Famous speeches
Who wrote “Letter from Birmingham Jail”?
Martin Luther King Jr.
What is satire’s primary purpose?
To criticize or expose flaws in individuals, society, or institutions—often to provoke change.
What does it mean to “analyze the rhetorical situation” in a speech?
Examine the speaker, audience, context, purpose, and message
Which two writers are most associated with American Transcendentalism?
Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau
What distinguishes a memoir from an autobiography?
A memoir focuses on specific events or themes in the writer’s life, not their entire life story.
“We the People” is the opening of which foundational U.S. document?
The Constitution
What satirical device exaggerates characteristics or situations to a ridiculous degree?
Hyperbole
Give an example of repetition used in a political speech.
Answers will vary.
According to Transcendentalists, where is truth found?
Within the individual / through intuition and nature
What should you determine FIRST when reading a memoir for rhetorical analysis?
The theme/lesson/message of the story.
Who proclaimed "Give me liberty, or give me death”?
Patrick Henry
What is being criticized in the following passage: “In a revolutionary education model, students will be assigned to a single group project that lasts for their entire academic career. Grading will be based on one person’s work and five others’ signatures.”
Group work in schools, unequal effort
What is an example of ethos in any political speech?
Answers will vary.
Transcendentalists believe that society and institutions do what to the individual?
Corrupt their purity and independence
The author often switches between _____ and _____ in a memoir.
commentary and reflection.
What was the main purpose of Jonathan Swift’s “A Modest Proposal”?
To satirize British indifference to Irish poverty
What is bring criticized in the following passage: “In a heroic move, local officials have proposed installing padded lampposts downtown to prevent injury among citizens who, courageously, refuse to look up from their phones—even while crossing busy intersections.”
Modern smartphone addiction
What tone is appropriate for a speech after a national tragedy?
Solemn, unifying, hopeful, gratitude to those who were lost.
In "Walden," why does Thoreau go to live in the woods?
To live deliberately and discover the essentials of life
What is the most common purpose of a memoir?
To reflect on personal experience and share insight with readers
In his “The Gettysburg Address,” what phrase does Abraham Lincoln use to describe democracy?
“Government of the people, by the people, for the people”
What is being criticized in this passage: “To ensure optimal nutrition, schools will now serve kale smoothies and quinoa meatloaf. Students are expected to respond with enthusiasm, gratitude, and a total abandonment of taste buds.”
School nutrition policies / forced health trends
Give an example of pathos in a political speech.
What essay by Emerson begins with “To be great is to be misunderstood”?
Self-Reliance
Why might a memoirist shift tone from humorous to serious?
To reflect the emotional complexity of real-life experiences