Essay 2 Prompt:

 Essay 2 Prompt: Select one written and/or visual argument that is of interest to you and write an essay that analyzes the rhetorical situation, emphasizing the relationship (intended and unintended) between author/speaker and audience(s). You will want to pick a piece that has a clear, controversial argument, and that uses clear rhetorical appeals for you to thoroughly analyze (for at least 4 pages). Mediums you may choose to analyze include: music videos/songs, advertisements, political/satirical cartoons, art/photography, news articles/editorials, speeches, documentaries, etc. You should answer: is the argument an effective one? What devices were particularly effective or not effective and why or why not? Consider also: which audiences did the argument have an effect on? Your challenge is not only to identify the argument, but to also craft your own argument about your interpretation of its effect(s) and persuasiveness. Begin by introducing who the author/speaker is: what do you know about their background, credibility, knowledge, and relationship to the setting/context? Set up your essay clearly by stating the title, location (if applicable), date, author, publisher (if applicable), and MAIN ARGUMENT (and short summary) of the text before you begin analyzing specific rhetorical devices and moves:CONTEXT: What is the background surrounding the creation of this piece or the situation of its urgency? What does the audience already know and/or assume that aids in their understanding of the argument and makes it more (or less) effective with certain audiences? RHETORICAL DEVICES: In what ways does the speaker/writer/artist appeal to ethos, pathos, and logos? When examining ethos, ask: By what authority does the author speak on the subject? What ethos do they already have (in the world, with their audience) to present their argument and have a platform? Does their ethos make their argument more or less effective, with which audiences? For pathos, analyze the speaker’s use of language. What are their tones? What connotations and diction are present, what do these choices indicate, and what effect do they have on which audiences? For art, you should analyze the use of color or image. How do these carefully chosen images make the audience feel? Do these emotional appeals make the argument more or less effective and with which audiences? Does the author/artist use any propaganda techniques or emotionally-driven fallacies? Do you find these to be mostly effective or not? For logos, besides evaluating evidence (below), you should also ask: Do they commit any logical fallacies? Does the intended audience see through these? EVIDENCE: It can be said that all writing and speaking is rhetoric/argument. Having previously identified the main claim, discuss how it is supported. What types of evidence are presented (data, anecdotes or stories, quotes, real-life scenarios, personal examples, statistics, expert testimony, historical references, etc.)? Is this evidence sufficient to support the claim? What about the evidence is persuasive or fails to be persuasive?AUDIENCE: Who are the intended audiences and how do you know/what are the clues? Who are the sympathetic (already sympathize with the author/their argument), neutral (have no position on author/argument), and hostile (are already against the author/argument) audiences? In what specific ways does the writer/speaker develop a relationship with the audience? What assumptions does the author seem to make about their audience? Does the argument seem to be directed toward an immediate or broader audience?PROJECT: What is the writer’s call to action? Is there some sense of urgency involved? How do they identify the significance of the issue(s) they address? What effect do they want to have in the world or on their audience?EFFECT: Conclude with your evaluation of the rhetorical effectiveness of the speaker and their relationship to the audience. Does the author accomplish their purpose? Was the author persuasive to you personally (it’s okay to use “I” here)? What effect did their argument have in the world? Was their argument fair and ethical?Structure your essay with good transitions, topic sentences, and quoted support from the text or explanation of the visual that guides your reader smoothly between your ideas. You’ll need a Works Cited page (a 5th or 6th page after your rhetorical analysis) that includes the argument, transcripts and/or any secondary material you quote to enhance your analysis.To fulfill your goal of analysis of the rhetorical situation and dynamic experience between speaker and audience, you should have an emphasis upon the audience throughout your essay, including their thought process, emotional reaction, actual response and overall engagement. However, avoid using a generic second person “you” – it’s vague and assumes a familiarity with the audience. Keep your analysis focused on “audience, reader, viewer, American” etc. Write in the present tense (they “argue,” not “argued”). Be open to what the text offers you to analyze. Keep your sentences and essay focused on what effect certain rhetorical moves have on specific audiences, not merely what is “said.” Essays with excessive summary will not earn a passing grade. Your conclusion must offer an evaluation of whether the piece overall is rhetorically effective and why. Please note, this essay is not asking your opinion on the topics of the piece, only to analyze the rhetorical situation; however, as an audience member, you have also had an experience of the piece which can be included in your analysis in your conclusion. The quality of your insight, interpretation, analysis, and articulation of ideas is important and is the basis of my grading. Requirements:Length: 4-5 full pages Style: MLA format, double-spaced, 12-pt font, correct in-text citation, standard margins, Works Cited Due Dates:First draft is due Thursday, March 28. Second draft is due Thursday, April 4. Third draft is due Thursday, April 11. ................
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