1. Rhetorical Analysis Got an opinion? Good! How do you prove it? Using the textual evidence to prove a statement or belief about the work. Create a strong thesis first to guide your analysis.

2. Thesis Statement Declares what you believe & what you intend to prove Is SPECIFIC & FOCUSED Avoids first & second person NO “I”“we”“you”

3. Thesis Statement Steps 1-5 1. Topic (text + author) 2. Direction (at least 3 strategies + adjectives for diction and syntax) 3. Claim (verb + direct object) 4. Qualifier (proving that, illustrating, resulting, showing…) 5.Universal idea (abstract noun)

4. Thesis Statement Steps 1-5 1. Author, in “title,” through the use of adj. strategy, adj. strategy, adj. strategy, contrasts/compares/shifts (something from the story) in order to … (purpose/u.i.) 5.

5. Part 1 of Thesis: Topic 1. Topic = the author of the work & the title. That’s it! In “The Chase,” Annie Dillard… Jonathan Edwards, in “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God…”

6. Part 2 of Thesis: Direction 2. Direction = rhetorical strategies that contribute to your analysis (adj) _______ & (adj) ________ & (adj) ____ Blanks = specific strategies or elements of style You MUST have adjective for DICTION AND SYNTAX Adjectives descriptive, focus on effect

7. Part 3 of Thesis: Claim 3. Verb What does the author DO in the story in order to help the audience understand the purpose? What does he contrast, compare, reveal, etc? CONTRASTS…, COMPARES…, Use present tense when talking about literature “slang diction reveals”

8. Part 4 of Thesis: Qualifier 4. Qualifier Transition between what the author does (claim) and why he does it (universal idea) In order to show, in order to illustrate that, in order to reveal…

9. Part 5 of Thesis: Universal idea 5. Universal idea = what the “direction” points to What the author is trying to reveal about life through the work (PURPOSE!) Based on an abstract noun (something you can’t touch) Love…freedom…independence…individuality….heritage…violence…education…