AP Lang Rhetoric

Speaker (Rhetorical Triangle)

Person or Group who creates a text (Description of their background and Importance)

Persona

The face/character that a speaker shows to his or her audience. (Lou Gerin

Aristote’s Definition of Rhetoric

The faculty of observing in any given case the available means of persuasion

Occasion

Time and place the text was written or spoken (Within a context)

Context

The circumstances, atmosphere, attitudes, events surrounding the text

Purpose

The goal the speaker want to achieve

Lou Gehrig's speech

Gehrig was a highly successful baseball player who was diagnosed with ALS. In his speech he tries to downplay his situation and find the positive. He maintained his focus on friends, fans, family and teammates, though he was suffering a cruel death.

Audience (Rhetorical Triangle)

Listener, viewer, or reader of a text or performance - ask what values the audience holds, and their attitude towards the speaker

Subject (Rhetorical Triangle)

Topic - not the same as a purpose

SOAPSTone

Subject - Occasion - Audience - Purpose - Speaker - Tone

Rhetorical Appeals

Attempts by a speaker to persuade an audience - attempts to say things that an audience would find appealing

Ethos

Used by the speaker to demonstrate they are a credible and trustworthy person, who should be listened to when discussing a topic.

1. Qualifacations, expertise/experience

2. Sounding logical and reasonable

3. Demonstrating shared values with the audience

Logos

Used by speaker to offer clear, rational ideas.

-Clear main idea, using specific details, examples, facts, stats, or expert testimony to support argument

Counterargument

Appeal to Logos - Acknowledging a counterargument

-Anticipating objections or opposing views

-Concede opposing argument may be reasonable

-Refute validity of argument

-Strengthen own argument

Alice Waters “Slow Food Nation”

Perception of fast food becoming cheaper to eat than organic foods

-Logos

-Refutes counterargument that easy, fast foods are not elitist

-Asks readers to think more about availability, production, distribution

Pathos

Appeal to emotion, value, desire, hope, or fears, prejudices

-Propagandist, critical

-Evoking audience’s emotions by using figurative language, personal anecdotes, vivid images