Rhetoric is the study of how writers and speakers use words to influence an audience. A rhetorical analysis is an essay that breaks a work of non-fiction into parts and then explains how the parts work together to create a certain effect—whether to persuade, entertain or inform.

Rhetoric is the study of how writers and speakers use words to influence an audience. A rhetorical analysis is an essay that breaks a work of non-fiction into parts and then explains how the parts work together to create a certain effect—whether to persuade, entertain or inform. Much of the literature produced in the United States prior to the 19th century is nonfiction writings and speeches (religious tracts, pamphlets, political documents, sermons, etc.) meant to elicit specific responses from audiences. Your job for this paper is to select one of these nonfiction writings and perform a four pages rhetorical analysis, in which you will demonstrate your understanding of rhetorical situation (see definition below), identify the writer’s rhetorical strategies, and use evidence from the text to support your claims.

A Rhetorical Situation is any set of circumstances that involves at least one person using some sort of communication to modify the perspective of at least one other person. Rhetorical situations consist of four main components: exigence, purpose, audience, and rhetorical appeals. Exigence refers to the perceived need for the text (what situation/problem/question prompted the need for the text)? Purpose refers to the goal or goals of the text. Audience refers to whom the text is made for or trying to appeal to. Finally, rhetorical appeals refer to the writer/orators’ attempts to affect readers/listeners through establishing ethos (credibility), appealing to pathos (emotion), and utilizing logos (logic).

Your job is to show me that you understand the historical and cultural factors that led to the creation of the text (exigence), what the writer/orator/text was trying to achieve (purpose), the audience (or audiences) that the text was made for/trying to appeal to, and how the writer/orator used rhetorical appeals to influence their audience.

Content: Your paper should include the following:

An introduction that gives the reader the who/what/where/why and when of the text you have chosen. In other words, provide some context about who wrote the text, the intended audience, and the circumstances that prompted its creation. Your introduction should end with a thesis statement detailing which aspects of the text you plan to dive into in your body paragraphs and why.

Body paragraphs that address your key points and use textual evidence to support your claims.

A conclusion paragraph that ties up your paper and provides some concluding reflections about the text (Ex: Is the text rhetorically powerful? Do parts of it still resonate today?

Paper and citation format: MLA

Length: 4 pages

Font: Size 12 Times New Roman Double Space

Your paper should have and will be graded on the following elements:

An interesting title that hints at the topic of the essay

A clear and reasonable thesis statement

An introduction paragraph that introduces the claim that the writer is making and provides adequate historical context

Well-organized body paragraphs that use evidence from the text(s) to support the writer’s claims.

A conclusion paragraph that does not simply restate the introduction paragraph but offers relevant commentary on the text(s) the writer is analyzing.

Writing that is reasonably clear of spelling errors and grammatical errors

Smoothly integrated quotations from the text(s) the writer is assessing

A work cited page in correct MLA format

Requirements: 4 pages