A common example of pathos as a rhetorical means is adverts by charities that try to make you donate money to a “good cause”. The purpose of Pathos-driven rhetoric is to appeal to the reader’s emotions. When you analyze an essay, you should therefore look at how the writer establishes Ethos through rhetorical devices.ĭoes the author present themselves as an authority on their subject? If so, how?ĭo they highlight how impeccable their own behavior is to make a moral argument?ĭo they present themselves as an expert by listing their qualifications or experience to convince the reader of their opinion on something? Rhetorical appeal #2: Pathos Just like we are more likely to buy a product from a brand or vendor we have confidence in than one we don’t know or have reason to distrust, Ethos-driven texts or speeches rely on the reputation of the author to persuade the reader or listener. Rhetorical Appeals Rhetorical appeal #1: EthosĮthos refers to the reputation or authority of the writer regarding the topic of their essay or speech and to how they use this to appeal to their audience. These and other rhetorical techniques can all be combined to create the intended effect, and your job as the one analyzing a text is to break the writer’s arguments down and identify the concepts they are based on. They still represent the basis of any rhetorical analysis and are often referred to as the “rhetorical triangle”. To do that, you need to consider a number of key rhetorical strategies: Rhetorical appeals (“Ethos”, “Logos”, and “Pathos”), context, as well as claims, supports, and warrants.Įthos, Logos, and Pathos were introduced by Aristotle, way back in the 4th century BC, as the main ways in which language can be used to persuade an audience. Your goal when writing a rhetorical analysis is to think about and then carefully describe how the author has designed their text so that it has the intended effect on their audience. In the following, we will define the key rhetorical concepts you need to write a good rhetorical analysis and give you some practical tips on where to start. Note that your personal opinion on the matter is not relevant for your analysis and that you don’t state anywhere in your essay whether you agree or disagree with the stance the author takes. Its structure is similar to that of most essays: An Introduction presents your thesis, a Body analyzes the text you have chosen, breaks it down into sections and explains how arguments have been constructed and how each part persuades, informs, or entertains the reader, and a Conclusion section sums up your evaluation. A rhetorical analysis is less interested in what the author is saying and more in how they present it, what effect this has on their readers, whether they achieve their goals, and what approach they use to get there. What is a Rhetorical Analysis Essay?Ī rhetorical analysis essay is, as the name suggests, an analysis of someone else’s writing (or speech, or advert, or even cartoon) and how they use not only words but also rhetorical techniques to influence their audience in a certain way. The best part of the essay process is easing the parents’ and students’ stress level and making it a fun experience for everyone.Writing a rhetorical essay is easy if you take the right steps and outline your arguments in advance. To date, I have worked with hundreds of students in San Diego County and thousands across the country. I have been editing essays for the past 10 years and I thoroughly enjoy working with students and helping them portray themselves in the best possible light for a college admission officer. I taught high school English at Marian Catholic High School (currently Mater Dei) for six years.Īfter starting a family, I decided that I needed a job with more flexibility, so I began editing essays for seniors in high school who were applying to college. After arriving in San Diego, I received my Masters in Curriculum and Instruction from San Diego State. I am originally from Milford, CT, and I moved to San Diego after graduating from Boston College where I majored in English and minored in secondary education. My name is Meghean Gormley and I live in San Diego with my husband, four children, and my dog Lucy.
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