Understanding Rhetorical Analysis Essays
A rhetorical analysis essay breaks down a piece of writing and analyzes the way these parts work as a whole. Besides, it also explains the effects those individual parts, working both independently and as a whole, have on a reader.
Contrary to a research paper, this type of writing focuses on the ‘hows’ rather than the ‘whys.’ You need to figure out how a particular text was written rather than its meaning.
First, define the purpose of the text. Whether it is to entertain, educate, instruct, persuade, or dissuade the target audience and then focus on it throughout your essay.
To write a rhetorical analysis essay, good research and analytical skills are a must. This is the reason that students find writing a rhetorical essay type a difficult and somewhat troublesome task.
But don’t lose hope; we will walk you through the important parts of performing a rhetorical analysis. By now, you must have gotten a basic idea of what a rhetorical analysis essay really is. Let’s move on and discuss some examples to help you understand how the whole process works.
How to Write Rhetorical Analysis Essay - Examples
Going through sample essays of other students or professionals helps in knowing the proper writing style needed for this essay.
Because writing a rhetorical analysis is a bit tricky, it is even more important to take help from sample essays. This will not only help you understand the pattern and overall structure but also allows you to learn the syntax.
Rhetorical analysis essay focuses more on analyzing a piece of literary work. Or a work of fiction such as a novel, play, speech, etc.
Following are a few sample rhetorical analysis essays on some important topics that you can benefit from.
A Rhetorical Analysis of “A Liberal Education is Key to a Civil Society” Ivy Williams
A Rhetorical Analysis of “The Other Canadians and Canada’s Future” Marin Lepp
A Rhetorical Analysis of “Strength Through Creative Comparison” Nicholas Hamilton
A Rhetorical Analysis of “The Right Stuff” Lee Jennings
All of the above rhetorical analysis examples use a common method for analysis known as the SOAPSTone method.
When crafting your essay, make use of this method, and you’ll have a brilliant piece of writing.
Rhetorical Analysis: The SOAPSTone Method
SOAPSTone is an acronym for speaking, occasion, audience, purpose, subject, and tone. This method makes it easier to understand any author's work and how it might have affected the audience.
a) Speaker
Determine who is the speaker (writer) of the text under analysis. For example, is the speaker the author, a character, or a narrator?
b) Occasion
The setting, time, and place where the related events took place
c) Audience
Who is being addressed? Why did the speaker/writer choose this particular audience? Is there more than one target audience?
d) Purpose
The goal or purpose of the author. Why did he choose to write about the topic under discussion? Why was it important to speak or write about it? Was the author/speaker's goal clearly defined?
e) Subject
Explore the subject in great depth. What is the primary meaning? Is there additional relevant information that is revealed throughout the text?
f) Tone
Pay attention to the text and how it has been organized. What emotions does the text evoke in its audience?
If you still need more information, you can check out our complete guide on how to write a rhetorical analysis essay.
Rhetorical Analysis Essay Outline
To make any type of writing easier, it is best to follow a set structure or outline. Following an outline gives you a sense of direction and a placeholder where all the information needs to go.
A rhetorical analysis essay follows the same five-paragraph structure; let’s briefly discuss each section.
Introductory Paragraph
The introduction is used to familiarize the reader with your topic and the main idea. When writing a rhetorical essay introduction, focus on the following:
- The original author,
- Their work,
- Your purpose for choosing the topic.
Start your introduction with a hook to attract the reader’s attention. Provide background information on the topic and highlight the parts you are going to discuss.
End your introduction with a thesis statement, which is a transition between the intro and body.
Body Paragraphs
The body paragraphs are essential to an essay, as breathing is to living beings. These paragraphs unveil important information and address several questions.
‘How do you start a rhetorical analysis body paragraph?’
To draft a body for a rhetorical analysis essay, analyze the work at hand. How the author achieved his purpose to persuade the audience, and identify the persuasive methods used.
Conclusion
The concluding paragraph summarizes the overall essay and main points. Also, end the essay with your opinion about the original text, whether or not it was effective.
This was just to give you an overview of the rhetorical analysis essay outline and what goes into it. For a more in-depth idea, check out our blog for writing a rhetorical analysis essay outline.
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