240+ Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topics for Students

Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topics by Category

Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topics About Literary Works  

Classic and contemporary literature rich with rhetorical devices:

1. "The Great Gatsby" by F. Scott Fitzgerald
2. "1984" by George Orwell
3. "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee
4. "Animal Farm" by George Orwell
5. "The Handmaid's Tale" by Margaret Atwood
6. "Brave New World" by Aldous Huxley
7. "Fahrenheit 451" by Ray Bradbury
8. "The Catcher in the Rye" by J.D. Salinger
9. "Lord of the Flies" by William Golding
10. "Pride and Prejudice" by Jane Austen
11. "Beloved" by Toni Morrison
12. "The Scarlet Letter" by Nathaniel Hawthorne
13. "Things Fall Apart" by Chinua Achebe
14. "The Crucible" by Arthur Miller
15. "A Modest Proposal" by Jonathan Swift
    
16. "The Yellow Wallpaper" by Charlotte Perkins Gilman
17. "Civil Disobedience" by Henry David Thoreau
18. "Self-Reliance" by Ralph Waldo Emerson
19. "The Second Sex" by Simone de Beauvoir
20. "Night" by Elie Wiesel
21. "The Souls of Black Folk" by W.E.B. Du Bois
22. "The Feminine Mystique" by Betty Friedan
23. "Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass."
24. "Common Sense" by Thomas Paine
25. "The Prince" by Niccolò Machiavelli
26. "The Communist Manifesto" by Karl Marx
27. "Walden" by Henry David Thoreau
28. "Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl" by Harriet Jacobs
29. "The Origin of Species" by Charles Darwin

Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topics About Famous Speeches 

Speeches that changed history through powerful rhetoric:

1. Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" (1963)
2. John F. Kennedy's Inaugural Address (1961)
3. Winston Churchill's "We Shall Fight on the Beaches" (1940)
4. Franklin D. Roosevelt's "Pearl Harbor Address" (1941)
5. Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address (1863)
6. Sojourner Truth's "Ain't I a Woman?" (1851)
7. Ronald Reagan's "Tear Down This Wall" (1987)
8. Barack Obama's "Yes We Can" (2008)
9. Malala Yousafzai's UN Speech (2013)
10. Greta Thunberg's UN Climate Speech (2019)
11. Emma Watson's HeForShe Campaign Speech (2014)
12. Nelson Mandela's Inaugural Address (1994)
13. Steve Jobs' Stanford Commencement (2005)
14. Oprah Winfrey's Golden Globes Speech (2018)
15. Michelle Obama's DNC Speech (2016)
16. Harvey Milk's "Hope Speech" (1978)
17. Gloria Steinem's "Address to Women of America" (1971)
18. Cesar Chavez's Commonwealth Club Speech (1984)
19. Lou Gehrig's Farewell Speech (1939)
20. Chief Joseph's Surrender Speech (1877)
21. Elizabeth Cady Stanton's "The Solitude of Self" (1892)
22. Frederick Douglass's "What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?" (1852)
23. Patrick Henry's "Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death" (1775)
24. Susan B. Anthony's "On Women's Right to Vote" (1873)
25. Elie Wiesel's "The Perils of Indifference" (1999)
26. Al Gore's Nobel Prize Speech (2007)
27. J.K. Rowling's Harvard Commencement (2008)
28. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's "We Should All Be Feminists."
29. Jon Stewart's 9/11 First Responders Speech (2019)
30. Severn Suzuki's UN Earth Summit Speech (1992)
31. George W. Bush's 9/11 Address (2001)
32. Joe Biden's Inaugural Address (2021)
33. Kamala Harris's Victory Speech (2020)
34. Pope Francis's Address to Congress (2015)
35. Jacinda Ardern's Christchurch Response (2019)

Visual Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topics: Movies & TV Shows 

Visual rhetoric in film and television:

1. "12 Angry Men" (1957) - Jury deliberation scene
2. "The Shawshank Redemption" (1994) - Hope and freedom
3. "Dead Poets Society" (1989) - "Carpe Diem" speech
4. "The Social Network" (2010) - Opening scene
5. "The King's Speech" (2010) - Radio address
6. "Selma" (2014) - Bridge march scene
7. "Hidden Figures" (2016) - Representation in STEM
8. "Get Out" (2017) - Racial commentary
9. "Parasite" (2019) - Class inequality
10. "The Trial of the Chicago 7" (2020)
    
