Lord of the Flies LESSON 4: RHETORICAL ANALYSIS FRIDAY, JULY 24

Lord of the Flies LESSON 4: RHETORICAL ANALYSIS FRIDAY, JULY 24

Summary: Chapter 8 Discussion between Ralph, Jack, and Piggy about the nature of the beast. Ralph claims hunters will not be able to fight the beast. Kids with sacks Jack walks away and blows the conch Tries to gain leadership role democraacally. It doesn t work, so he runs away crying Not going to play any longer not with you Piggy and Ralph do not understand the gravity of the situaaon. Set fire at beach Their group is now mostly lijleuns

Summary: Chapter 8 Jack and his group hunt and kill another pig. Very disturbing descripaon Jack decides to steal fire from Ralph and Piggy. Boys leave pig s head as gim for the beast. Simon, hidden in the bush, sees the gross head, surrounded by flies. Pig s head speaks to Simon The head tells the boy that it is the beast and that it is a part of him as well. Warns Simon that he is not wanted, that they will have fun on the island, and warns him that if he tries anything, the others, including Ralph and Piggy, will destroy him. With this, Simon falls unconscious Jack s group comes to Ralph s group and takes fire. Invites them to a feast. Boys decide to go.

Summary: Chapter 9 Simon wakes up and decides to climb the mountain by himself. Discovers that the Beast is a corpse. Untangles it. Ralph and Piggy at a loss about what to do. Ralph and Piggy fight. Decide to go to Jack s party with everyone else. Jack painted and wearing garlands. Orders everyone to dance Do the pig dance Simon stumbles onto the group. Tries to explain about the parachuast. AJacked by the boys and killed. Dead parachuast blown out to sea.

Summary: Chapter 10 Ralph and Piggy alone with the lijluns Upset about Simon Joined by Sam and Eric Can t speak directly about what happened Pretend they didn t paracipate Jack has set up camp in a cave near castle rock. Don t even acknowledge Simon Boys awakened by ajack Piggy has asthma ajack Jack s team has robbed them of Piggy s glasses Jack s boys celebrate as they return back to camp.

Discussion QuesMons 1. Explain the irony in Jack s saying, I m not going to play any longer. Not with you. 2. Simon climbs the mountain to face the beast alone, asking What else is there to do? Why does Simon stand and act apart from the other boys? Why does he not take sides? How are Simon s percepaons different from Ralph s and Jack s? 3. Analyze the contrasang imagery of bujerflies and blood in the death scene of the mother pig. What emoaons might this imagery evoke in the reader? 4. What is Simon s ancient, inescapable recogniaon upon speaking to the lord of the flies? 5. When referring to Jack, the twins say, He you know goes. Why can t they call Jack by name? 6. Why do the boys ajack Simon? What does his death indicate about how the boys have changed? 7. Why don t Jack and his hunters take the conch when they ajack Ralph, Piggy, and Samneric?

Rhetoric Used in adverasing, poliacs, wriang, and any other situaaon where you are ajempang to persuade an audience. Rhetoric is the art of argumentaaon the use of language (or other means) to persuade an audience. Knowledge of how to use rhetoric in your work will make your essays more effecave.

Rhetorical SituaMon Text Reader Author Context Author/Communicator Audience/Reader Text/Message

Rhetorical SituaMon n Text/Message = the work being read n Reader/Audience = for whom the message is intended n Author/Communicator = writer of the piece n Context = various factors of the argument (Ame, place, moavaaon, etc) that could influence either the reader or the author

Text/Message Nearly anything can be a text clothing, agtudes, expressions, etc. all convey a message to a reader. The form the message takes can make a difference: Print ads versus television commercials Infomercials versus regular commercials Sound versus no sound Etc.

Reader/Audience A reader is only the intended recipient of the message; a reader is actually interpreang the message, regardless of what form it takes. Clearly idenafying an audience makes a difference in what persuasive tacacs and informaaon are used in an argument.

Author/Communicator Credibility is a concern does the author have the credenaals to back up what is being said? Can also be affected by the support used for the argument (resources). Should ajempt to show a lack of bias in how the argument is presented (though a clear stance sall must be taken).

