Rhetorical Analysis Essay

Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topics

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Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topics – 120+ Unique Ideas

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Published on: Mar 31, 2018

Last updated on: Jan 16, 2024

Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topics

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Looking for the right rhetorical analysis essay topic can be a tough challenge for some people!

It’s a well-established fact that for such essays, you need to have an excellent grip on the topic you choose.

For that purpose, we have created a comprehensive list of rhetorical analysis essay topics, so you can pick the topic that matches your interest perfectly. 

Before coming to the topic ideas, let’s briefly discuss what is a rhetorical analysis essay.

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Introduction to Rhetorical Analysis Essay Writing

In a rhetorical analysis essay , a writer deeply analyzes a work of literature, art, or film, takes a stance, and thoroughly evaluates the purpose of the original content.

The goal is to ensure effective delivery to the audience.

Having said that, a rhetorical analysis essay finds out how effective the message of the original content was. And how the author or speaker uses rhetorical advice and strategies to convey their message.   

Now, let’s move on to the handpicked list of topics! 

Good Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topics

Being aware of a student’s academic struggles, we have gathered some interesting topics for your rhetorical analysis essay needs. So if you are looking for rhetorical essay ideas, you’ve landed at the perfect place! 

Choose the best rhetorical topics from the list below and draft a compelling essay.

Easy Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topics

  • “Pride and Prejudice” by Jane Austen.
  • “The Revenant” by Michael Punke.
  • “Witches' Loaves” by O. Henry.
  • “Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” by Mark Twain.
  • “Unbroken” by Laura Hillenbrand.
  • “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson.
  • “Yes Please” by Amy Poehler.
  • “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee.
  • “Fight Club” by Chuck Palahniuk.
  • “A White Heron” by Sarah Orne Jewett.

Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topics for High School

  • “And Then There Were None” by Agatha Christie.
  • “Beloved” by Toni Morrison.
  • “The Canterbury Tales” by Geoffrey Chaucer.
  • “Death of a Salesman” by Arthur Miller.
  • “An Enemy of the People” by Henrik Ibsen.
  • “Frankenstein” by Mary Shelley.
  • “Young Goodman Brown” by Nathaniel Hawthorne.
  • “The Waves” by Virginia Woolf.
  • “Their Eyes Were Watching God” by Zora Neale Hurston.
  • “The Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin.

Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topics for Middle School

  • "Yes, Please" By Amy Poehler
  • "The Revenant" By Michael Punke
  • The Primary Themes In "Alice's Adventures In Wonderland"
  • "Huckleberry Finn" Rhetorical Analysis
  • "Witches Loaves" By O'Henry
  • Discuss My Philosophy for a Happy Life by Sam Berns.
  • The Painted Veil.
  • Analyze Romeo and Juliet.
  • Analyze the “The Power of Introverts” by Susan Cain.
  • Amy Poehler. “Yes, Please.”

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Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topics for College Students

  • “Antigone” by Sophocles.
  • “The Birthmark” by Nathaniel Hawthorne.
  • “The Crucible” by Arthur Miller.
  • “Dubliners” by James Joyce.
  • “East of Eden” by John Steinbeck.
  • “Fahrenheit 451” by Ray Bradbury.
  • “A Yellow Raft in Blue Water” by Michael Dorris.
  • “Where the Red Fern Grows” by Wilson Rawls.
  • “The Tempest” by William Shakespeare.
  • “Song of Solomon” by Toni Morrison.

Non-Fictional Topics for Rhetorical Analysis Essay

  • “Mini Habits: Smaller Habits, Bigger Results” by Stephen Guise.
  • “The Ethics of Belief” by William Kingdon Clifford.
  • “Easter Island's End” by Jared Diamond.
  • “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” by Jonathan Edwards.
  • “Traveling Mercies” by Anne Lamott.
  • “A nation among nations” by Thomas H. Bender.
  • “Guns, Germs, and Steel” by Jared Diamond.
  • “The Price of Inequality” by Joseph Stiglitz.
  • “The Spirit Level” by Kate Pickett and Richard G. Wilkinson.
  • “The Status Syndrome” Michael Marmot.

Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topics About Speeches

  • “I Have a Dream” by Martin Luther King, Jr.
  • “Letter from Birmingham Jail” by Martin Luther King, Jr.
  • Inaugural Address of President John F. Kennedy.
  • Emma Goldman’s Address to the Jury.
  • League of Nations Final Address by Thomas Woodrow Wilson.
  • “Every Man a King” by Huey Pierce Long.
  • “The Evil Empire” by Ronald Reagan.
  • “Mercy for Leopold and Loeb” by Clarence Seward Darrow.
  • “A Time for Choosing” by Ronald Reagan.
  • “The Struggle for Human Rights” by Anna Eleanor Roosevelt.

Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topics on Movies

  • Manhattan Project.
  • Jurassic Park.
  • The Phantom of the Opera.
  • Rhetorical analysis of Almost Famous.
  • A Streetcar Named Desire.
  • Rhetorical analysis of Romeo + Juliet.
  • Rhetorical analysis essay on Man of Steel.
  • Rhetorical analysis of Macbeth.
  • Wuthering Heights.

Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topics for 2023

  • “An Irish Airman Foresees His Death” by William Butler Yeats.
  • “The Epic” by Alfred Lord Tennyson.
  • “Shakespeare’s Sonnets” by William Shakespeare.
  • “The Rape of the Lock” by Alexander Pope.
  • “England in 1819” by Percy Bysshe Shelley.
  • The Price of Inequality by Joseph Stiglitz
  • “The Price Of Inequality” By Joseph Stiglitz
  • "Cri De Coeur” By Romeo Dallier
  • "Traveling Mercies” By Anne Lamott
  • "A Nation Among Nations"

Visual Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topics

  • Analyze Poe's Poetry, “The Raven.”
  • A favorite poem written by William Shakespeare.
  • Analysis of James Joyce’s Ulysses.
  • Martin Luther King Jr.’s last speech.
  • Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God.
  • Clifford's "The Ethics Of Belief" Summary And Analysis
  • "Easter Islands' End" By Jared Diamond
  • "Success Strategies” Analysis
  • Jonathan Edwards’ Sermons
  • "Guns, Germs, And Steel” By Jared Diamond

Literary Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topics

  • “I Am Prepared to Die” by Nelson Mandela
  • Gettysburg Monologue in Remember the Titans
  • “Full Power of Women” by Priyanka Chopra
  • Speech from Finding Forrester
  • Red’s Parole Hearing from Shawshank Redemption
  • The movie industry.
  • The insider.
  • Enough of the movie.

Funny Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topics

  • Maximus’ Speech to Commodus from Gladiator
  • “Inside the Mind of a Master Procrastinator” by Tim Urban
  • Harvard Graduation Speech by Donovan Livington
  • Obama’s Final Farewell Speech
  • Pink’s VMA acceptance speech
  • Do you love your family members or not?
  • Do all people grow old?
  • A rhetoric analysis of Coca-Cola’s logo colors
  • What is your opinion of prequels and remakes?
  • Payment of college athletes

Comparative Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topics

  • The lottery vs. the hunger games
  • Non-fictional novels and fictional novels
  • President Obama’s speech at the inauguration compared to that of President Trump
  • Religious texts and their rhetorical composition.
  • Medicines vs. natural remedies
  • Social sciences vs. humanities
  • Economic upliftment vs. better standard of living
  • Compare movies based on Stephen King’s works versus his novels
  • Hurricanes vs. tornadoes
  • Football vs. basketball

Argumentative Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topics 

  • Political Speeches and Rhetoric
  • Advertising Influence on Consumer Behavior
  • Climate Change Communication
  • Social Media Persuasion
  • Rhetoric in Gun Control Debates
  • Fake News and Rhetorical Techniques
  • Environmental Activism and Rhetoric
  • Healthcare Debates and Persuasion
  • Rhetoric in Civil Rights Movements
  • Rhetorical Strategies in Literature

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How to Choose a Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topic?

The first thing in any writing that attempts to grab the reader’s interest is an engaging topic. Every writer aims to make his writing readable and exciting for the audience. 

Coming up with an interesting and engaging topic for your essay can be a tough job. The following are some tips to consider while selecting the topics for your rhetorical analysis paper.

Deliberate your Interest

The fundamental trick of making writing impressive and exciting is to focus on the topic of your interest. Before you start writing a rhetorical analysis essay, try to pick the topic that catches your attention and interest. Also, ensure that it has scope for research and writing.

Choosing something not to have any broad scope or data will not be an ideal topic for your essay.

Do not force yourself to write about a topic that seems popular and promising but not impressive. At least find a rhetorical question that interests you and has good research opportunities.

Reflect on your Knowledge

The second important thing to consider while choosing analytical essay topics is that you have little knowledge about them. Selecting something entirely unfamiliar will not help you. 

Remember that you need to provide insight into the writing style of the author while doing the analysis. Word choice also depicts your strength. Gather knowledge about the rhetorical devices and literary critics used in the work, which you can discuss and explain in your essay. 

Most of the time, you decide to pick topics you have discussed in class. Reflect on the level of your knowledge before finalizing your options.

