Rhetorical Analysis: Pre-writing Essay

Learning how to identify and analyze rhetorical beam of lights is an important come apart of the collegiate experience. This handout marks several peckers which can aid in the analysis of rhetoric in an effective, well-organized paper.Questions to AskSpeakers use rhetorical tools in regularize to appeal to logic (logos), sensation ( ruth), or consent (ethos). Asking yourself unique(predicate) questions regarding the effect of rhetorical tools you encounter is a good place to bring expanding and improving the analysis within your paper. The following ar some suggestions to present you started. If the tool has an ethical effect, askWhat authority does the speaker hope his earr severally allow trust? Is the authority of the speaker himself/herself in question, or is it the authority an outside seminal fluid? wherefore does the speaker choose that event build of authority? What connectors is the speaker trying to make in the minds of the au travel bynce? Is it probabl y that the audience will accept this authority? wherefore or wherefore not? How does establishing trust in this authority help persuade batch to trust the speaker? If the tool has a logical effect, ask wherefore does the speaker use a logical argument instead of a pathetic or ethical cardinal? What is the audiences in all likelihood reaction to this sort of logical reasoning? How selective or particular is the logic? Is there any evidence of logical fallacy? If so, wherefore? Does the fallacy undermine the argument, or streng be safari it? none For much nurture on logical fallacies, see the handout Logical Fallacies. Is the speaker employ logic to persuade his audience about a highly turned on(p) issue? If so, why? If the tool has a pathetic (sensational) effect, askWhat emotion is the speaker highlighting? Why is that particular emotion highlighted? Why would this emotion would be more great powerful for the audience the speaker is addressing? What particular tool is t he speaker using to manipulate or arouse these emotions? Does it work? Why or why not? Once the speaker has created an emotion in his listeners, how does he connect that emotion with the purpose of his speech? Is this effective? Why or why not? In other word of honors, how does establishing an emotional connection help persuade people to follow the speaker?Note silva Rhetoricae, an online resource developed by Dr. Gideon Burton, describes many specific rhetorical tools and their functions and provides examples of rhetorical analyses of these tools. It can be found at http//humanities.byu.edu/rhetoric/silva.htm. For a more basic commentary on rhetorical tools and how to analyze them, check the Writers at Work workbook, pages 99-104.The Analytical Process A SampleIn rhetorical analysis, writers must low show the connection between each rhetorical tool identified and the way the speaker uses those tools to create a reaction in his or her audience, and then show why each tool was effective for that particular audience.The following example demonstrates an effective analytical process, taking a samplefrom the speech Against the Spanish Armada by fag Elizabeth I I know I have but the body of a sluttish and feeble woman but I have the heart of a king, and of a king of England, too and hypothecate foul scorn that Parma or Spain, or any prince of Europe, should dare to invade the borders of my realms to which, rather than any infract should grow by me, I myself will draw a bead on up arms. Upon variation this segment, the student has a powerful, postive reaction. The student decides his stance he will grapple that the speech is effective.Next, the student needs to determine the rhetorical tools that Elizabeth uses to make her argument. sounding at the segment critically, the student notices that Elizabeth manages to logically connect the accompaniment that she is a poof with the responsibility to defend her realm. He sees that Queen Elizabeth ironicall y juxtaposes the fact that she is a feeble woman against the invading European princes. He to a fault sees that Elizabeth references herself many times in the segment.The student decides to focus on angiotensin converting enzyme tool Elizabeths repetitive references to herself. Looking carefully at the passage, he discovers that Elizabeth refers to herself seven times, and that five of those references show Elizabeth as the subject of the clause. The student then asks himself, Why would Elizabeth refer to herself so often? He then lists the possibilities Elizabeth was reminding her force how important she was Elizabeth wanted to have her troops remember her when they were in struggle Elizabeth wanted to appear confidentElizabeth was egomanicalElizabeth was emphasizing her role as a QueenElizabeth was using repetition of a subject to create a dramatic feeling in her audienceReviewing the list, the student decides that the most seeming possibility is that Elizabeth wished to estab lish her authority in the eyes of her subjects. This is only one possible analysis of many possibilities however, he feels that she can explore this purview in depth. The student then asks How does referring to herself so often help Elizabeths troops accept her as their leader? Looking at each specific reference, he notices that in every instance Elizabeth portrays herself as alive(p) and powerful. By attaching herself to verbs commonly associated with power and ruling, he