Rhetorical analysis argument | English homework help
For this assignment I need help writing a rhetorical analysis of Michelle Alexander’s Introduction. Michelle Alexander begins the Preface to her book, The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness, by writing, “This book is not for everyone. I have a specific audience in mind.” She then clarifies the THREE specific audiences she has in mind for her book. We are not left to guess, then, about her target audience if we consider the Rhetorical Situation of her writing. You need 4-6 pages that analyze the rhetorical situation of her text. Start analysis by by composing an introduction paragraph containing the following elements:in one or two “hook” sentences, introduce the issue that Alexander is writing about
- after introducing the author’s name and book title, write a 3 -5 sentence summary of Alexander’s “Introduction”
- after your intro, indicate that you will be analyzing her rhetorical strategies
- make clear who her three target audience are (from the Preface) and clearly select just ONE of those audience to help focus your rhetorical analysis. Let your reader know in your introduction which of the three audiences you are focusing on for your analysis.
- end by writing a thesis that makes a claim about her use of rhetoric in relation to your selected audience. Analyze her strategic appeals to ethos, including at least two examples (facts, details, or past experiences she reveals about herself) that are meant to present herself in a certain way to her audience. Describe how these examples are meant to portray the author. Add critical commentary on why she attempts these strategies with reference to your selected target audience. Analyze her strategic appeals to pathos, including at least two examples (attempts to appeal to her target audience’s values, emotions, or beliefs). Name or describe the specific emotions, values, or beliefs being appealed to– be clear about that. Comment on what is strategic about these appeals given your selected target audience. Consider what her appeals to pathos suggest about Alexander’s assumptions about the target audience.Analyze two of Alexander’s Stasis Arguments by locating those arguments, clearly naming which stasis argument they represent, and elaborating on why you think those arguments are particularly effective or ineffective with reference to your selected target audience?
