Rhetoric
What is the term for the person or group a speaker or writer is trying to reach or influence?
The audience.
Read this sentence:
“We must protect the rights of every citizen.”
Why might a speaker choose the word must instead of should?
“Must” creates a stronger sense of urgency and obligation. It presents protecting citizens’ rights as necessary, not optional.
Which statement is the stronger claim?
A. Jefferson gave a speech in 1801.
B. Jefferson uses inclusive language to encourage unity after political conflict.
B. It makes an arguable statement about how Jefferson uses language and why.
Read this sentence:
“Although I have little wealth to offer my country, I can offer my labor and my loyalty.”
What can the speaker most reasonably infer about civic responsibility?
The speaker believes people can serve their country even if they are not wealthy or powerful; civic responsibility can involve work and loyalty, not just money.
The Declaration of Independence states that people have rights including “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”
According to this statement, is independence primarily presented as a right, privilege, or responsibility?
A right. The Declaration presents liberty as an unalienable right people possess.
A student writes a speech asking the school board to extend library hours. The student’s goal is to convince board members to approve the change.
What is the student’s purpose?
To persuade the school board to extend library hours.
Read this sentence:
“We have endured the storm. We have rebuilt our homes. We have refused to give up.”
What rhetorical device does the speaker use, and what effect does it create?
The speaker uses repetition or anaphora—repeating “We have.” It emphasizes the group’s perseverance and unity.
A student makes this claim:
Jefferson tries to unite a politically divided audience.
Which piece of evidence best supports the claim?
A. Jefferson was elected president in 1800.
B. Jefferson states, “we are all republicans: we are all federalists.”
C. Jefferson gave his speech in Washington, D.C.
D. Jefferson became the third president of the United States.
B. The quotation directly supports the idea that Jefferson calls for unity across political divisions.
Read this statement:
“A government earns the trust of its people not through grand promises, but through steady justice.”
What does the speaker imply about “grand promises”?
The speaker implies that grand promises alone are not enough to earn trust and may be empty or unreliable without fair, consistent action.
A community gives every eligible citizen the right to vote. A citizen chooses not to learn about candidates or issues before voting.
What responsibility comes with the right to vote?
Citizens have a responsibility to make informed, thoughtful choices and participate responsibly in civic life.
A city mayor publishes an announcement immediately after a major flood, asking residents to avoid flooded roads and follow emergency instructions.
What is the exigence for the announcement?
The major flood and the immediate need to keep residents safe and informed.
Read this sentence:
“Shall we remain silent while our neighbors suffer?”
What rhetorical device does the speaker use, and why is it effective?
The speaker uses a rhetorical question. It pressures the audience to reflect and suggests that remaining silent is unacceptable, encouraging them to act.
Read the claim and evidence:
Claim: The speaker presents civic responsibility as necessary.
Evidence: The speaker says citizens must “discharge with zeal the duties incumbent upon them.”
What is missing from this response?
Reasoning/commentary that explains how the word choice—especially “must,” “zeal,” and “duties”—shows that civic responsibility is necessary.
Read this excerpt:
“Let no citizen believe that liberty excuses indifference. Freedom asks not only that we speak our minds, but that we listen when others speak theirs.”
What does the speaker imply about the relationship between liberty and responsibility?
The speaker implies that liberty requires responsibility: free people should participate thoughtfully, respect others’ voices, and avoid apathy.
Thomas Paine argues that the colonies should govern themselves rather than remain under British rule.
What belief about independence supports Paine’s argument?
People or nations have the right to self-government and should not be controlled by a distant or unfair authority.
Read this statement:
“As a nurse who has cared for families during flu outbreaks for more than twenty years, I urge our community to get vaccinated.”
Which rhetorical appeal is strongest, and why?
Ethos, because the speaker establishes credibility by referring to professional experience as a nurse who has worked during flu outbreaks.
Read this excerpt:
“Some argue that change will be too expensive. Yet the cost of doing nothing is measured in closed businesses, lost jobs, and families forced to leave the community.”
How does the speaker’s acknowledgment of an opposing view strengthen the argument?
The speaker uses a concession/counterargument by acknowledging that change may cost money, then rebutting it by arguing that inaction has greater consequences. This makes the argument seem more fair-minded and strengthens the case for change.
A student writes:
Jefferson appeals to unity. He says, “we are all republicans: we are all federalists.” This shows that Jefferson wants people to work together.
How could the student improve the reasoning in the final sentence?
By placing both opposing political identities within the repeated phrase “we are all,” Jefferson minimizes division and invites listeners from both groups to see themselves as members of one nation.
Read this excerpt:
“The farmer who rises before dawn and the teacher who stays after school may never appear in history books. Yet the nation rests upon their quiet devotion.”
What does the speaker most likely want the audience to believe about ordinary citizens?
The speaker wants the audience to believe that ordinary citizens make essential contributions to the nation, even if they are not famous or publicly recognized.
Jefferson argues that the majority’s will should prevail, but only when it is “reasonable,” and he insists that the minority’s equal rights must be protected.
How does this idea complicate a simple definition of independence?
It shows that independence is not just doing whatever the majority—or any individual—wants. A free society requires responsibilities: the majority must act reasonably, and everyone must respect and protect the rights of minority groups.
Read this statement:
“Our town has lost three local businesses this year. If we do nothing, more families will lose jobs and our downtown will become empty storefronts. We must support local businesses now.”
Identify the speaker’s likely purpose and explain how the statement uses an appeal to advance it.
The purpose is to persuade community members to support local businesses. The speaker uses pathos by emphasizing families losing jobs and empty storefronts, creating concern and urgency; students could also identify logos if they explain that the loss of three businesses serves as evidence of a problem.
Read this excerpt:
“We do not ask for special treatment. We ask for the same opportunity promised to every citizen. Not tomorrow. Not when it is convenient. Now.”
Identify two rhetorical devices and explain how they work together to advance the speaker’s purpose.
Possible rhetorical choices include:
The repeated phrase “We ask” emphasizes the speaker’s reasonable demand for equal opportunity.
The contrast between “not tomorrow,” “not when it is convenient,” and “now” creates urgency.
The short final sentence, “Now,” adds emphasis and makes the call to action forceful.
The speaker’s purpose is to persuade the audience to provide equal opportunity immediately.
Write a one- to two-sentence CER response to this prompt:
How does a speaker use language to encourage an audience to accept a shared responsibility?
Use this evidence:
“Let us, then, with courage and confidence pursue our own federal and republican principles.”
The speaker uses inclusive language to encourage the audience to accept a shared civic responsibility. By saying “let us” and “our,” the speaker presents the political principles as a collective commitment, inviting listeners to act together with “courage and confidence.”
Read this excerpt:
“We inherited a republic built through disagreement as much as agreement. To honor that inheritance, we must argue fiercely for our convictions—but never forget that our opponents remain fellow citizens.”
What is the speaker’s central implied message? Explain how one contrast in the excerpt develops that message.
The speaker’s implied message is that citizens should participate actively in political disagreement while still respecting the shared citizenship and humanity of people who hold opposing views.
Read this scenario:
A student argues that personal independence means being able to say anything online without consequences. Another student argues that independence includes the responsibility to communicate honestly and avoid harming others.
Write a one- to two-sentence answer to the essential question: Is independence a right, a privilege, or a responsibility? Use one idea from the scenario and one connection to a unit text.
Independence is a right, but it also carries responsibility. Just as the second student argues that free expression should not be used to harm others, Jefferson suggests that liberty depends on citizens treating one another with respect and protecting equal rights.