Rhetorical Analysis

Rhetoric Used in advertising, politics, writing, and any other situation where you are attempting to persuade an audience. Rhetoric is the art of argumentation – the use of language (or other means) to persuade an audience. Knowledge of how to use rhetoric in your work will make your essays more effective.

Rhetorical Situation Author/Communicator Text Reader Author Context Audience/Reader Text/Message

Rhetorical Situation Text/Message = the work being read Reader/Audience = for whom the message is intended Author/Communicator = writer of the piece Context = various factors of the argument (time, place, motivation, etc) that could influence either the reader or the author

Text/Message Nearly anything can be a “text” – clothing, attitudes, expressions, etc. all convey a “message” to a reader. The form the message takes can make a difference: Print ads versus television commercials Infomercials versus regular commercials Sound versus no sound Etc.

Reader/Audience A “reader” is only the intended recipient of the message; a reader is actually interpreting the message, regardless of what form it takes. Clearly identifying an audience makes a difference in what persuasive tactics and information are used in an argument.

Author/Communicator Credibility is a concern – does the author have the credentials to back up what is being said? Can also be affected by the support used for the argument (resources). Should attempt to show a lack of bias in how the argument is presented (though a clear stance still must be taken).

Context Context is composed of the situational elements which affect an argument Includes things like: Constraints (limiting factors for the argument) Exigence (motivational factors for the argument) Kairos (time and place for the argument) All of these elements can overlap!

Constraints Constraints are limiting factors that affect an audience’s responses, as well as the author’s manner of presentation. Audience demographics can play a role – sex education, for instance, is taught differently depending on the age of the students, as well as the sex of those students. Other constraints can include: The means by which the message is conveyed (TV vs. print) Various rules (social, legal, etc) that the audience and/or author must follow Time and/or length restrictions

Exigence Exigence refers to the motivation behind the argument (both internal and external) Purpose – Why does the audience need to hear the message? What is the problem or issue that is being addressed and what makes it important right now? The situation surrounding the argument can affect the motivation for the argument as well as impose new constraints (where the argument takes place, etc).

Kairos Kairos is generally used to refer to the time and place for the argument The situational factors involved may also be part of the argument’s constraints or exigence For example, writing an article for a magazine involves attention to the time and place (kairos), has restrictions on length and topic (constraints), and could be motivated by things like money, the need to get the word out, etc (exigence)

Constructing the Argument All of these elements go into making an argument. Authors choose specific rhetorical strategies for maximum effectiveness, based on the factors already discussed The strategies chosen are based off of the three appeals (logos, pathos, ethos)

Rhetorical Analysis Analysis requires dissecting the piece and categorizing/labeling its various parts. Analysis requires full understanding of the argument’s general rhetorical structure. The rhetorical analysis separates the parts of the argument to see how the whole works.

Writing a Rhetorical Analysis Is not a discussion of the content, nor does it take a side on the issue. Requires the reader to explain how the appeals are used and what effect they have. A clear knowledge of the intended audience is important. Identifying specific strategies used for each appeal is critical.

Using Rhetoric In every situation where you are attempting to persuade someone of something, you are using rhetoric. Your strategies adapt depending on the audience, situation, and other factors. Most of us do this more or less unconsciously. Actively thinking about rhetoric is a bigger challenge.

The Loan Example Exigence: Say you need a loan for $500. By examining each factor involved, we can see how the various elements discussed contribute to the construction of the argument Author: You are the author of this argument. Your goal is to secure a loan of $500 Text: Depending on audience, this is how you will make your case for this loan Audience: In this example, the audience is perhaps the most important initial decision that you have to make. You have to determine who you can borrow money from (which is also a constraint!) Let us presume you have chosen to try to get a loan through a bank.

Loan Example, Con’t Constraints: Since we are dealing with a bank, formal documentation of our resources will be necessary: Must prove our ability to pay back loan Documentation will be used to formalize the agreement, with signatures. There are limits on how much you may be lent, dependent on your credit score and current financial obligations. There is a process to be followed – we cannot just show up and demand money. Kairos: The time is a time of need for us, but also must take place within the business hours of the bank in question (which is also a constraint!) The place will be the bank itself

Strategy Choices Based on the elements of the rhetorical situation (bank, the amount of the loan, etc), we would choose strategies to best make our argument How would you dress for the loan interview? How would you support the argument that you are able to pay this loan back? How accurate would your information be? How would you speak to the loan officer? How would your strategies be different if you were asking a friend for the same loan? A family member? Consider that changes to the overall argument can impact all other factors – the amount of the loan, for instance, may limit audience possibilities as well as the requirements of that audience to verify that you will pay it back.