Do Background Research

Another vital trick to consider while picking the topic is to do background research. You can compile a list of topics, which seem captivating. After that, narrow down the list and select the final topic by researching the topic’s available information.

Do not forget to make notes of the background research. In case you forget the points while writing your essay, you will have the notes for reference.

Get the Suggestions of your Instructor

After going through all the above options, if you cannot make a decision. Prepare a list of suitable topics and ask your instructor to provide you with suggestions. 

It is much better than contemplating on your own. You will have a fixed path to walk on, and you will research the points presented in your paper.

Professional Tips to Write Rhetorical Analysis Essay Fast

Students always look for tips and tricks to make their academic assignments perfect. Below are some professional tips gathered by the writers at MyPerfectWords.com to help you write your essay in no time:

  • Identify the target audience to choose a good topic for your rhetorical essay.
  • Define the purpose of the work chosen. Grab your reader’s attention by drafting a catchy opening for your essay.
  • Provide a structure to the content by drafting an excellent  rhetorical analysis essay outline . The outline should divide your information into the introduction,  thesis statement , main body, and conclusion sections.
  • Use simple sentences. The strength of a rhetorical essay is the clarity of the content that comes from using simple sentences.
  • Avoid using narrow terminologies. Make sure that the vocabulary used compliments the theme and context of the content.
  • Gather information from credible sources. Use references from journals, articles, books, and research papers to make the content of the essay authentic.

Elevate Your Analytical Skills with Rhetorical Analysis Essay Questions 

Queries are present in rhetorical analysis essays, meant to help the writer. These questions aid the writer in further sharpening their writing proficiency.

As a plus, the questions serve the purpose of motivating writers to become actively involved in understanding the outlook of a rhetorical essay.

  • What methods do you plan to employ to engage your readers?
  • Does the conclusion of the argument resonate with your audience?
  • How has the author employed stylistic devices within the narrative?
  • Defining satire: How has the author used it, and what impact does it have
  • How does the author build credibility, evoke emotions, and use logic in the text?
  • Do cultural or historical references in the text support the author's argument?
  • Do repeat words or phrases for emphasis in the text have a noticeable impact?
  • Does the tone impact the author's credibility, and how?
  • How is the audience likely to receive the message?
  • How has the author engaged the audience in their discourse?

To conclude, writing a rhetoric paper can be challenging. It is suggested to take a professional’s help for your academic writing assignments and not risk your grades.

To get professional assistance, get help from the expert analytical essay writing service at MyPerfectWords.com. Visit our online essay writing service now and push your essay writing game to new heights.

Our qualified writers draft 100% original content for the students and guarantee better grades. 

So why wait? Connect with us now to shine in your essay writing assignments! 

Nova A. (Literature, Marketing)

Nova Allison is a Digital Content Strategist with over eight years of experience. Nova has also worked as a technical and scientific writer. She is majorly involved in developing and reviewing online content plans that engage and resonate with audiences. Nova has a passion for writing that engages and informs her readers.

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200 rhetorical analysis topics for students in 2023.

rhetorical analysis topics

The first thing to note when writing anything on rhetorical analysis is that the essay requires you having a wide and in-depth knowledge about the specific topic you’ll be basing your essay on. A good mastery of rhetorical essay topics entails the ability to write effectively.

Sometimes, the challenge looks like not knowing where to begin. But, understanding that a rhetorical analysis essay requires the writer to deeply and accurately analyze a piece of work and make a plausible argument with supporting evidence about it will give you an edge when crafting and choosing a topic.

However, rhetorical analysis topics are majorly predominant in topics associated with the arts but are also not limited to it. Topics can be based on literature, movies, billboards, popular culture, ads, speeches, and even ordinary human conversations.

Aside from understanding what rhetorical topics are, having ample information about any selected topic is crucial as it helps to develop sound rhetorical analysis ideas. Here are some topics you can base your rhetorical analysis essay topics on.

Rhetorical Essay Topics to Choose From

In any rhetorical essay, what the writer does is highlight a problem, carry out extensive analysis on the listed problem to make a strong-base argument on the subject matter.

A rhetorical essay isn’t complete without sound backup evidence to the highlighted problem. Carrying out an essay writing of this form requires you to have done thorough research on whatever you will be writing on.

Knowing how to choose smart topics for rhetorical analysis isn’t enough to write the essay, there must be the existence of extensively done research as this enables the writing to come fully alive. Rhetorical analysis topics list can look like.

