1. The Rhetorical Triangle
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The Rhetorical Triangle

2. What is rhetoric?
The art or study of using language effectively and persuasively. [American Heritage College Dictionary]
“Rhetoric may be defined as the faculty of observing in any given case the available means of persuasion.” [Aristotle]

3. Aristotle believed that from the world around them, speakers could:
observe how communication happens and
use that to develop sound and convincing arguments.

4. What is Rhetoric? What is said (message) Who is saying it (speaker)
Who is listening (audience)
Where / when it is being said (context, appeals)
Why it is being said (purpose)
How it is being said (tone, style)

5. Speaker Audience Message
Aristotle said that when a rhetor (speaker) begins to consider how to compose a speech, he/she must take into account 3 elements: the message, the audience, and the speaker.
Speaker
Audience
Message

6. What is the Rhetorical Triangle?
Shows the relationship between speaker, audience, message, style, purpose, tone
Understanding these rhetorical elements makes both writing and analysis much clearer

7. The Rhetorical Triangle
Message
Logos
Tone
Style
Ethos
Pathos
Speaker
Audience
Purpose

8. Speaker
The writer/speaker uses:
who they are,
what they know and feel, and
what they’ve seen and done
to find their attitudes toward a subject and their understanding of audience.

9. The Author / Speaker
Gender / racial / geographical/ socioeconomic/ political orientation of author
Author Bias / hidden agenda
Other important biographical information may affect text

10. Audience
The writer/speaker:
speculates about audience expectations and knowledge of subject, and
uses own experience and observation to help decide on how to communicate with audience.

11. The Audience Are they friend or foe? (hostile or sympathetic)
How will they receive the message?
How will they affect tone? style?
Who is the intentional audience?
Who is the unintentional audience?
Over time, does the message/effect of the message change as the audience changes?

12. Message
The writer/speaker:
evaluates what he/she knows already and needs to know,
investigates perspectives (researches), and
determines kinds of evidence or proofs seem most useful (supports assertions with appropriate evidence).

13. The Message
What is the main point being made? In other words, what is the writer’s / speaker’s thesis?
Look at the message as an argument / position being sold to the audience. What is the author trying to convince the audience of?

14. The Message Consider this when trying to identify the exact message:
What is the topic (1-2 words) about which the piece is written?
What is the most important aspect or perspective about that topic that the author wants you to understand?
What, exactly, does the author want the reader to think/do/feel/say?
What is the “no” on the other side of the author’s “yes?” (And vice versa)

15. Appeals
The writer/speaker uses different approaches to influence the audience’s attitude toward the subject. These are:
Logos
Ethos
Pathos

16. Logos
The writer/speaker:
offers clear, reasonable premises and proofs,
develops ideas with appropriate details, and
makes sure readers can follow the progression of ideas.

17. The writer/speaker uses it when:
Ethos
The writer/speaker uses it when:
he/she demonstrates that they are credible, good-willed, & knowledgeable and
he/she connects their thinking to the reader’s own ethical or moral beliefs.
Audiences and speakers should assume the best intentions and most thoughtful search for truths.

18. Pathos The writer/speaker:
draws on emotions and interests of readers and
highlights those emotions using
1) personal stories and observations
to provoke audience’s sympathetic
reaction and
2) figurative language to heighten
emotional connections.

19. “Ask not what your country can do for you - ask what you can do for your country.” John F. Kennedy
calls attention to ethical qualities of the speaker and listener (ethos)
proposes a solution to the country’s problems by enlisting the citizens’ help (logos)
calls forth emotional patriotism (pathos)

20. Context and Purpose
Context: the situation in which writing and reading occur
Purpose: the emerging aim that
underlies many of the writer’s
decisions

21. The importance of context (the situation in which writing and reading occur) is especially obvious in comedy and political writing. One reason comedy is difficult sometimes is that the events alluded to are no longer current for readers and the humor is missed. Students who understand context learn how and why they write differently in history class and English or biology. Different contexts (such as letters to the editor or study notes for other students) highlights how context can alter rhetorical choices in form and content.

22. The Tone
What is the author’s attitude about his / her subject / message?
What words in the message let you know the tone?
How does the selection of the tone affect the audience’s reception of the message? Is it appropriate for the occasion/subject matter?

23. The Tone
Very often, tone words will vary in meaning only in the degree of intensity, in the “positiveness” or “negativeness.” Take a look at the TONE words on the following slide. Can you categorize these words into groups (positive/ negative, specific degrees of emotion)? Can you tell the difference between the word pairs?

24. The Tone Zealous Apathetic Reticent
Condescending Conciliatory Complimentary
Remorseful Resigned Nostalgic
Self-Deprecating Detached Haughty
Sardonic Sarcastic Irreverent

25. The Style
What strategies does the author employ in order to get his / her message across?
These strategies may include: ethos, logos, pathos; organization; diction; syntax; figurative language; grammatical structure; selection of details; imagery

26. Summary
Remember – it is not one of these elements of the rhetorical triangle that can be used to analyze a text; it is the relationships between these rhetorical elements that composes the meaning we get from a text!
True analysis is not only the what, but also the why and the how!