11. "Good Will Hunting" (1997) - Park bench scene
12. "A Few Good Men" (1992) - "You can't handle the truth"
13. "The Great Dictator" (1940) - Final speech
14. "Network" (1976) - "I'm mad as hell" speech
15. "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" (1939) - Filibuster
16. "The Pursuit of Happyness" (2006) - Interview scene
17. "Freedom Writers" (2007) - Teaching methods
18. "Coach Carter" (2005) - Motivational speeches
19. "Remember the Titans" (2000) - Unity speech
20. "The Help" (2011) - Breaking silence
21. "Black Panther" (2018) - Cultural representation
22. "Everything Everywhere All at Once" (2022)
23. "Don't Look Up" (2021) - Climate satire
24. "The Last of Us" (TV series) - Episode 3 storytelling

Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topics on Advertisements & Commercials 

Persuasive techniques in marketing:

1. Nike's "Just Do It" campaign
2. Apple's "Think Different" campaign
3. Dove's "Real Beauty" campaign
4. Always' "Like a Girl" campaign
5. Super Bowl commercials (any year)
6. Coca-Cola's "Share a Coke" campaign
7. Old Spice's "The Man Your Man Could Smell Like"
8. Budweiser's "Whassup" campaign
9. McDonald's "I'm Lovin' It"
10. Geico's "15 Minutes" campaign
11. ALS Ice Bucket Challenge (viral campaign)
12. Truth anti-smoking campaigns
13. ASPCA Sarah McLachlan commercials
14. Red Bull's extreme sports marketing
15. Patagonia's environmental activism campaigns
16. Gillette's "The Best Men Can Be"
17. Airbnb's "Belong Anywhere"
18. Spotify's data-driven billboard campaigns
19. COVID-19 public health campaigns
20. Political campaign advertisements (2024)

Political Rhetoric 

Persuasion in politics and governance:

1. Declaration of Independence (1776)
2. U.S. Constitution Preamble
3. Federalist Papers No. 10
4. Lincoln-Douglas debates (1858)
5. New Deal fireside chats
6. Inaugural addresses (any president)
7. State of the Union addresses
8. Presidential debate performances
9. Campaign slogans and rhetoric
10. Political party platforms
11. Supreme Court opinions (landmark cases)
12. United Nations speeches
13. Congressional floor speeches
14. Press conference rhetoric
15. Political attack ads
16. Brexit campaign rhetoric
17. Arab Spring social media posts
18. Hong Kong protest messaging
19. Black Lives Matter movement rhetoric
20. #MeToo movement messaging
21. Climate activism rhetoric
22. Gun control debate arguments
23. Healthcare reform messaging
24. Immigration policy rhetoric
25. January 6 Committee hearings

Social Media & Digital Rhetoric 

Modern persuasion in digital spaces:

1. Viral TikTok trends and messaging
2. Twitter/X thread storytelling
3. Instagram influencer marketing
4. YouTube video essays
5. Podcast persuasive techniques
6. LinkedIn thought leadership posts
7. Facebook community organizing
8. Reddit AMAs (Ask Me Anything)
9. Crowdfunding campaign pitches
10. Online activism hashtags
11. Memes as political commentary
12. Viral challenge campaigns
13. Cancel culture rhetoric
14. Tech company PR responses
15. Celebrity apology videos
16. Product unboxing videos
17. Educational content creators
18. Gaming streamer engagement tactics
19. Online petition rhetoric
20. Viral GoFundMe campaigns

Historical Documents Rhetorical Analysis Topics 

Foundational texts that shaped nations:

1. Magna Carta (1215)
2. Mayflower Compact (1620)
3. English Bill of Rights (1689)
4. Declaration of the Rights of Man (1789)
5. Emancipation Proclamation (1863)
6. Treaty of Versailles (1919)
7. Balfour Declaration (1917)
8. Atlantic Charter (1941)
9. Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948)
10. Geneva Conventions
11. Brown v. Board of Education decision (1954)
12. Civil Rights Act (1964)
13. Voting Rights Act (1965)
14. Roe v. Wade decision (1973)
15. Camp David Accords (1978)
16. Fall of Berlin Wall speeches (1989)
17. Good Friday Agreement (1998)
18. 9/11 Commission Report
19. Affordable Care Act
20. Paris Climate Agreement (2015)

Current Events Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topics 2025 to 2026 

Analyze recent rhetoric and persuasion:

1. 2024 presidential election debates
2. Gaza-Israel conflict rhetoric
3. Ukraine war messaging and support
4. AI regulation debates
5. Climate summit speeches
6. Supreme Court decisions (2024-2025)
7. Social media platform policy changes
8. Tech layoffs and corporate messaging
9. Hollywood strikes resolution
10. College campus protest rhetoric
11. Book ban debates
12. Trans rights legislative rhetoric
13. Border policy debates
14. Debt ceiling crisis messaging
15. Banking crisis responses
16. TikTok ban discussions
17. Space exploration announcements
18. Pandemic retrospective speeches
19. Economic recession messaging
20. Wildfire and climate disaster responses

Good Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topics for Students

A good topic is the key to a perfect essay. Here is a list of topics for essays that assist you in making the right choice.

