Rhetorical AnalysisThe Art of Argument

RhetoricAccording to Aristotle, rhetoric is “the faculty

of observing in any given case the available means of persuasion.”

It is a thoughtful, reflective activity leading to effective communication, including a rational exchange of opposing viewpoints

Good rhetoric is effective, eloquent, and persuasive

Key Elements of RhetoricThe key elements of rhetoric are context and

purpose.

The context is the time and place the piece was written or spoken.

The purpose is the goal that the speaker or writer wants to achieve.

Read Lou Gehrig’s Farewell to Baseball Address

What is Gehrig’s content and purpose?Why is it effective?

SOAPSToneS: subject of the speech or essayO: the occasion of its writing/speakingA: the author of the pieceP: the purpose of the pieceS: the speaker of the piece (not necessarily

the author)Tone: the speaker’s attitude toward the

subject, the audience, the occasion, etc.ALWAYS identify SOAPSTone of any piece of

rhetoric before you do any other analysis

Aristotelian TriangleSpeaker (I)

Subject (it)

Audience (you)

Aristotelian TriangleEncyclopedia—the focus is on the subject (it)Political Speech—the focus is on the audience

(you)Poem—the focus is on the speaker (I)

SermonHistory TextElection Campaign Speech

PersonaSpeakers and writers assume a personaThe persona is the character the speaker

creates when he or she writes or speaksThe persona depends on the context,

purpose, subject, and audienceConsidering the audience is important

Persuasive AppealsEthos—an appeal to character,

trustworthinessLogos—an appeal to logic and reasonPathos—an appeal to emotion

Who made the cake?

Icing on top

The cake itself

Ethos (who made the cake?)Speakers and writers appeal to ethos, or

character, to demonstrate that they are credible and trustworthy

They often emphasize shared values between the speaker and the audience

Sometimes ethos is established by reputation and/or qualifications but other times by making a good impression

The speaker’s ethos is his/her expertise and knowledge, experience, training, sincerity, or a combination of these

Ethos Ultimately, ethos gives the audience a reason for listening to the speaker!

Logos (the cake itself)Speakers and writers appeal to logos, or

reason and logic, by offering clear, rational ideas

Appealing to logos meansHaving a clear main idea (thesis)With support (specific details, examples, facts,

statistical data, and/or expert testimony

Logos: CounterargumentAnother way to appeal to logos is to

acknowledge a counterargument-- to anticipate objections or opposing views—and then refute them

In acknowledging a counterargument, the speaker agrees (concedes) that an opposing argument may be true, but then he or she denies (refutes) the validity of all or part of the argument

Pathos (the icing on the cake)Pathos is an appeal to emotionAlthough writing that relies exclusively on

emotional appeals is rarely effective (imagine eating a cake that is 90% icing), choosing language (such as figurative language or personal anecdotes) that engages the emotions of the audience can add an important dimension

Pathos Speeches or arguments that appeal only to

emotion are, by definition, weakThey are propagandistic in purpose and more

polemical than persuasivePropaganda—writing intended to sway opinion

rather than present important informationPolemic– an argument against an idea, usually

regarding philosophy, politics, or religionA good speaker understands the power of

evoking the audience’s emotions without overwhelming it

PathosEmotional appeals usually include vivid,

concrete description and figurative languageVisual elements often carry a strong,

emotional appeal

Rhetorical StrategiesEthos, logos and pathos are NOT the only

elements of rhetoric. They are the basic structure and are, themselves, made of other elements.

In other words, cakes don’t grow on trees.

StyleDictionImagerySyntax

StructureOrdering of IdeasFunctional PartsRhetorical Modes