1. Einstein Letter Answers Only answers OR Review Slide + Answer
Rhetorical Analysis
Einstein Letter Answers
Only answers OR Review Slide + Answer

2. ONLY Answers

3. Speaker Albert Einstein-physicist, “Nobel Prize in Physics in 1921”
Scientist (60ish years old) responding to a letter from a girl (12ish years old)
Speaker-Audience Relationship: The “old” share wisdom with the young
Reliable-she is asking for the opinion of a scientist, he is a scientist
Stance?
Gain?

4. Occasion
Einstein’s receipt of a letter from Phyllis Wright asking questions about science and religion

5. Audience Phyllis herself Larger audience Einstein wrote it formally
He knew that more people than just a little girl would be interested in scientists’ religious beliefs
FYI: Einstein won the Nobel Prize in 1921, this letter was from 1936

6. Purpose
Basic Purpose: Respond to a sincere school girl’s question about science and religion
Complex Purpose: Expand her horizons a bit, help her understand that you don’t need to believe in only science or only religion

7. Subject FAITH / RELIGION / RELIGION IN SCIENCE If scientists pray
If they do, what they pray for

8. Genre
Letter 

9. 3 sentences on the front
Did Einstein accomplish what he intended to?

10. Review Slide + Answers

11. Knowing all of this about the speaker affects how you understand the text, whether you agree or disagree— take it seriously, etc.
S - Speaker
Who is the writer/speaker/author?
What are his credentials/his authority?
What is his stance (position)?
Curious?
Opinioned?
Passionate?
Indifferent?
Something else?

12. S-Speaker continued. (or author)
WHAT kind of relationship do they have with their audience?
WHO is the speaker?
WHAT is his/her background?
Are they RELIABLE?
WHAT can the speaker gain from “winning” the reader’s opinion? (aka: reader now agrees with the speaker)

13. Speaker Albert Einstein-physicist, “Nobel Prize in Physics in 1921”
Scientist (60ish years old) responding to a letter from a girl (12ish years old)
Speaker-Audience Relationship: The “old” share wisdom with the young
Reliable-she is asking for the opinion of a scientist, he is a scientist
Stance?
Gain?

14. O - Occasion When? Where? What caused the writing to happen?
What’s the broader issue, the big picture?
The immediate situation?
Atmosphere
Attitudes
Events

15. Occasion
Einstein’s receipt of a letter from Phyllis Wright asking questions about science and religion

16. A - Audience Who is the intended audience?
Are you a member of that group?
If not, you should plan to look up
unfamiliar terms/concepts
Might you run into ideas/assumptions/
philosophies that you DON’T agree with?

17. Audience Phyllis herself Larger audience Einstein wrote it formally
He knew that more people than just a little girl would be interested in scientists’ religious beliefs
FYI: Einstein won the Nobel Prize in 1921, this letter was from 1936

18. P - Purpose Why are YOU reading this text? WHY does the text exist?
What is the writer’s goal?
What does he want to achieve?
Entertain?
Inform?
Persuade?
What does he want you to think or to do now?
Why are YOU reading this text?

19. Purpose
Basic Purpose: Respond to a sincere school girl’s question about science and religion
Complex Purpose: Expand her horizons a bit, help her understand that you don’t need to believe in only science or only religion

20. S - Subject What is the text about? Specific / general?
Current / timeless?

21. Subject FAITH / RELIGION / RELIGION IN SCIENCE Whether scientists pray
If they do, what they pray for

22. Other Aspects to Consider…

23. G - Genre Publisher / Sponsor? Date of publication? Reputable?
What is the medium/genre the text is written in?
Speech?
Essay?
Letter?
Book – fiction/nonfiction?
Web?
Ad?
Publisher / Sponsor?
Date of publication?
Reputable?
Credible?

24. Genre
Letter 

25. Your Reaction to the Text
What is your initial reaction?
Emotional
Intellectual
Why do you think you had this
reaction?
Agree / disagree?
Personal experiences / background?
Personal beliefs / philosophies?
As much as possible, don’t let your own opinions color your
analysis of the situation. That’s why you have to identify your
opinions up front!

26. In Your Group
Analyze the rhetorical situation in Einstein’s letter for SOAPS and G.

27. 3 sentences on the front
Did Einstein accomplish what he intended to?