RHETORICAL ANALYSIS. WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF RHETORICAL ANALYSIS? The purpose of rhetorical analysis...
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RHETORICAL ANALYSIS
RHETORICAL ANALYSIS. WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF RHETORICAL ANALYSIS? The purpose of rhetorical analysis is to determine how an author uses language to create
WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF RHETORICAL ANALYSIS? The purpose of
rhetorical analysis is to determine how an author uses language to
create meaning, develop his or her purpose(s) and/or produce
particular effects.
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STEP 1: DECONSTRUCT THE PROMPT What is the context? What is the
time period? What is the topic? Who is the author? What is my
purpose for analysis? What is the mode of writing? Is there a
universal subject present?
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WRITING MODES AND RHETORICAL STRATEGIES Narrative Point of view
Structure Figurative devices Diction Expository Organization
Development Diction Figurative language Syntax
STEP 2: READ (WITH A PEN) What am I looking for as I read?
Authors purpose(s) and overall meaning(s) Use of rhetoric
Repetition/parallelism/juxtaposition Shifts (tone, organization,
idea, focus) Noteworthy diction Figurative language, symbolism
Allusions
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CAUTION! Understanding the authors meaning/purpose is ESSENTIAL
and the fundamental goal! Who cares if you can find rhetorical
stuff but do not know how it contributes to the meaning of the
piece?
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STEP 3: ARTICULATE MEANING What is the purpose of the piece?
What is the universal subject? What is this piece really about?
What is the abstract nounthe bigger ideaon which this piece is
touching? What is the answer to what the prompt is asking me to
analyze? What in this passage is affecting this universal
subject?
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STEP 4: REVIEW THE RHETORICAL STRATEGIES YOU ANNOTATED What is
the mode of writing? The mode of writing hints to the rhetorical
strategies used.
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WRITING MODES AND RHETORICAL STRATEGIES Narrative Point of view
Structure Figurative devices Diction Expository Organization
Development Diction Figurative language Syntax
STEP 5: ANALYZE If you are talking about what the text says,
you are summarizing. If you are talking about how the text makes
meaning, you are analyzing.
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ANALYSIS: PURPOSE When discussing purpose, consider the
following questions: Why does this writer choose this particular
strategy to create his or her message? How does the writer use this
strategy to make meaning? Why does the writer use this particular
strategy and this particular example?
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ANALYSIS: EFFECT When discussing effect, consider the
following: Because the writer used this rhetorical strategy,
how/why does the use influence one or more of the following:
Speaker Reader Message Tone Purpose
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STEP 6: IDENTIFY SHIFTS/CONTRASTS Signals of a shift:
Transitions (e.g., but, yet, nevertheless, however, although,
therefore.) Punctuation (dashes, periods, colons) Paragraph
divisions Changes in sentence length/structure
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WRITING A THESIS STATEMENT
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PARTS OF THE THESIS STATEMENT TOPIC CLAIM (VERB) DIRECTION
QUALIFIER UNIVERSAL IDEA
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TOPIC The TOPIC reveals the context of the thesisthe text(s)
analyzed. Example Gary Sotos autobiographical essay
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CLAIM (VERB) The CLAIM explains the texts connection to the
rhetorical strategies. For practice, uses is a good place to start.
Try synonyms and substitutes for uses Example Gary Sotos
autobiographical essay uses
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DIRECTION The DIRECTION tells how the text arrives at the
universal idea. DIRECTION = rhetorical strategies Example Gary
Sotos autobiographical essay uses diction, allusions, and
imagery
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QUALIFIER The QUALIFIER links the directions to the purpose of
analysis and universal truth. to prove that Try to choose an
academic verb that best describes the what the directions are doing
to the purpose of analysis and universal truth. Example: Gary Sotos
autobiographical essay uses diction, allusions, and imagery to
prove that
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UNIVERSAL TRUTH The UNIVERSAL TRUTH is the larger idea,
message, or purpose at work in the text. The UNIVERSAL TRUTH should
reveal meaning about the UNIVERSAL SUBJECT (abstract noun).
