through “communication and persuasion”:  Speaker  …writers use who they are, what they know and feel, and what they’ve seen and done to find their attitudes toward a subject and their understanding of a reader.  …formal v. informal language, narrative v. quotations, tone of familiarity v. objectivity, come as a result of writers considering their speaking voices on the page. This is called the persona, the character the speaker creates as he or she writes.  Subject  …the writer/speaker evaluates what he or she knows already and needs to know, investigates perspectives, and determines kinds of evidence or proofs that seem most useful.  Audience  …speculating about the reader’s expectations, knowledge, and disposition with regard to the subject writers explore.

7. Content & Purpose It’s important to note that Aristotle omitted—or confronted only indirectly—two other elements of the rhetorical situation:  Context in which writing or speaking occurs  Purpose, or emerging aim, that underlies many of the writer’s decisions (which we discussed). These two considerations affect every element of the rhetorical triangle.

9. SOAPSTone Effective use of the rhetorical triangle can be analyzed using the SOAPSTone method.

10. SOAPSTone S – Speaker  The voice that tells the story or delivers the address. Before delivering an argument, writers / speakers must decide whose voice is going to be heard. This voice can belong to a fictional character or to the writers / speakers themselves. Question: How does the speaker influence the perceived meaning of the piece?

11. SOAPSTone O – Occasion (context)  The time and the place of the piece; the context that prompted the writing / oration. Writing does not occur in a vacuum. All writers are influenced by the larger occasion: an environment of ideas, attitudes, and emotions that swirl around a broad issue. Then there is the immediate occasion: an event or situation that catches the writer's attention and triggers a response. Question: How can context alter a speaker’s intended meaning or message?

12. SOAPSTone A – Audience  The group of people to whom this piece is directed. Prior to delivering an argument, writers / speakers must determine who the audience is that they intend to address. It may be one person or a specific group. This choice of audience will affect how and why writers / speakers deliver a message. Question: Will writers / speakers alter their word choice based on the audience? Why?

13. SOAPSTone P – Purpose  The reason behind the text or speech. Writers / speakers must ask themselves, "What do I want my audience to think or do as a result of reading my text?”  Call to action Question: Does every piece of writing have a purpose? Why or why not?

14. SOAPSTone S – Subject  Students should be able to state the subject in a few words or phrases. This step helps the audience to focus on the intended task throughout the writing / speaking process.

15. SOAPSTone Tone - …tone.  The attitude of the author. The spoken word can convey the speaker's attitude and thus help to impart meaning through tone of voice. With the written word, it is tone that extends meaning beyond the literal. Tone is imparted through 3 main elements:  diction (choice of words)  syntax (sentence construction)  imagery (metaphors, similes, and other types of figurative language) The ability to manage tone is one of the best indicators of a sophisticated writer or speaker.

16. Rhetorical Appeals – Ethos/Pathos/Logos Ethos – Credibility; the “ethical” appeal  To strengthen an argument, the speaker emphasizes the amount of character / experience they have.

17. Rhetorical Appeals – Ethos/Pathos/Logos Pathos– Feeling; the “emotional” appeal  To strengthen an argument, the speaker appeals to the audience’s emotions.

18. Rhetorical Appeals – Ethos/Pathos/Logos Logos – Logical; the “rational” appeal  To strengthen an argument, the speaker emphasizes the facts, or rational argument, about the subject.

19. George W. Bush – Bullhorn Speech Watch George W. Bush’s short, but powerful, address to the nation after September 11 th, 2001. On a separate sheet of paper, identify:  Ethos  Pathos  Logos Analyze Bush’s speech for SOAPSTone. How effective was his address to the American people, do you feel? What elements could have strengthened the speech? Weakened it?

20. George W. Bush – Bullhorn Speech

21. Rhetorical Devices Euphemism  a mild or indirect word or expression substituted for one considered to be too harsh or blunt when referring to something unpleasant or embarrassing. Example:  “downsizing” is a euphemism for “cuts”, or firing employees.  Mr. Prince: We'll see you when you get back from image enhancement camp. Martin Prince: Spare me your euphemisms! It's fat camp, for Daddy's chubby little secret!  ("Kamp Krusty," The Simpsons, 1992)

22. Rhetorical Devices Diction  the choice and use of words and phrases in speech or writing.  Formal – Used when addressing a highly educated audience. This includes sermons, scholarly journals, etc.  Informal - used when addressing a familiar or specific audience. This includes personal letters, emails, and documents with conversational or entertaining purposes. This level also includes "slang" language, which may be used to create a specific "flavor" as in sports casting or novels. Example:  Formal: As I alighted from my vehicle, my clothing was besmirched with filth.  Informal: My coat got dirty as I stepped out of my car.

23. Rhetorical Devices Erotema (rhetorical question)  A rhetorical question is a figure of speech in the form of a question that is asked in order to make a point. The question, a rhetorical device, is posed not to elicit a specific answer, but rather to encourage the listener to consider a message or viewpoint. Example:  “How many roads must a man walk down, before you can call him a man?” Homer Simpson: “Seven!” Lisa: “No, Dad, it’s a rhetorical question.” Homer: “Rhetorical, eh? … Eight!” Lisa: “Dad, do you even know what ‘rhetorical’ means?” Homer: “Do I know what ‘rhetorical’ means?”  Can’t you do anything right?

24. Rhetorical Devices Anaphora  Repetition of the same word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses or verses. Example:  I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood. I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice. I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

25. Rhetorical Devices Hyperbole  A figure of speech in which exaggeration is used for emphasis or effect; an extravagant statement. Example:  I’m so hungry I could eat a horse.  "My toaster has never once worked properly in four years. I follow the instructions and push two slices of bread down in the slots, and seconds later they rifle upwards. Once they broke the nose of a woman I loved dearly." (Woody Allen, "My Speech to the Graduates." The New York Times, Aug. 10, 1979)