Analyzing Texts: The Search for Something Rhetorical to Analyze (With apologies to Aristotle, whose ideas are distorted here.)

Strategies may serve more than one appeal. For example, a nod to the opposition may sway the audience and enhance the author's credibility at the same time.
Ethical Appeal (ethos)

The Author (the author's voice or persona)

An author must convince the audience that he or she is knowledgeable, accurate, and dependable in a moral sense. 

Strategies for the ethical appeal (and others)

Credibility

Familiarity with subject

Awareness of broad perspective

(does not satirize or stereotype the opposition)

Reasonableness, good judgement

Character

Respect others' values

Value welfare of others

Show integrity, trustworthiness, open-mindedness

Confidence

Show self-understanding

Uses own voice

Understand reader needs

Treat reader as equal

Cicero: "We give no credit to the liar, even when he speaks the truth." 

Emotional Appeal (pathos)

The Audience (the reader)

While the origin of this appeal is in emotion, it includes appeals to values and beliefs of the audience.

Strategies for the emotional appeal (and 

others)

Inspiring feeling/empathy/sympathy

(anger, pride, guilt, shame, love, hope, etc.)

Tone (formal/informal, playful/solemn, etc.)

Awareness of opposition

Nod to opposition's argument

Question opposition motives 

(does not feed stereotypes or prejudices)

Targeting audience concerns (support)

Needs

Values

Beliefs

P.T. Barnum: "There's a sucker born every minute."

Logical Appeal (logos)

The Argument (the work)

A rhetorical text must present evidence and appeal to logic so that an audience can believe the point. 

Strategies for the logical appeal (and others)

Evidence

Examples and Illustrations

(facts, statistics, precedents)

Description

Personal or expert opinion

Organization

Narration

Process

Comparison/contrast

Division/classification

Cause/effect

Logic

Deductive/inductive reasoning

Relevance

Sherlock Holmes: "When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth."

Or you didn't think of all the possibilities in the first place (darn).

Strategies that may serve any appeal: Style 

Remember, most strategies may serve >Imagery >Repetition >Rhythm >Coherence >Emphasis >Figurative language (analogy, metaphor, simile)

more than one appeal. Appeals my overlap. Diction 

>Word choice (vocabulary) >Word order or arrangement (syntax) 

Rhetorical Analysis

Look at what a text is; tell how it does what it does.

Þ Situate your reader in your text: describe as much of the what as is needed so that when you observe the how [it is done], your reader will not be lost.

With evidence, convince your reader of the truth of your observations. 

P - I - E = Point Illustration Explanation 1. Make a point. 2. Illustrate the point with something from the text. 3. Explain the illustration.

TRIAC = Topic Restriction Illustration Analysis Conclusion 

Quotation sandwich: Set the quotation in the work, give the quote, explain why you chose that quote

(Remember that all models are simply a place to start. Some PIE paragraphs are IIIIEP, some TRIAC paragraphs are RIIAAC or TRAIIIC.)