{"id":270,"date":"2021-03-30T16:45:55","date_gmt":"2021-03-30T16:45:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/wm-englishcomp2\/?post_type=chapter&p=270"},"modified":"2022-07-25T19:31:10","modified_gmt":"2022-07-25T19:31:10","slug":"rhetorical-analysis","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/wm-englishcomp2\/chapter\/rhetorical-analysis\/","title":{"raw":"Rhetorical Analysis","rendered":"Rhetorical Analysis"},"content":{"raw":"
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Learning Objectives<\/h3>\r\nUse rhetorical analysis to critique a text's voice, audience, and purpose\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\nHave you ever heard someone talk about a rhetorical<\/strong> question?\r\n
    \r\n \t
  • Dan: Would you mind helping me for a second?<\/li>\r\n \t
  • Ron: Yes, I would mind.<\/li>\r\n \t
  • Dan: That was a rhetorical question. Get over here.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\nAs in this example, a rhetorical question is a question that's trying to make a point (rather than get information). The word rhetoric<\/strong><\/em> refers to the art of persuasion, and the word rhetorical<\/strong><\/em> means trying to persuade or make a point. Rhetoric tries to convince someone to act or think a certain way.\r\n\r\nWhen we talk about\u00a0rhetorical analysis<\/strong><\/em>, then, we're analyzing how a text might\u00a0speak meaningfully to an audience and, ultimately, achieve a purpose. Rhetorical analysis is a way of reading a text. Rather than just asking \"what's this text about,\" rhetorical analysis asks: \"what is this text trying to do<\/em> or\u00a0achieve<\/em>? How does it accomplish its goals (or fail to accomplish its goals)? You can think of rhetorical analysis as a set of questions you might ask about a text:\r\n

    Basic Questions for Rhetorical Analysis<\/h2>\r\n
    \r\n
    \r\n\r\nWho<\/strong> is\u00a0writing?\r\n
      \r\n \t
    • How does the author establish personal credibility?<\/li>\r\n \t
    • Does the author come across as knowledgeable? fair?<\/li>\r\n \t
    • Does the author's reputation convey a certain authority?<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\nWho<\/strong> is the audience?\r\n
        \r\n \t
      • Who is the intended audience?<\/li>\r\n \t
      • What values does the audience hold that the author or speaker appeals to?<\/li>\r\n \t
      • Who have been or might be secondary audiences?<\/li>\r\n \t
      • If this is a work of fiction, what is the nature of the audience within the fiction?<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\nWhy<\/strong> was this written?\r\n
          \r\n \t
        • To convince someone to do something or think something?<\/li>\r\n \t
        • To praise or blame someone or something?<\/li>\r\n \t
        • To attack or defend someone or something?<\/li>\r\n \t
        • To teach, to delight, or to persuade?<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\nWhat<\/strong> is the situation<\/strong> (also known as the\u00a0rhetorical situation<\/strong>):\r\n
          \r\n
          \r\n
            \r\n \t
          • What occasion gives rise to the need or opportunity for persuasion?<\/li>\r\n \t
          • What is the historical occasion that would give rise to the composition of this text?<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\nWhat<\/strong> is the message<\/strong>?\r\n
              \r\n \t
            • Can you summarize the main idea?<\/li>\r\n \t
            • What are the principal lines of reasoning or kinds of arguments used?<\/li>\r\n \t
            • What topics of invention are employed?<\/li>\r\n \t
            • How does the author or speaker appeal to reason? to emotion?<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\nHow<\/strong> is the message being conveyed?\r\n
                \r\n \t
              • What is the structure of the communication; how is it arranged?<\/li>\r\n \t
              • What oral or literary genre is it following?<\/li>\r\n \t
              • What figures of speech (schemes and tropes) are used?<\/li>\r\n \t
              • What kind of style and tone is used and for what purpose?<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/div>\r\n
                \r\n

                Try It<\/h3>\r\nhttps:\/\/assess.lumenlearning.com\/practice\/90680fb5-a368-414a-bfe0-c37f7ac33d26\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>","rendered":"
                \n

                Learning Objectives<\/h3>\n

                Use rhetorical analysis to critique a text’s voice, audience, and purpose<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

                Have you ever heard someone talk about a rhetorical<\/strong> question?<\/p>\n

                  \n
                • Dan: Would you mind helping me for a second?<\/li>\n
                • Ron: Yes, I would mind.<\/li>\n
                • Dan: That was a rhetorical question. Get over here.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                  As in this example, a rhetorical question is a question that’s trying to make a point (rather than get information). The word rhetoric<\/strong><\/em> refers to the art of persuasion, and the word rhetorical<\/strong><\/em> means trying to persuade or make a point. Rhetoric tries to convince someone to act or think a certain way.<\/p>\n

                  When we talk about\u00a0rhetorical analysis<\/strong><\/em>, then, we’re analyzing how a text might\u00a0speak meaningfully to an audience and, ultimately, achieve a purpose. Rhetorical analysis is a way of reading a text. Rather than just asking “what’s this text about,” rhetorical analysis asks: “what is this text trying to do<\/em> or\u00a0achieve<\/em>? How does it accomplish its goals (or fail to accomplish its goals)? You can think of rhetorical analysis as a set of questions you might ask about a text:<\/p>\n

                  Basic Questions for Rhetorical Analysis<\/h2>\n
                  \n
                  \n

                  Who<\/strong> is\u00a0writing?<\/p>\n

                    \n
                  • How does the author establish personal credibility?<\/li>\n
                  • Does the author come across as knowledgeable? fair?<\/li>\n
                  • Does the author’s reputation convey a certain authority?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                    Who<\/strong> is the audience?<\/p>\n

                      \n
                    • Who is the intended audience?<\/li>\n
                    • What values does the audience hold that the author or speaker appeals to?<\/li>\n
                    • Who have been or might be secondary audiences?<\/li>\n
                    • If this is a work of fiction, what is the nature of the audience within the fiction?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                      Why<\/strong> was this written?<\/p>\n

                        \n
                      • To convince someone to do something or think something?<\/li>\n
                      • To praise or blame someone or something?<\/li>\n
                      • To attack or defend someone or something?<\/li>\n
                      • To teach, to delight, or to persuade?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                        What<\/strong> is the situation<\/strong> (also known as the\u00a0rhetorical situation<\/strong>):<\/p>\n

                        \n
                        \n
                          \n
                        • What occasion gives rise to the need or opportunity for persuasion?<\/li>\n
                        • What is the historical occasion that would give rise to the composition of this text?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

                          What<\/strong> is the message<\/strong>?<\/p>\n

                            \n
                          • Can you summarize the main idea?<\/li>\n
                          • What are the principal lines of reasoning or kinds of arguments used?<\/li>\n
                          • What topics of invention are employed?<\/li>\n
                          • How does the author or speaker appeal to reason? to emotion?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                            How<\/strong> is the message being conveyed?<\/p>\n

                              \n
                            • What is the structure of the communication; how is it arranged?<\/li>\n
                            • What oral or literary genre is it following?<\/li>\n
                            • What figures of speech (schemes and tropes) are used?<\/li>\n
                            • What kind of style and tone is used and for what purpose?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n
                              \n

                              Try It<\/h3>\n

                              \t