  • Do social media encourage low productivity in young adults?
  • Rhetorical Analysis of Shonda Rhimes’s How to Get Away with Murder
  • Obama’s first presidential speech
  • A textual analysis of Hanya Yanagihara’s A Little Life
  • Analysis of Dove ’s beauty Ads over the last 5 years
  • A Feminist look at Virginia Woolf’s A Room of One’s Own
  • Importance of complex themes in American TV shows and Movies
  • Analysis of the Instagram aesthetics and what it entails
  • The role of symbolism in Literature and art piece
  • The work of representation in Popular Culture
  • TV shows: That’s what I Like and Here’s Why you should too
  • The implication of Horror movies on middle and preschoolers
  • Do Smartphones encourage low productivity in Young Adults or not?
  • The impact of Diversity representation in Hollywood
  • A cultural exploration of Beyoncé’s Lemonade
  • Madam CJ Walker, Diversity beauty-representation
  • Explicit sexual exploration: the Hip Hop culture
  • Purity culture an offspring of Rape culture
  • Social exploration of the movie adaptation of Les Misérables
  • Does Social media obscure reality or not?
  • Rhetorical analysis: Mom blogs and the role they play within the society
  • The Hidden Reality of Foodbanks in the American system
  • Welfare mom, bad mom?
  • Analyze the political implications of George Orwell’s Animal Farm
  • The unsettling effect of Dan Fogelman’s This Life
  • Homeschooling, the bane of many high school students.
  • The impacts of gaming on preschoolers
  • How PBS for Kids has changed the Parenting game
  • The Role of the Erotica: The poems by E. E Cummings
  • The absurdity of the Afterlife

More Topics on Rhetorical Analysis

There are varieties of different kinds of rhetorical analysis topics that it is unlikely that one can run out of ways to craft rhetorical analysis topics for any essay at all.

Since the majority of these rhetoric topics are mostly within the arts, there’s a wide range of sources and inspiration to draw your essay topic from. This is because art is an interesting field that keeps on giving.

These topics can be relevant for high school and for college students. Here are a handful of rhetorical analysis example topics to consider for rhetorical analysis.

  • A comparative analysis of non-fictional novels and fictional novels
  • Analysis: Obama’s Farewell speech
  • Rhetorical analysis of Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre
  • The Failure of Charity, Classism, Victorian era, the folly of Individualism: Charles Dickens’s Oliver Twist .
  • Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness and Joyce Cary’s Mister Johnson : an Anthropological exploration
  • The realism of 11th century Scotland and how it’s portrayed in William Shakespeare’s Macbeth
  • The Surrealism of the 20th-century art and Literary explorations with that era
  • F.Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby and how it’s an indictment to the “American Dream”
  • Rhetorical Analysis of James Baldwin’s Giovanni’s Room and Another Country
  • Why Movie adaptations can never measure up to Books
  • The social and economic implications of Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman
  • The story of Leonardo da Vinci and the Monalisa painting
  • Painting, Artistry and how Paul Cézanne’s art interrogates the subject of late-blooming
  • What the use of mostly women for domestic Ads suggests
  • How new Hollywood producers and showrunners address the issue of inclusivity and diversity in TV.
  • What the use of the omniscient narrator in books suggests
  • The Monalisa painting: Why is it Talked about so much?
  • The rhetorical device in D.H Lawrence’s Lady Chatterley’s Lover
  • This is why best-seller books are called best-sellers
  • Why kids avoid watching the news at all cost
  • How the presence of social media impacts mental illness negatively
  • The Role of Tv and Popular in promoting Misogyny and Misogynoir
  • A call to Love: the recurring theme within James Baldwin’s works
  • How reality Tv shows obscure actual reality
  • How racism permeates Langston Hughes I, Too
  • What is the distinction between Symbolism and Imagery
  • The recurring effect of Misogyny in Malala Yousafzai’s real-life experiences
  • Why documentaries on Minimalism should be encouraged
  • Minimalism: a direct response to Late Capitalism
  • The wide distinction between Liberalism and NeoLiberalism

Rhetorical Situation Essay Topics for 2023

Before embarking on choosing any essay topic in a rhetorical situation, you must first understand the role of rhetoric in writing. Good rhetorical analysis essay topics aim to compel action through oral, written, visual, and sound forms. Rhetorical analysis compels the reader or the present audience to reassess their perspectives based on what you are saying or have written.

A good rhetorical analysis essay topic primarily seeks to capture the base attention of the reader or audience. One of the most common situations where rhetorics come in handy is in the political field.

However, rhetorical situation essays are impassioned, affective and are intended to capture the emotion of the reader or the audience; luring emotion is its basic and most tactical style for a call to action.

