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Chapter 1 public speaking and communication
Rhetorical analysis university essay example
Example of rhetorical analysis essay
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oth persuasive pieces of literature are effective, but Patrick Henry has the better speech. This is true because of his technique on getting the rest of the people from the government, or the audience, to get on his side. He starts off by complimenting the people of the crowd and trying to get them on his side. The reader can understand this from the lines, “No man thinks more highly than I do for the patriotism, as well as abilities, of the very worthy gentlemen who have just addressed the house.” This is a smart way of going forward by creating common ground and not just going straight into the blender. In this, he is also mentioning that he has experience and knowledge. Later in the text, he says he has past knowledge again to prove that he has wisdom and has a perspective of the future. He says, “I have but one lamp by which my feet are guided , and that is the lamp of experience.” He's not only conveying the message that he's wise, but it also shows credibility, or ethos. …show more content…
He conveys the emotion of regret in order to get the congressman to get ready for war and to encourage them to fight back and not keep idling. He shows this in these sentences, “They tell us, sir, that we are weak-- unable to cope with so formidable an adversary. But when shall we be stronger? Will it be the next week, or the next year?” Additionally, in his speech, he uses inspiration and anger in order to get the colonists to rebel. Patrick Henry conveys these emotions in his sentence, “‘Peace, peace’-- but there is no peace.” He gives the realization to the colonists that in order to get the peace, America must become
Patrick Henry’s effective diction emphasizes how much the British had suppressed the colonists and that it was time to fight for their freedom. Henry displays this through his strong use of pathos, logos, and ethos. His rhetorical questions really appeal to the logic and ethics of the colonists and leaves the no choice but to join him and rebel.
American journalist and politician Claire Boothe Luce, and her speech to the journalist at the Women's National Press Club, criticize the American press for surrendering fulfilling work for cheap dramatize stories. Luce, in her speech, discussed the many problems the journalist face in the writing community. This purpose is to introduce problems in the writing community. She uses happy tone to appeal to her uninterested colleagues, as well as, diction, ethos, pathos, and logos. Claire Luce gives a powerful speech while bringing the American press down.
He uses words like “chains” as symbols of America's ties with Great Britain in order to show the slave-like hold that Britain claims over America, which creates a sense of fear in the hearts of the members of the Congress. By saying “For my own part… a question of freedom or slavery” Patrick Henry frames the only outcome of their decision as either freedom, which would be the product by going to war against the British, or slavery and subjugation, which would be the result of reconciliation and obedience. He implores the Congress to not ignore the gravity of the situation at hand of how “war and subjugation” are Great Britain's true intentions.
In Florence Kelley's speech to the people attending the NAWSA convention, she uses emotional appeal to motivate her audience to convince their male counterparts to legalize voting for women, and also to persuade the males to help put an end to child labor.
Scientists are constantly forced to test their work and beliefs. Thus they need the ability to embrace the uncertainty that science is based on. This is a point John M. Barry uses throughout the passage to characterize scientific research, and by using rhetorical devices such as, comparison, specific diction, and contrast he is able show the way he views and characterizes scientific research.
“Always remember that you are absolutely unique. Just like everyone else.” This mantra from Margaret Mead is a somewhat humorous yet slightly satirical spin on how people tend to think of themselves as one-of-a-kind, irreplaceable human specimens. However, one English teacher from Wellesley High School takes this critique one step further with his polemic presentation at the school commencement. David McCullough, a Massachusetts English teacher, gave a seemingly somber sendoff to his graduates in 2012, with a speech that contained some unapologetically harsh sentiments. However, by looking past the outwardly dismal surface of the speech, the students can infer a more optimistic message. By incorporating devices of asyndeton, paradox, antimetabole, and anadiplosis, McCullough conveys to each student that even though none of them is unique, their commonality is not a fault they all have merit and should strive to view the world through a more selfless lens.
Patrick Henry attempts to persuade the House of Burgesses to revolt and declare war against Britain by logically convincing them that it is their natural right to be free and calling on their patriotism and pride as leaders of colonial America. Throughout his speech, Henry justifies his argument for going to war, by logically explaining himself to the leaders of the American colonies. Obviously “men often see the same subject in different light.” Therefore, Patrick Henry uses this in a step-by-step explanation of why he believes that the colonies should join together in revolt. He states, because men have different views, he wishes to express his own, without “be[ing] disrespectful,” to anyone in the House.
