How to write a rhetorical analysis essay

There are three universal methods of persuasion – also called rhetorical strategies. In order to tackle the task, you need to have a good understanding of these strategies and their usage. So, what are the 3 rhetorical strategies? Let’s define each and take a closer look at their key attributes:

1. Ethos

The rhetorical device of ethos is what establishes the author’s credibility in a piece of literature. Simply put, the skillful use of this strategy is what helps readers determine whether or not a particular writer can be trusted on a particular issue. Credibility is defined by the author’s expertise, knowledge, and moral competence for a particular subject. According to Aristotle, there are three categories of ethos: arete (virtue, goodwill), phronesis (useful skills & wisdom), and Eunoia (goodwill towards the audience). For example, when the author of a book is a well-known expert on a particular subject, or when a product is advertised by a famous person – this is the use of ethos for persuasion.

2. Pathos

According to the literary definition of Pathos, this Greek word translates to “experience,” “suffering,” or “emotion” and is one of three methods writers of persuasion could use to appeal to the emotions of their readers. In short, the main goal of this strategy is to elicit certain feelings (e.g. happiness, sympathy, pity, anger, compassion, etc.) in their audience with the sole aim of persuading them something. Its main purpose is to help readers relate to the identity and ideas of the author. Some common ways to use Pathos in rhetoric are through:

• Storytelling;
• Metaphor;
• Personal anecdotes, etc.

Just to give you an example, when you see an ad showing a sad, loveless animal and asking you to donate money to an animal shelter or adopt an animal – that clearly uses emotional appeal in persuasion.

3. LOGOS.

According to the definition of literary logos, this word is translated from Greek as “land,” “supplication,” “reason,” “opinion,” etc. This rhetorical strategy is purely logical; Thus, unlike ethos or pathos which rely on credibility or emotion, the rhetorical device of logos is used to persuade readers through the use of critical thinking, facts, figures and statistics, and other indisputable data. For example, when the author of a literary work makes a statement and backs it up with valid facts – that’s a logo. These three strategies: logo, ethos, and pathos play an important role in writing rhetorical analysis essays. The better you understand them, the more easily you will be able to determine how successful the author of the assigned text was using them. Now, let’s see how to get started.