RHETORIC A brief introduction. Please grab a notes handout at the front

Thinking Rhetorically  Quick Review: Pathos? How does the piece move your heart? Ethos? How does the piece employ your trust? Logos? How does the piece change your mind?

Let’s see what you know…  The next slide will contain a picture.  Do your best to analyze the picture (break it into pieces)  What are your first impressions or initial reactions?

How does the piece change?  If you know the following: It was published in the Wall Street Journal It accompanied an article titled: A (Very) Young Artist Makes Waves arguments over a 10-year-old's photo in a biblical exhibit go global WSJ_LifeStyle_Lifestyle_5#articleTabs%3Darticlem WSJ_LifeStyle_Lifestyle_5#articleTabs%3Darticlem

To analyze the photo, what did you do naturally?  Because arguments have many aspects, you may need to focus a rhetorical analysis on elements that stand out or make the piece intriguing or problematic.

Ask Yourself:  What is the purpose of this argument? What does it hope to achieve?  Who is the audience?  What appeals are used? Where?  How does it make the creator trustworthy?  What authorities does the author use or rely on?  What facts, logic, or evidence is used? How is it arranged?  What are the contexts—social, political, historical, cultural? Whose interests does it serve? Who gains or loses by it?  How is the argument presented or arranged?  How does the language or style of the argument work to persuade an audience?

Now you try:

More info:  Here’s what you need to know about the photograph:  SOCCER WARNING: A dog barked outside the farm of slain South Africa’s white supremacist leader Eugene Terreblanche Wednesday. Extremists are warning countries about sending their soccer teams to a “land of murder” after the Mr. Terreblanche’s killing Saturday, only 10 weeks before the World Cup. (Schalk van Zuydam/Associated Press)  Wall Street Journal

Are you getting any better?

GOOD. But that’s not all rhetorical analysis is about…  Sure…questions get you thinking…  BUT DON’T JUST DESCRIBE TECHNIQUES AND STRATEGIES IN A RHETORICAL ANALYSIS!!!

Instead…  SHOW HOW THE KEY DEVICES IN AN ARGUMENT ACTUALLY MAKE IT SUCCEED OR FAIL.  QUOTE LANGUAGE FREELY FOR WRITTEN WORK, OR DESCRIBE THE ELEMENTS IN A VISUAL ARGUMENT.

Ultimately  YOUR GOAL:  To show a reader where and why an argument makes sense and where is seems to fall apart.

 If you believe that an argument startles audiences or challenges them, insults them, or lulls them into complacency, explain precisely why that’s so and provide evidence.  Don’t be surprised when your rhetorical analysis becomes an argument…it should be!

Homework  Take a look at Lala Alcaraz’s “But I’m Honoring You, Dude!”  Due on Friday:  An organized, page, rhetorical analysis.  Remember—I don’t care if you agree or disagree with the artist—I want to know if you feel like it was EFFECTIVE!