Rhetorical Analysis
Objectives:
Rhetorical Analysis. Produce a focused analysis, four to five pages in length, of Michelle Alexander’s essay, “The New Jim Crow” in which you examine the author’s use of rhetorical appeals. Your essay should answer the following questions: Is Michelle Alexander’s argument convincing/effective? Why is it effective or ineffective?
Instructions:
Identify the basic information about the text. What is it? Where did it come from? Who made it? Revisit the preliminary work we do in class to understand the rhetorical appeals, analysis, and “The New Jim Crow.” Use the reading and writing strategies that They Say, I Say explains. Brainstorm by breaking the source down into its significant parts and describing those parts in detail, talking about the patterns and connections between them, and, most importantly, making explicit the possible implicit meanings of what you see.
As you read and reread the essay, examine the text line-by-line, teasing out the meanings and implications. This will allow you to observe patterns or connections between elements. When you begin your analysis, remember to be specific. You will need to use direct quotes and refer to specific passages.
Formatting and Length Requirements
4-5 pages in length (this means that you need to have written at least 4 full pages—just making it to the top of page 4 will be considered short) Typed, double-spaced with 1-inch margins in Times New Roman, 12pt font. Use MLA style citation and format and include a Works Cited page. Your Works Cited page will likely only include your primary source that you are analyzing.
Attachments