Easy Topics for Beginners (20 topics)

Straightforward choices for first-time writers:

1. Any Super Bowl commercial
2. School dress code policies
3. Fast food advertising techniques
4. Social media app terms of service
5. College promotional materials
6. High school graduation speeches
7. Sports team motivational talks
8. Product packaging design
9. Restaurant menu descriptions
10. Movie trailer persuasion tactics
11. Music video storytelling
12. Magazine cover design
13. Website homepage layouts
14. Email marketing campaigns
15. Charity donation appeals
16. Public service announcements
17. Instructional YouTube videos
18. Yelp review rhetoric
19. Dating app profiles
20. Job posting language

AP English Topics (15 topics)

College Board aligned rhetorical analysis:

1. Benjamin Franklin's "The Way to Wealth."
2. Thomas Jefferson's "Notes on Virginia."
3. Margaret Sanger's "The Morality of Birth Control."
4. Rachel Carson's "Silent Spring."
5. James Baldwin's "Notes of a Native Son."
6. Joan Didion's "On Self-Respect."
7. George Orwell's "Politics and the English Language."
8. Virginia Woolf's "A Room of One's Own."
9. Martin Luther King Jr.'s "Letter from Birmingham Jail."
10. Malcolm X's "The Ballot or the Bullet."
11. Barbara Jordan's 1976 DNC Keynote
12. Cesar Chavez's "He Showed Us the Way."
13. Florence Kelley's child labor speech
14. Wendell Berry's "The Pleasures of Eating."
15. Any past AP Language exam passage

Rhetorical Analysis Topics for Different Academic Levels

Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topics for College Students

1. "The Odyssey" And "Beowulf"
   
2. The symbolism of Bullfighting In “The Sun Also Rises” by Ernest Hemingway.
3. Rhetorical Analysis of "Romeo And Juliet"
   
4. Rhetorical Analysis of "Hamlet"
5. Main Themes And Analysis of Plato's "Republic"
6. "The Picture Of Dorian Gray" Summary
   
7. Rhetorical Analysis of “The Fault in Our Stars”

Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topics for High School Students

1. An attitude of consumers towards Fast Fashion
2. Rhetorical Analysis of the Cultural Industry
3. Consumers Habits: Women Vs. Men“
4. 1950’s Fashion” Rhetorical Analysis
5. Rhetorical Analysis of the Commercials and the Media“
6. 1970’s Fashion” Analysis
7. Martin Luther King jr last speech
8. Rhetorical Analysis of E-commerce
9. “Electronic Media and Culture” Rhetorical Analysis
10. Environment and Consumerism Analysis

Sports Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topics

1. Rhetorical Analysis of “Olympics”
2. “NFL And the Concussion Rules”
3. BCS or Playoffs
4. AAU or NBA
5. Kobe or LeBron
6. Players or Owners
7. Rhetorical Analysis of Presidential Sports Encomia
8. Rhetorical Analysis of Symbolic Power of Sports
9. Rhetorical Analysis of the use of steroids
10. Rhetorical Analysis on “Football World Cup”

Fiction Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topics

1. O'Henry’s "Witches Loaves"
2. Rhetorical Analysis of "Huckleberry Finn"
3. Rhetorical Analysis of "Fight Club"
4. Michael Punke’s "The Revenant""The White Heron" Analysis
5. Rhetorical Analysis of “Death of A Salesman"
6. "The Lottery" Main ThemesLiterary Analysis of "Life In The Iron Mills"
7. "Alice In The Wonderland" Primary Themes"
8. The Fountainhead" by Ayn Rand Analysis

Quick Topic Selection Tips

• Pick a category you're interested in.
• Choose something with an accessible full text or video.
• Avoid overdone topics unless your professor specifically assigns them.
• Start analyzing with our rhetorical analysis essay outline

Bottom Line

With 240+ carefully curated topics spanning literature, speeches, films, politics, and real-world current events, you have plenty of strong starting points for a rhetorical analysis essay. The key is to choose a subject that genuinely interests you and has a clear persuasive purpose, something where the author or speaker is actively trying to influence an audience. Before you commit, make sure the full text, speech transcript, or video is easy to access so you can analyze rhetorical strategies in depth. Once you’ve selected your topic, head to our rhetorical analysis essay guide for step by step help breaking down appeals, structure, and techniques, and turning your ideas into a polished, well argued paper.