  • How the legislation on Birth Control pills has resulted in the untimely death of Women in rural areas
  • The rise of inflation and its resulting consequences in low-income homes
  • Was capitalism not okay enough? How the pandemic has displaced even more households
  • How does Popular Culture contribute to the continuous subjugation of women
  • Rape, teen pregnancy and the delegitimization of birth control pills: How they all conjure to control women’s bodies
  • Television is helping us understand the complexities of human lives
  • How the epidemic of drug abuse and its prevalence affects the lives of young Americans in the Deep South
  • Gun Control: Why we should pay attention to guns rather than women’s bodies
  • How lack of access and poverty is affecting homeschooling for young Americans
  • Paying low-income workers below minimum wage is a late capitalist concept
  • Gentrification: how it’s displacing people from their communities and homes
  • Capitalism is the main reason why millennials can’t afford to buy a house
  • The capitalist undertones of the “black to office” maximum
  • The Vernacular of Fatphobia in American Popular Culture
  • This is why America isn’t Post-racial
  • Myth: The Post-racial American Society
  • Why the rhetoric “The Future of Remote Work is Lonely” is a Myth
  • The Fatphobia of the American Wellness Culture
  • How Homeschooling is Demoralizing Teachers
  • Navigating various identities: the reality of the immigrant household
  • The Big lessons from Covid era: the diminishing returns of Hyper-productivity
  • What it means to be displaced within a Pandemic
  • Rhetorical Analysis of the Work Culture
  • The Unrealized myth of Self-care culture
  • The US Women as Social safety nets
  • Analysis of how Email became Work
  • What the Pandemic has taught workers about Unionism
  • The insidious nature of work culture and how it contributes to Burnouts
  • How Publishing is promoting Diversity and Inclusivity
  • Want it means to live within a pandemic as a low-income worker

30 Rhetorical Analysis Example Topics

The challenge that students often face when asked to write a rhetorical essay is the problem of how to craft a topic that best conveys their thoughts as well as that which they can grasp easily and have adequate available and accessible information on.

There are so many researchable ideas to write on; the hitch is often crafting your topic into something capable of inciting attention and encouraging conversations.

This is because, in rhetorics and persuasive writing, the rhetorical analysis topics for essay are also of crucial importance as much as the content. Here are some easy rhetorical analysis topics.

  • Why is Disneyland referred to as the Happiest Place on the Planet Earth
  • Why free Sanitary items is essential in every public space
  • The impact of Hip Hop in growing the Feminist Consciousness
  • Ted Talk: How it gives and encourages voices
  • Why Some blogs become Influential within a short period
  • The Myth of Consistency is Key
  • How Access is Key
  • How Shame culture emerged from Respectability Culture
  • Calling Survivors of Abuse Victims is Derogatory
  • How Speaking up exposes Survivors to more Harm
  • Analysis of Cancel Culture and Social Media Justice
  • The Importance of Commercials on Tv
  • How Commercials promote Falsehood
  • The impacts of Colorism and the Issue of Color Complex
  • A Room of One’s Own : The coming of Virginia Woolf before her time
  • A Rhetorical Analysis of Reality Tv
  • This is how Commercials can be more Relatable
  • How Relatability Tv impacts us
  • The importance of Inclusivity, Diversity, and Representation in Popular Culture
  • The Therapeutic effect of Representation
  • The Therapeutic effect of Yoga and Meditation
  • Why Low-income Workers should be exempted from Tax
  • The Ripple Effect of the Internet on Young Adults
  • Where the realistic depiction of Tv begins and ends
  • An Existential analytical approach to the works of Sylvia Path
  • The Rhetorical strategy in Frederick Douglas’ Memoir
  • Rhetoric as style in Martin Luther King Jr.’s I Have a Dream
  • Why the Bob Dylan Nobel Prize for Literature in 2016 was deserving
  • Award Culture is slowly Killing Creativity
  • A Historical approach to Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales

Ideas on Rhetoric Research Paper Topics

Every writing within academia hinges on the effective use of rhetorical situation essay topics; this is because the basis of everything done within academia is to impact ideas through the use of language and this language is usually persuasive in nature even while it seeks to educate.

For university students, it’s most likely very rare that you can run away from rhetoric research paper topics during your school year, in fact, it’s a prerequisite while in school.

It comes in the form of assignments, research, and term papers. If you are looking for topics, there are a variety of good topics to write a rhetorical analysis on. Below is a list of rhetorical analysis assignment ideas.

