Objective: Write a 3-4 page original essay in MLA style that begins with an objective 150-word or less summary of the argument, analyzes the author’s use of rhetorical strategies, and illustrates, with consideration given to the rhetorical situation, how these choices contribute to the overall effectiveness of the argument.
Essays you may choose from (all on Canvas under Files): 1. Susan Brownmiller’s “Let’s Put Pornography Back in the Closet” 2. Stuart D. Bykofsky’s “No Heart for the Homeless” 3. Gerard Jones’s “Violent Media is Good for Kids” 4. S. Taylor and A. Taylor’s “Is it Possible to be a Conscientious Meat Eater?” 5. James Q. Wilson’s “Just Take Away Their Guns”
What you should include: - An objective 150-word or less summary of the author’s argument (this can be set off from the rest of the text or simply appear as the first paragraph), which shows the reader that you understand the argument and can explain it concisely.
- A thesis statement that reveals the strategies you intend to focus on, the audience the author is targeting, the author’s purpose and thesis, and your own judgment of the effectiveness of the argument. A possible template you might use is: “(The
author), in (the title), uses (these tools) to successfully/unsuccessfully (the purpose) (the audience) that (the argument)” or “(The author) uses (these tools) to successfully/unsuccessfully (the purpose) (the audience) that (the argument), but his/her use of (these tools) keeps the argument from being successful/unsuccessful as a whole.”
- A critical analysis of the author’s rhetorical choices and an illustration of how these choices contribute to the overall effectiveness of the argument. Your analysis should provide specific evidence from the text (cited by paragraph) and demonstrate awareness of the rhetorical situation.
What you should avoid: - Using outside sources for the analysis (it should be entirely your own). If you need to do research for purposes of understanding time, place, and environment, cite any sources both within the text and on a separate Works Cited page. - Response to the topic. You should be analyzing the author’s use of strategies, not
arguing for/against his or her main point. - An analysis limited to a discussion of ethos, pathos, and logos or a simple paraphrase of the article versus a critical analysis.
Before you begin:
Take time to understand the rhetorical situation. Ask yourself the following questions. Who is the author? What is the message? What audience does your author seem to target? What is the author’s purpose in writing the piece? Is there more than one purpose? Does the purpose shift at all throughout the piece? What are the time, place, and environment surrounding this moment of communication?
Strategies to consider (although you are not limited to these):
*Thesis (Does the author state the thesis explicitly or implicitly? Where is it placed in the text? What effect do these choices have on the overall argument? Does he/she consider all relevant factors? Does he/she omit any points you think should be discussed?)
*Persona/voice (What persona/voice does the author adopt? How effective is it in relation to the topic and the audience?)
*Tone (What tone has the author set and how did he/she establish that tone? Does this tone help or hinder the argument?)
*Methods of argument (Does the author use any methods such as analogy, cause-and-effect, description, narration, illustration, comparison and contrast, definition, etc., and how effective are they in getting the argument across?)
*Appeals [Does he/she appeal to reason, to emotion, or both? Does he/she use statistics and are they interpreted fairly? Does he/she quote authorities and are those chosen carefully? Has the author made his/her authority clear through demonstrating obvious good character/knowledge of the subject (ethos)]?
*Elements of style [Does the author use stylistic elements such as fallacies, figurative language (metaphor, simile, personification, hyperbole, irony, etc.), repetition, diction, rhetorical questions, etc., and what effect do they have on the argument?]
*Organization of the text (Does the organization of the piece have any effect on the argument? Does the form complement the content? What effect does it have, and does it aid or hinder the author’s intention?)
*Persona/voice (What persona/voice does the author adopt? How effective is it in relation to the topic and the audience?)
*Tone (What tone has the author set and how did he/she establish that tone? Does this tone help or hinder the argument?)
*Methods of argument (Does the author use any methods such as analogy, cause-and-effect, description, narration, illustration, comparison and contrast, definition, etc., and how effective are they in getting the argument across?)
*Appeals [D