Context n Context is composed of the situaaonal elements which affect an argument n Includes things like: Constraints (limiang factors for the argument) Exigence (moavaaonal factors for the argument) Kairos (Ame and place for the argument) n All of these elements can overlap!

Constraints Constraints are limiang factors that affect an audience s responses, as well as the author s manner of presentaaon. Audience demographics can play a role sex educaaon, for instance, is taught differently depending on the age of the students, as well as the sex of those students. Other constraints can include: The means by which the message is conveyed (TV vs. print) Various rules (social, legal, etc) that the audience and/or author must follow Time and/or length restricaons

Exigence Exigence refers to the moavaaon behind the argument (both internal and external) Purpose Why does the audience need to hear the message? What is the problem or issue that is being addressed and what makes it important right now? The situaaon surrounding the argument can affect the moavaaon for the argument as well as impose new constraints (where the argument takes place, etc).

Kairos Kairos is generally used to refer to the Ame and place for the argument The situaaonal factors involved may also be part of the argument s constraints or exigence For example, wriang an aracle for a magazine involves ajenaon to the Ame and place (kairos), has restricaons on length and topic (constraints), and could be moavated by things like money, the need to get the word out, etc (exigence)

ConstrucMng the Argument n All of these elements go into making an argument. Authors choose specific rhetorical strategies for maximum effecaveness, based on the factors already discussed n The strategies chosen are based off of the three appeals (logos, pathos, ethos)

Rhetorical Analysis Analysis requires dissecang the piece and categorizing/labeling its various parts. Analysis requires full understanding of the argument s general rhetorical structure. The rhetorical analysis separates the parts of the argument to see how the whole works.

Writing a Rhetorical Analysis n Is not a discussion of the content, nor does it take a side on the issue. n Requires the reader to explain how the appeals are used and what effect they have. A clear knowledge of the intended audience is important. Identifying specific strategies used for each appeal is critical. Writing that separates the content (what the passage is about) from the methods (rhetorical strategies) used to successfully convey that content. Prompt offers an effect; answer should identify and discuss rhetorical techniques used to create the effect.

Structure of Rhetorical Analysis: IntroducMon The author s name plus an adjecave (sophisacated, carefully cramed, flashy, invenave) plus the rhetoric strategies (rhetorical strategies used as topics of body paragraphs) plus a strong verb (demonstrates, creates, emphasizes, generates, fulfills) plus the funcaon (what the rhetoric does for the piece) Example: Douglass s sophisacated use of dicaon, imagery and figuraave language creates his unfavorable agtude towards slavery.

Structure of Rhetorical Analysis: Body Paragraph 1- Content How does the writer develop the content, and why has she/he chosen these methods of development? How has the writer arranged the content, and why has he/she chosen this pajern of arrangement over others? Which of the persuasive appeals (logos, ethos, or pathos) predominates, and how do these appeals strengthen or weaken the argument? Are there any fallacies or other weaknesses in the argument? How do they affect the reader s response to the work? What kinds of assumpaons are at work here? Are they fair assumpaons? What are the paracular strengths of the argument? How does the writer establish common ground? Does the writer make effecave use of concession, refutaaon, and/or counter- argument?

Structure of Rhetorical Analysis: Body Paragraph 2 - Style Which of the following features of style do you consider most important to the discourse and why? language (including level of dicaon and tone of voice) figuraave language, symbolism, allusion (biblical, historical etc.), irony humour number and length of paragraphs length and style of sentences rhythm and repeaaon How do these paracular features of style enable the writer to achieve her/his purpose?

Structure of Rhetorical Analysis: Conclusion Use your conclusion to comment on the effect and effecaveness of the essay as a whole. How well does the writer achieve the purpose, appeal to the audience, and demonstrate the effect of style on content?

Rhetorical Analysis AcMvity Re- read Jack s speech on pages 138-140 Treat the speech as though Jack himself wrote it, not William Golding. Do a mula- paragraph rhetorical analysis of the speech. Hand it in before you go for your break.