  • An Analysis of the Rhetorical Device implored in Beowulf
  • A Case study of Contemporary Popular Culture
  • The political and social implications of 90’s Hip Hop
  • A Comparative Analysis of Tv shows and Movies
  • The Futility of the American Dream as explored in F.S Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby
  • The Symbolic exploration of “The Green Light” in The Great Gatsby
  • The Impact of Technological Innovation on American Student’s attention span
  • The Misogyny of the American Entertainment Industry
  • Structural Racism: The Mother of Gentrification
  • The Growing Concern of the Broken American Childcare System
  • The Triumph and the Bold Rhetorics employed in Diversity Tv
  • Restructuring: Why Diversity, Inclusivity, and Representation should be Championed
  • Purity Culture: A social construct that seeks to control women’s body
  • The representation distinction in the movie adaptation of Push and the book
  • A Comparative Analysis of Digital Literature and Traditional Literature
  • Innovation: The growing effects of Technological advancement
  • Late Capitalism: Self-care culture as a tool
  • The need for Inclusivity in the discussion of Beauty Culture
  • American Gun Culture and how it perpetuates greater harm
  • Domestic Violence, Abuse: The Battered Woman Syndrome
  • Affirmative Action: A Tool for Subjugation and Intellectual Relegation of the Minority Communities
  • Race Relations: The future of the American System
  • The Intrinsic effect of the exploration and promotion of interracial marriage on American popular Culture
  • Obesity: The distinction between Fatphobia and a need for Medical Attention
  • The Evolution of Identity Politics within the American System
  • Diversity Higher: Why America Needs a quick Racial intervention
  • A Comparative Study of 90s Hip Hop Culture and early 2010s Hip Hop
  • Rape Culture, Victim Blaming: The need to listen to Survivors
  • The Explicit Way American Hip Hop Explores Abuse and Misogyny
  • The Institutional Bias of the American System

Rhetorical Argument Essay Topics

When writing an argumentative essay, rhetoric is employed as the tool to not just convey thoughts and opinions but also to capture the interest of the audience or reader(s).

In any rhetorical argument essay, the writer must employ ethos, pathos, and logos as this enables the writer to navigate the topic better. For every form of rhetorical argumentative essay, there has to be a thoroughly carried out research, an understanding of the audience, a solid thesis statement, and the use of a writing style that captures attention.

The basis of an argumentative essay is that it must contain persuasive elements, without that, the argument isn’t complete. Here are some rhetorical argument essay topics to look into while writing your essay.

  • Can Drug Abuse be Contained by Legalizing and Regulating certain Drugs?
  • High-end and Fast fashion, how does it contribute to the Unhealthy lifestyle in our environment
  • Does a Democratic system have any significant drawbacks?
  • Why working moms and nursing moms should be given more workplace privilege
  • Why Maternal paid leave should be legalized
  • Is Cyberbullying capable of affecting mental health?
  • Should Diversity Higher, Affirmative Action and Inclusivity be made mandatory?
  • Does Feminism obscure the need for women to lash out at their fellow women?
  • Is Religion really the Opium of the Masses as Suggested by Karl Max?
  • Are there significant drawbacks to marrying off of a Dating App?
  • How Social Media Fame negatively impacts one’s real-life experiences
  • Is the presence of Artificial Intelligence going to lead to human extinction?
  • How hyperactivity on Social media plays out in impacting loneliness
  • Is there a possibility of Electronic money wiping out paper money?
  • Can human society experience growth without the presence of technology?
  • Is the consistent attachment to cell phones contributing to depression and anxiety?
  • Do public cameras infringe on individual privacy?
  • Is sustainable living capable of helping us reverse Climate Change?
  • Limiting Children’s screen time, does it contribute to their academic growth?
  • Should people be encouraged to use Marijuana now its health benefits have been dictated?
  • Are Academic Stress and excessive academic workload a form of psychological torture?
  • Has homeschooling improved the nature and operation of the school system?
  • Does beauty pageantry influence the concept and idea of beauty in society?
  • Is it Ethical to demand maternity leave for fathers?
  • Is Killing a Murderer a Punishable offense?
  • Should High school children be introduced to sex education in school?
  • How does the knowledge of sex education impact high schoolers?
  • Lecturer-Student friendship: is it an ethical practice?
  • Are students supposed to bring school work back home?
  • Impromptu test within the University system: Cancelled or Promoted?
  • Does access to so much information lead to Misinformation?
  • Does homeschooling contribute to students’ anti-socialism?
  • Should College Education be made completely free?
  • Will free education make or mar the performance of the academic institution?
  • Is GPA a sound determinant of intelligence?

Visual Rhetoric Essay Topics

There are different means through which rhetoric can be employed as a communication feature. Rhetorics occur in oral form, in written format as well as in the visual display. Visual rhetoric essay topics detail effective communication that is attained through the use and analysis of visual images, this is what differentiates it from other forms of rhetorical essays.

