Structural v. TEP Rhetorical Analysis

Structural Rhetorical Analysis Strategy

Introduction: Sum up the essay in one or two sentences. Consider both the general idea of the essay and the purpose. Be sure to include the author’s name and the title of the essay.

Body: Write a paragraph about the beginning. How does the author invite us in? How does the author set us up for what’s to come? What strategies does the author use?

Body: Write a paragraph (or several shortish paragraphs) about the middle. How does the author build the argument? What strategy does she employ first? How does she transition from idea to idea, strategy to strategy? How do the parts in the middle expand and develop the purpose?

Conclusion: Write a paragraph about the closing. How does the closing emphasize, illuminate, or elaborate upon the purpose? Does the closing connect back to the beginning? Why? Keep your eyes open for the “wrinkle.”

ALL Paragraphs (except the intro) should offer examples of at least two (and perhaps more) rhetorical strategies –  correctly identified, directly quoted and properly punctuated – and explore their effect on the reader. You may write about more than one device per paragraph.

TEP Rhetorical Analysis Strategy

Introduction: Sum up the essay in one or two sentences. Consider both the general idea and the purpose. Be sure to include the author’s name and the title of the essay. The last sentence of the introduction should be a catalog thesis that lists the three rhetorical strategies you will write about in the order that you will write about them. For example: [Author] uses pathos, listing, and antithesis to [achieve his purpose].

Body: Each body paragraph should be a TEP paragraph. The topic sentence should name the device and explain how it fits into the essay / helps the author achieve his or her purpose. Each body paragraph should include two examples of the same device, thoroughly set-up, properly quoted (with parenthetical citation), and effectively analyzed.  You should have one body paragraph for each device.

Conclusion: One or two sentences to remind the reader what you wrote.

Nit-picky details:

Always qualify the word diction. Tell the reader what kind of diction the author employed (casual, formal, or sarcastic, among others). “The author uses colloquial diction to …”

Your rhetorical devices, in general, are always singular. “The author uses asyndeton to [achieve her purpose]…” OR “The author uses  several examples of asyndeton …” DO NOT write “The author uses asyndetons …”

Don’t waffle. Don’t call it “sort of an appeal to pathos” or “a little bit of an anaphora”