Persuasive Style in To Kill a Mockingbird

The student will apply reading strategies when comparing, making connections, and drawing conclusions about non-print text (CLG 1.1.4).

The student will explain the effectiveness of stylistic elements in a text that communicate an author's purpose (CLG 1.2.3)

Product: The student will compose persuasive texts that support, modify, or refute a position and include effective rhetorical strategies (CLG 2.1.4).

Rhetorical Appeals

According to Aristotle, succeeding in persuasion relies on our ability to appeal to our audience. This means that before you write a persuasive essay, you must identify your audience.

Three Fundamental Appeals:• Ethos: credibility of the author

o Extrinsic: credentialso Intrinsic: impression of the author’s character (obtained

through the author’s voice and tone)• Pathos: appeal to audience’s sense of identity,

self-interest, and emotions• Logos: the argument itself

Ethos and Establishing Credibility

In order to establish good ethos, ask yourself:Have I:• considered the concerns of my audience

or possible effects on them?• avoided exaggerating my claims

inappropriately?• acknowledged other points of view with

respect?• established that I am credible on the

issue? Am I intelligent?• presented arguments in a manner that

shows I respect my audience?

Pathos and the Strength of Emotions

Appeals to:Sense of IdentitySelf-interest Emotions

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

I have a dream today!

I have a dream that one day, down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of "interposition" and "nullification" -- one day right there in Alabama little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.

Logos: The Argument Itself

Explicit reasons and lines of reasoning the arguer provides to support a position

Premises: Background assumptions the author seems to implyo Magazines about Parenting might consider the following as

objects of agreement: Facts: Most parents are frustrated with current day health-care

systems Values: Children’s well-being is more important than corporate profits.

Argument: close fit between claims and evidence.

Persuasive Techniques: Syntactical ElementsRhetorical Question: a question for

thought, not information, that the author wants the audience to think about and not directly answer:

Ex. Do you want assigned seats?

The speaker is not necessarily wanting anyone to analyze all of the reasons why they do not want assigned seats. They are merely looking for submission out of the audience. The speaker knows the answer already.

Do I know what rhetorical means…

Do you even know

what rhetorical

means, Homer?

Persuasive Techniques: Syntactical Elements

Techniques for Pathetic Effect:

1. Tricolon: three words in a list (the same part of speech) that escalate in effect.

Ex. Friends, Romans, Countrymen!

I came, I saw, I conquered.

2. Parallel Syntax or Parallel Structure: repetition of the same parts of speech in order to appeal to pathos for dramatic effect.

Ex. “Never shall I forget…” from Night

“I have a dream today”

3. Inverted Syntax: the rearrangement of words in a sentence for effect (Like Yoda).

Ex. Then fall Caesar.

You I love

4. Repetition: Words

that are repeated for

Dramatic effect.

Ex. From Richard III"My conscience hath a thousand several tongues,And every tongue brings in a several tale,And every tale condemns me for a villain."

Persuasive Techniques: Syntactical Elements

Size matters not, ... Look at me. Judge me

by size, do you?

Named must your fear be

before banish it you can.

Varying Sentence Types: Four Types of Sentences:

1. Interrogative: Asks a question. It ends in a (?)

2. Declarative: makes a statement. It ends in (.)

3. Imperative: Gives a direction/ Command (It ends in (.)

4. Exclamatory: Shows strong emotion or exclaims. It ends in (!)

Just remember: IDIE

Persuasive Techniques: Syntactical Elements