Communication through visual presentation has been noted to be effective and visual rhetoric makes communication and understanding very easy. It occurs in movies, painting, commercials, and other forms of art exploration.

For college students, especially those majoring in media studies and visual arts, assignments usually fall under visual rhetoric essays and visual text analysis. Here are some of the topics to look at within this subject matter.

  • Analyze the impact of TV Commercials and Ads on consumers
  • A case study of a prominent Hollywood production and the visual arts involved
  • Rhetorical analysis of the emotional appeals employed in web ads
  • Dissecting the ad of a TV Commercial and its implications
  • The emotional appeal within the movie The Help and permeates the entire Movie
  • A critical exploration of Leonardo Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa Painting
  • The use of Lighting and Effect in Movies and what they Signify
  • The Cinematography of a Movie: A Language of its own
  • How Visual Commercials influence us more than Written Commercials
  • An exploration of the use of visuals in marketing
  • Analysis of Yellow Journalism
  • What is the most effective visual ad you’ve seen and how did it influence you towards a product?
  • How Visual ads increase people’s purchasing power
  • An in-depth analysis of effective visual campaigns
  • How TV influences our understanding of and our relation to society

Having a Hard Time Thinking of Rhertorical Analysis Topics?

Writing a rhetorical essay can be quite tasking as it requires that you embark on extensive research, digging through myriad materials in order to have a substantial essay. What is required to achieve a sound essay can really be a lot of work especially if you’re already engulfed with other activities. Nevertheless, there is the presence of fast expert writers online that offer essay writing help to you in any situation. Our essay writing service isn’t just high quality but is also very cheap. You do not just get the value of a great job, but also the promise of high grades and a stress-free and reliable service.

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Lindsay Ann Learning English Teacher Blog

70 Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topics for Secondary ELA

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May 28, 2019 //  by  Lindsay Ann //   8 Comments

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Before we get to the rhetorical analysis essay prompts (a.k.a. tons of ready-to-analyze texts at your fingertips), let’s take a time-out to lay the groundwork for understanding a rhetorical analysis essay using ethos, pathos, and logos.

Rhetoric is Defined As…

Put simply, rhetoric refers to any technique an author uses to persuade an audience.

Or, the behind-the-scenes choices an author makes to give you all the feels. 

Chances are, if you consider a text or speech to be  really good , rhetorical techniques are working like a master puppeteer to pull at your heart strings, make an impact on your brain, and get you to let down your guard because you trust the author or speaker.

That’s why political figures have speech writers.

That’s why authors spend time fine-tuning their words and sentences.

Rhetoric is important.

In addition, rhetoric goes back to the ancient Greek philosophers like Aristotle, the “father” of rhetoric.

rhetorical-analysis-essay-high-school

The Rhetorical Analysis Essay

Moving on, if rhetoric is the art of persuasion, then the rhetorical analysis essay analyzes how an author or speaker creates opportunity for persuasion in his/her text.

Writing a rhetorical analysis essay involves understanding of context and occasion for writing. It also involves understanding the subject matter of the speech and intended audience.

Beyond this, noticing how the author uses rhetorical appeals and rhetorical devices to impact the target audience can help you to write an in-depth rhetorical essay analysis.

The BEST Rhetoric Topics

rhetorical-analysis-essay

As a teacher, I’m always in search of engaging texts for students to analyze. In this post, I’m sharing the best speeches, advertisements, and essays  for rhetorical analysis. You’ll never run out of rhetorical analysis essay topics again!

So, you’ll definitely want to stop right now and pin this post. 

Your future English-teacher-self will thank you. 

47 Rhetoric Examples in Speeches

The following speeches work well individually, but I’ve also tried to add value by pairing texts together.

Whether you’re analyzing rhetorical appeals such as ethos, pathos, and logos or looking at rhetorical devices, these speeches will work for discussion or as the text for a rhetorical analysis essay.

