Assignment

Write a 1000-1200 word Rhetorical Analysis in which you analyze and evaluate the rhetorical strategies employed in a either Chapter 3, 5 or 6 of Are Prisons Obsolete? by Angela Davis.

Imagine that the audience for which you are writing includes people who have not read the text you are analyzing. Provide enough information about its thesis and content to allow those readers to understand what you have to say.

Your argument should be about the strategic use of rhetorical appeals and the persuasive power of the writing. What was the author's purpose in writing this chapter, and what strategies did he or she use to achieve that purpose? Focus on HOW the writing works, not simply WHAT it conveys; discuss how the use of rhetorical appeals determines the effectiveness (or ineffectiveness) of the argument, not if you agree with it.
In addition to being well written and organized, successful responses to this assignment will be evaluated using the following criteria (in no particular order):

• Describe the rhetorical situation (purpose and original target audience) surrounding the text under analysis and accurately present the author's argument.

• Include a clear and precise thesis statement that makes a contestable claim about the article's rhetorical features.

• Demonstrate a sophisticated understanding of how elements of the rhetorical triangle are working in the text.

• Support claims and interpretations through careful analysis of the text and examples, including direct quotations when appropriate.

• Use correct grammar, word choice, sentence structure, spelling, and punctuation

• Use MLA formatting and citation style; include a "Works Cited" page.