reasons, Elizabeth is able to repetitively stress her position as the ruler of the English people.The student is now make up to write a paragraph of rhetorical analysis Example In the passage, Elizabeth refers to herself no fewer than seven times. In each instance, Elizabeth connects herself to active verbs which emphasize her dynamic and powerful status I have, I know, I think foul scorn, I will take up arms. This repetition of her self-directed identity is a powerful way of reminding her troops that she is, in fact, their power and military leader. By demonstrating her consume personal power, Elizabeth shows that she is undecomposed as candid as any prince of Europe of defending her lands and people the repetition of that mind with her carefully chosen verbs connects her power as a person (and as a kingly woman) with her power as a queen.Even at this point, the student can analyze more deeply Why was it so important for Elizabeth to establish herself as a king? What elements of the verbs Elizabeth chose communicate power and monarchy to the audience? Is there any aspect of her word choice that would be more stirring to a military audience than a civil one? After exploring the issues, the student discovers many other aspects of the repetitive word choice that he can analyze and write about.Danny Nelson, Summer 2005 efficient Communication Used by Benevolent Leader, Queen Elizabeth I belief is a difficult skill to master. One has to take into account the ideologies held by the audience and how those relate to ones own intentions of changing minds. In order to encourage her troops to fight courageously in self-denial of England, Queen Elizabeth I utilizes Aristotles principles of effective communicationthat include logos, pathos and ethos in her Speech to the English Troops at Tilbury, Facing the Spanish Armada.The first principle that Queen Elizabeth I introduces into her speech is logos, as she uses reason and deduction to assure her soldiers of her faith in their resolve to fight for the good of England. She warns her soldiers that she has been told to take heed how we commit ourselves to armed multitudes, for fear of treachery. This warning is from a source that is concerned with not only her safety, but also the safety of her subjects and, in spite of that concern, she claims that it is the tyrants who should be fearful.Since she has placed my chiefest strength and safeguard in the loyal paddy wagon and good will of my subjects, she has no reason to worry because she is not a tyrant like her enemies. As a result of investing and draft her strength from the people of her dry land, Queen Elizabeth I has little to fear unlike the tyrants who cannot trust their own armies. The trust that she has placed in her armies to protect the kingdom leads to the use of the second of Aristotles principles of effective communication.Queen Elizabeth I uses pathos to appeal to soldiers through their emotions by reminding them that she is on the field with them to die for her subjects (them), just as she is asking them to die for her. She is not on the battlefield with them for her own amusement the Queen is determined to live or die amongst you all, to disgrace down for my God, and for my kingdom and this appeals to the soldiers sense of duty. If their own Queen is willing to die fighting, then they also have a duty to do the same.Queen Elizabeth I appeals to the soldiers religious zeal by claiming that she is willing to die principally f or her God and, secondarily, for her country. This order of priorities makes it seem as though her soldiers are not just fighting to prevent the Spanish from invading England, but that, perhaps, they are fighting for a higher cause. Soldiers will fight to defend bored things, but the fact that she introduces God as something they are protecting gives their cause an added sense of emergency and import. From her appeals to the hearts of her soldiers, Queen Elizabeth I turns to the third and net principle of Aristotles guide to effective communication.Ethos is the final tool that Queen Elizabeth I utilizes to cement her own authority as the Queen of England and her credibleness as a benevolent leader who will, in due time, requite the soldiers for their valor. Despite admitting that she has the body of a weak and feeble woman, she reminds them that she has the heart and birth of a king, which is more important because without those vital organs the body is rendered useless. By cla iming that the energy and will that is used to power her movements are derived from her position as a king of England, Queen Elizabeth I reinforces her authority to command her soldiers to make their lives for the good of the kingdom.The Queen goes on to introduce her reputation as lordly leader who will be your general, judge, and rewarder of every one of your virtues in the field. Not only will she command her army, she will judge their performance and she will reward the deserved. Queen Elizabeth I provides not only the motivation of fortitude as its own reward, but she also promises rewards and crownsshall be duly give to those who have fought and will fight with courage. Ethos is used by Queen Elizabeth I to assert her own authority as their motivation to fight for air and for reward.The principles of logos, pathos and ethos are used to put faith in the minds of the soldiers that they are fighting for a noble cause and are being commanded by a valiant leader.