HOW TO WRITE A

RHETORICAL ANALYSISRhetoric-using the available means of

persuasion

INTRODUCTORY PARAGRAPHUsing SOAPS-TONE

• Refer to Speaker, Occasion, Audience, Purpose, Subject and Tone

EXAMPLE: Reflecting on the difficulties of being the child of

Chinese immigrants, Amy Tan, in her narrative essay, “Fish Cheeks,” recounts an embarrassing Christmas Eve dinner when she was 14 years old. Tan’s purpose is to convey the idea that, at fourteen, she wasn’t able to recognize the love her mother had for her or the sacrifices she made. She adopts a sentimental tone in order to appeal to similar feelings and experiences in her adult readers.

BODY PARAGRAPHS

• This is the analysis part.• This is where you include a detailed

explanation of strategies used in the text.• Work chronologically through the text. Start at

the beginning of the text and work your way through—discuss strategies used at the beginning, middle and end of the text.

• To work chronologically, use transition words: begins, shifts to, juxtaposes, contrasts, closes

Body Paragraphs: Using Claim, Data, and Commentary

• Identify the part of the text you’re analyzing by using transition words and strong verbs to explain what’s being said. Then,

• Make a CLAIM-identify the strongest rhetorical strategies used in that particular section (don’t try to identify every strategy)

• Use DATA as examples of your claim-Incorporate specific text examples

• Use COMMENTARY to clearly and specifically explain how the rhetorical strategies are used to help the writer achieve his purpose and reach his audience

Identify the part of the text you’re analyzing by using transition words and strong verbs and follow that with Claim, Data, Commentary

• Reagan begins his tribute to the Challenger astronauts by acknowledging that the shuttle accident has appropriately postponed his planned State of the Union address and by expressing the depth of his and his wife’s personal grief. He appeals to the mournful emotions of the audience by admitting that he and Nancy are “pained to the core,” that today is rightfully a “day for mourning and remembering,” and that the accident is “truly a national loss.” He joins in this time of mourning in order to unify the nation and humbly admit that “we share this pain with all the people of our country.” This outpouring of emotion from the President conveys a calming tone that reassures the Nation that their grief is both understandable and proper.

ConclusionBe brief. In 2-3 sentences, remind your reader of the things you said in the introduction, but don’t simply re-write the introduction.

• Reflecting on the difficulties of being the child of Chinese immigrants, Amy Tan, in her narrative essay, “Fish Cheeks,” recounts an embarrassing Christmas Eve dinner when she was 14 years old. Tan’s purpose is the convey the idea that, at fourteen, she wasn’t able to recognize the lover her mother had for her or the sacrifices she made. She adopts a sentimental tone in order to appeal to similar feelings and experiences in her adult readers.

• Tan’s sentimentality allows readers to empathize with her adolescent inability to reconcile her mother’s strange customs with her obvious love for her daughter. Ultimately, Tan reveals that only maturation grants Tan the insight into her mother’s love.

Analyzing Diction-words the writer chooses to convey a particular meaning

• Don’t say a writer uses diction; rather, make a statement about the effect of the diction.

• Look for patterns in the words a writer chooses (Do they imply a particular tone?)

• Effective diction is characterized by words that are clear, concrete, and exact. Good writers avoid words like pretty, nice and bad because they are non-specific.

Ex: slingshot instead of travel tattered instead of worn

Words to Describe Diction

• academic, figurative, grandiose, inflammatory, offensive, scholarly, slang, bombastic, cacophonous, informal, concrete, passionate, technical, colorful, euphemistic, loaded

Analyzing Syntax-the way words are arranged within sentences

1. Sentence length-generally short sentences=straightforward and long

sentences = description/detail2. Sentence Type-simple=subject-verb-compound=2 independent clauses joined by a

conjunction-complex=independent clause and dependent clause-compound-complex=2 independent clauses and one or

more dependent clauses

Sentence Type (cont’d)

• Declarative-statement• Exclamatory-strong feeling• Interrogative-question• Imperative-command3. Punctuation-semi-colon=gives equal weight to two or more independent

clauses to reinforce parallel ideas-colon=directs reader’s attention to word that follow are

important-dash=marks a sudden change in thought or tone or sets off a

brief summary

Analyzing Tone-writer’s attitude about the subject of the text

• Tone is created by the writer’s use of all other rhetorical strategies

• Avoid saying a writer uses tone since ALL writers use a tone of some kind. Instead, specifically describe the tone:

accusatory, amused, candid, contemptuous, cynical, elated, enthusiastic, disapproving, dramatic, impassioned, apathetic

Reminders

• If you can’t remember the name of a device you may still discuss the use of the device. Even if you forgot the word simile, you’d still being able to talk about the comparison.

• Remember to discuss how the devices contribute to the PURPOSE! PURPOSE is KING!

• Don’t include “nothing” statements! Make every sentence count!