Example: Gary Sotos autobiographical essay uses diction, allusions,
and imagery to prove that guilt seems to haunt those who sin.
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GOING TO THE NEXT LEVEL Adding Variety and Complexity to a
Thesis Statement
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STEP 1: MODIFIED DIRECTIONS For each direction, add an
adjective that best describes the texts use of that direction.
Example Gary Sotos autobiographical essay uses simplistic diction,
Biblical allusions, and contrasting imagery to prove that guilt
seems to haunt those who sin.
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STEP 2: ADD THE SHIFT/CONTRAST Reveal the shift/contrast that
occurs within the text (especially the shift/contrast in the
universal idea. Example Gary Sotos autobiographical essay, in which
the focus shifts from innocence to experience, uses simplistic
diction, Biblical allusions, and contrasting imagery to prove that
guilt seems to haunt those who sin.
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STEP 3: ADDING TEXT WORDS/PHRASES FOR INTEREST Choose a few
words or phrases from the text that allude to or somehow reinforce
the universal idea. Add these words/phrases to the thesis statement
for effect.
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STEP 3: ADDING TEXT WORDS/PHRASES FOR INTEREST Example Gary
Sotos autobiographical essay, in which he shifts from innocence to
experience, uses simplistic diction, Biblical allusions, and
contrasting imagery to prove that sweet, gold-colored, sticky guilt
seems to haunt those who sin with faraway messages of blame.
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STEP 4: RE-ARRANGE THE PIECES! Take all the thesis statement
parts, and re-arrange them to create sentence variety. Example: To
prove that sweet, gold-colored, sticky guilt seems to haunt those
who sin with faraway messages of blame, Gary Sotos autobiographical
essay uses simplistic diction, Biblical allusions, and contrasting
imagery while shifting the focus from Sotos innocence to
experience.
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CREATING TOPIC SENTENCES
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THE ELEMENTS OF THE TOPIC SENTENCE Topic Direction Claim
Universal Idea * These elements should seem similar to the thesis
components (but now with a twist)!
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STEP 1: BEGIN WITH A SOLID THESIS. Gary Sotos autobiographical
essay, in which he shifts from innocence to experience, uses
simplistic diction, Biblical allusions, and contrasting imagery to
prove that sweet, gold- colored, sticky guilt seems to haunt those
who sin with faraway messages of blame.
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STEP 2: BORROW THE TOPICS FROM THE THESISS DIRECTIONS Thesis
Gary Sotos autobiographical essay, in which he shifts from
innocence to experience, uses simplistic diction, Biblical
allusions, and contrasting imagery to prove that sweet,
gold-colored, sticky guilt seems to haunt those who sin with
faraway messages of blame. Topic Sentence Topic: Biblical allusions
(This is the first direction.)
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STEP 3: ADD THE DIRECTION(S) The directions of the topic
sentence are the examples you will use as evidence. Sotos Biblical
allusions, such as the squirrel nailing itself to the tree and Adam
and Eve and the apple,... *Use two directions.
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STEP 4: ADD THE CLAIM Choose an appropriate verb that links
what the directions do in relation to the universal idea. Sotos
Biblical allusions, such as the squirrel nailing itself to the tree
and Adam and Eve and the apple, underscore
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STEP 5: ADD THE UNIVERSAL IDEA (AGAIN) Add the universal idea
to the topic sentence. CAUTION: To keep the universal idea from
becoming redundant throughout the essay, develop synonyms. Sotos
Biblical allusions, such as the squirrel nailing itself to the tree
and Adam and Eve sinning because of the apple, underscore the
disgrace associated with sin..
A NOTE ABOUT COMMENTARY If you are talking about what the text
says, you are summarizing. If you are talking about how the text
makes meaning, you are analyzing.
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COMMENTARY: PURPOSE When discussing purpose, consider the
following questions: Why does this writer choose this particular
strategy to create his or her message? How does the writer use this
strategy to make meaning? Why does the writer use this particular
strategy and this particular example?
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COMMENTARY: EFFECT When discussing effect, consider the
following: Because the writer used this rhetorical strategy,
how/why does the use influence one or more of the following:
Speaker Reader Message Tone Purpose