A “Modest Proposal” is written by a man who had been exiled from England and forced to live among Irish citizens for many years during which he observed major problems in Ireland that needed a solution. The writer of this piece is Jonathan Swift, and in his proposal, “The Modest Proposal,” Swift purpose is to offer a possible solution to the growing problem of the homeless and poverty stricken women and children on the streets of Ireland. Swift adopts a caring tone in order to make his proposal sound reasonable to his audience, trying to convince them that he truly cares about the problems facing Ireland’s poor and that making the children of the poor readily available to the rich for entertainment and as a source of food would solve both the economic and social problems facing Ireland.
Henry is somewhat naïve, he dreams of glory, but doesn't think much of the duty that follows. Rather than a sense of patriotism, it is clear to the reader that Henry goals seem a little different, he wants praise and adulation. "On the way to Washington, the regiment was fed and caressed for station after station until the youth beloved
We should study spoken language as it is truly unique and we can see the effect and beauty of spoken language in works of great orators and writers. Spoken language is truly an art, which involves many techniques to perfect and master it. One of the techniques is rhetoric. Rhetoric is the art of effective or persuasive speaking or writing. The ancient Greeks first developed public speaking. Under Roman, influence public speaking developed further. This was heavily under the influence of Cicero and Aristotle. The speeches I have chosen to study are the closing speech of Atticus Fitch in the novel to “Kill a Mockingbird” and the “Battle of Falkirk” by William Wallace in the movie “Brave heart.”
Four and a half months after the Union defeated the Confederacy at the Battle of Gettysburg, Abraham Lincoln delivered the Gettysburg Address on November 19, 1863. He gave the Union soldiers a new perspective on the war and a reason to fight in the Civil War. Before the address, the Civil War was based on states’ rights. Lincoln’s speech has the essence of America and the ideals that were instilled in the Declaration of Independence by the Founders. The sixteenth president of the United States was capable of using his speech to turn a war on states’ rights to a war on slavery and upholding the principles that America was founded upon. By turning the Civil War into a war about slavery he effortlessly ensured that no foreign country would recognize the South as an independent nation, ensuring Union success in the war. In his speech, Lincoln used the rhetorical devices of juxtaposition, repetition, and parallelism, to touch the hearts of its listeners.
From time immemorial, the promoters of social justice utilize rhetorical strategies to persuade theirs opponents of theirs claims. The proponents of the movement for civil rights for African Americans have made an intensive use of those strategies to advocate their cause. On April 16, 1963, from the jail of Birmingham, Martin Luther King, Jr. wrote an extensive missive to eight clergymen who had attacked his work for civil rights in a public statement released on April 12, 1963. Martin Luther King, Jr. primarily aimed this letter at those eight leaders of the white Church of the South. However, the eight clergymen's letter and the response from Martin Luther King, Jr. were publicly published. Martin Luther King, Jr. wanted to convince of the utility of his commitment in this particular area at this specific moment. To persuade his readers, Martin Luther King, Jr. predominantly employs Aristotle's three types of persuasion that are appeals to ethos, pathos, and logos. First, he appeals to his own reputation and wisdom. Second, he tries to arouse emotions or sympathy in the readers. Finally, he appeals to logic, supported with evidence and citations from influential thinkers.
Patrick Henry exceedingly uses persuasion in “Speech to the Virginia Convention”. When he states “Give me liberty or give me death” this shows that during his time he was willing to die in order to receive liberty. In the 18th century it was the age of reason which focused more on science and reason rather than religion, however the people still believed in a God. Progress was an important concept at the time. Henry wanted people for the war to fight against Britain. In order to get this out there he wrote the speech. Henry used pathos as the strongest persuasion technique. He uses pathos making the audience of the speech feel more passionate and connected to the cause.
Martin Luther King Jr. overlooked more than two hundred and fifty thousand people of all genders, ages, and races at the nation’s capital on August 28th, 1963. King finally had the opportunity after recurrent protests to inform the country of the cruel and unfair treatment of its citizens. Within his speech he quotes the beginning of the preamble "We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal"(King 277) Throughout this speech, King was able to use Aristotle’s appeals to help persuade the American nation to change its toxic ways and come together to make things better for everyone through passion, rationality, and reliability.
Winston Churchill presents a speech during the Nazi era. He attempts to persuade the audience that the United States and Britain must put effort to resist the Nazi Germany military force. In order to effectively convince the readers, he uses several techniques, including rhetorical questions, repetition, and direct expressions. Throughout his assertion, the author encourages the readers into the context, and allures them with precise information about the Dark Ages due to the Nazis. Thus, Churchill depicts a logic and persuasive argument.