Assignment: In some of our course readings thus far, we have studied the components of the rhetorical situation and ways in which rhetors use the rhetorical situation in their writing. We have practiced identifying the specific components of a rhetorical situation in a textual artifact, and we analyzed how the rhetors we read use the rhetorical situation to further their claim. For this assignment, you will apply your rhetorical analysis skills to an essay not covered in class. You should choose a theme from the The Norton Sampler (see pp xix-xxviii) that you are interested in exploring. From that theme, choose a reading in The Norton Sampler and write a 3-4 page, MLA-formatted essay in which you present a rhetorical analysis of your chosen piece.

Method: To write this essay, you must be confident recognizing the components of the rhetorical situation and determining how they work together in your selected essay. Your essay must show how the components build on each other and with each other throughout the essay, and you must correctly identify, define, and illustrate these components in your writing.

Questions to Address: When writing a rhetorical analysis, you must identify, define, and illustrate the rhetorical situation, and you must analyze the author’s effectiveness in using the rhetorical situation to further the purpose of their writing. To do this, you should use the guiding questions below. You do need to answer all the questions in the body of your essay; however, you should address them in an order that best fits your organizational needs and leads your reader logically to your evaluation.

Who is the rhetor? What ethos does the rhetor have on the topic?
Who is the audience? What is the rhetor seeking from the audience? Does the author use pathos to evoke a response from the audience?
What is the rhetor’s subject? How is this situated within the context of the work? What is the writer’s exigence?
What genre did the rhetor select? How is the genre effective to the audience? Would a different genre be more effective (you must consider the historical time in which the author was writing for this question as well as the kairos of the writing)?
How does the rhetor use logos in the work? How does the logos support the rhetor’s message and exigence, or does it not?
Does the rhetor make the most of the rhetorical situation in the work? Explain your evaluation.

Assessment: Your essay has the possibility of 50 points toward your Essay grade. These points are earned based on the following criteria:
The essay is guided by an articulate thesis that frames the work (5 points)
The essay presents a clear analysis of the rhetorical situation in the essay that defines and identifies all components of the rhetorical situation in the chosen text (15 points)
The essay uses specific evidence from the chosen text to illustrate the components of the rhetorical situation (10 points)
The essay organization guides the audience through the rhetorical situation and justifies the evaluation in a logical structure. (15 points)
Correct MLA formatting, including the Works Cited page, in an essay of no less than 3 full pages with minimal (3 or fewer) grammar and mechanics errors (5 points)

-The thesis of your essay has to answer this question “Does the rhetor make the most of the rhetorical situation in the work?”
-The introduction of your essay has to restate the title of the essay being analyzed and introduce the author as well.