Session 3: Rhetorical Analysis Prompts

Rhetorical Analysis

1) Analyzing the "language" (syntax, tone, diction, figurative language, the 3 appeals, style, fallacies)

"Language" here means rhetoric, style, the conventions of language. The prompt may give you different terms to try to throw you off. [How mean! -MS]

It's fair game, however, to talk about all these things.

2) Rhetorical Analysis Prompt

= you are going to have to read and annotate a passage
= don't use your planning time for this but for the Synthesis prompt instead

Break down the prompt before you begin. It will always have two parts: the what and the how. The how part is always the same, and is always, at bottom, all about the "language" (see above).

3) Some practice prompts. We identified the what and the how embedded in each of four practice prompts.

1) Edward Abbey
    - what: characterize Abbey's attitude toward nature
    - how: how Abbey conveys these views

2) Woolf
    - what: lasting significance of these moments from her past
    - how: how W. uses langauge to convey....

3) Green
    - what: Af Ams should join the union forces
    - how: analyze the methods of persuasion (note: the prompt doesn't explicitly say "language" or "rhetoric," but they do mention persuade [so, think about the appeals, and possibly the fallacies])

4) John Downe
    - what: wife should emigrate to the US
    - how: analyze the rhetorical methods