Essay

In asense it is part of the writing process for the essay. In this discussion board, I am going to introduce the basis concepts of rhetorical analysis. Rhetorical analysis should be familiar to you from English 1301, so think of it asreview. Armed with this information on rhetorical analysis and the They Say, I Say approach you should have a solid basis for writing Essay Two.

In defining the relationship between the writer, the argument, and the audience, the Greek writer and philosopher Aristotle expressed his views in his Rhetoric. Most students learned his terms in high school, and they are useful in analyzing arguments.

Logos--the logical appeal of the essay. This refers to the core argument in the essay. An argument is at heart a claim supported by reasons backed up by evidence. The logos approach looks at the claim to ensure that is clear, reasonable, and well-supported. The reasons, in turn, must be logically related to the claim--and clear for all to see. The evidence in a literary interpretation--the type of argument written by Chongleul, must be taken from the text of the short story itself. Therefore a good interpretation has solid textual evidence in the form of quotations and other direct references to the story.

Ethos--the best synonym for this term is credibility. Is the author herself credible? Does her tone and presentation of the argument (the logos) convey authority--a basis for a conclusion that she is fair and objective? Or does she seem unreliable, untrustworthy, or unduly biased toward her topic?

Pathos--the author's methods for eliciting an emotional or affective response from the reader. Reasons in an argument should be selected to appeal to the writer's audience. Audiences respond to reasons based on their experience, beliefs, and knowledge. When you as a student read an argument, you may or may not be among the writer's intended audience. The interpretive essay itself may provide you clues to form an inference about the identity of the audience. These considerations are vital to understanding an argument essay of any type.

Your initial post: To write your initial post in this discussion board, focus on each of the three areas presented here and apply each to the Chongleul essay. In other words, analyze her basic argument, her credibility, and her apparent conception of her audience. In your initial post you can also request responses from other students on areas that you feel you don't understand.

Your responses to other students: Then write responses to other students' primary posts. Write questions or comments--or focus on areas of agreement or disagreement. Your goal is to engage in a discussion that benefits everyone, preparing the class for the essay you are writing.