rhetorical-analysis-essay

  • Gettysburg Monologue in Remember the Titans  – Pair with “ The Gettysburg Address ” by Abraham Lincoln
  • “ Full Power of Women ” by Priyanka Chopra – Pair with Emma Watson’s speech on the Power of Women
  • Speech from Finding Forrester – Pair with “ Integrity ” by Warren Buffet
  • Red’s Parole Hearing from Shawshank Redemption – Pair with the Freedom Speech from Braveheart
  • Ending Scene from The Breakfast Club – Pair with  “ The Danger of a Single Story ” by Chimamanda Ngozi Achichi
  • Authentic Swing Speech from The Legend of Bagger Vance – Pair with  “ How Winning is Done ” from  Rocky Balboa
  • Maximus’ Speech to Commodus from Gladiator – Pair with  The Revolutionary Speech  from  V for Vendetta
  • The Natural State of Mankind from Amistad – Pair with “ Our Diversity Makes Us Who We Are ” by Michelle Obama
  • Denzel Washington’s  Dillard University Commencement Speech – Pair with “ The Last Lecture ” by Randy Pausch
  • “ Like Pieces of Glass in my Head ” from The Green Mile – Pair with “ Eulogy for Beau Biden ” by Barack Obama
  • Oprah’s  2018 Golden Globes speech – Pair with  Seth Myers’ Golden Globes Monologue  and/or  Ellen says #MeToo
  • Independence Day speech – Pair with  Aragorn’s Helm’s Deep Speech  from LOTR: The Two Towers
  • Pair  “I am Human”  &  “Love Liberates” , both by Maya Angelou
  • Pink’s  VMA acceptance speech – Pair with “ If I Should Have a Daughter ” by Sarah Kay
  • Ellen’s  People’s Choice Humanitarian Award Acceptance Speech – Pair with “ Pep Talk ” by Kid President
  • Gandalf Speaks to Frodo in Moria  from  LOTR : Fellowship of the Ring – Pair with   Sam’s Speech   in LOTR: The Two Towers
  • Obama’s  Final Farewell Speech – Pair with Al Pacino’s  Any Given Sunday  speech – clean version
  • Harvard Graduation Speech by Donovan Livingston – Pair with Steve Jobs  2005 Stanford Commencement Speech
  • “ Inside the Mind of a Master Procrastinator ” by Tim Urban – Pair with “ Five Second Rule ” by Mel Robbins
  • Rachel Hollis “Inspire Women to be Their Best” (mild profanity)
  • My Philosophy for a Happy Life by Sam Berns
  • “ To this Day: For the Bullied and the Beautiful ” by Shane Koyczan – Pair with Kid President’s “ Pep Talk to Teachers and Students “
  • “ The Power of Introverts ” by Susan Cain – Pair with “ Don’t Let Others Stop You From Living Your Own Truth “

Rhetoric in Advertising: 23 Examples

This next list holds a blend of print advertisements and commercials, perfect for introducing close reading and rhetorical analysis and for writing a rhetorical analysis essay.

Ads are short, but pack a punch. Honestly, my students love analyzing the rhetoric of advertisements a lot because they are accessible and visual.

Rhetoric Commercials & Print Advertisements

  • “ Web of Fries “
  • Duracell “ Teddy Bear ” Commercial
  • Apple 1984 Commercial Introducing the New Macintosh Computer
  • Nike “ Find Your Greatness ” Ads
  • Pepsi, Superbowl 53 Commercial: “ More than Okay ”
  • “ Get a Mac ” Commercial Compilation
  • “ Can You Hear Me Now ” Verizon Wireless
  • Apple iPhone X – “ Unlock ”
  • Kiwi “ First Steps ” Print Advertisement
  • Vauxhall’s  Backwards Cinderella
  • Lego Print Advertisement
  • Top 10 Powerful Ads of 2014

Rhetoric of the Image

  • Entourage NGO for the Homeless Print Advertisement Images
  • 33 Creative Print Ads
  • Protege Group
  • Greenpeace Print Advertisement Collection
  • “ Divorce Furniture “
  • L’Oréal Paris: “This Ad Is For Men, 1 ” L’Oréal Paris: “This Ad Is For Men, 2 ” L’Oréal Paris: “This Ad Is For Men, 3 ”
  • “ It’s Not Acceptable to Treat a Woman Like One”
  • “ 50 Creative and Effective Advertising Examples “
  • Juvenile Protective Association
  • Anti-Bullying Campaign
  • 25 Serious Ads

Writing a Rhetorical Analysis Essay Using Ethos, Pathos, and Logos

No doubt, writing a rhetorical analysis essay is like taking apart a puzzle and putting it back together again. Teachers, help your students to understand how all of the pieces fit together in order to see the bigger picture of what the author is trying to accomplish.

First, take time to understand how a text “works” for a rhetorical analysis essay using ethos, pathos, and logos:

  • Read or listen to understand overall content. Look up unfamiliar words.
  • Mark the text for the author’s main points and sub-points.
  • descriptive
  • compare/contrast
  • cause/effect
  • argumentative
  • Take notes on SOAPS: subject, occasion, audience, purpose, speaker
  • Discuss the text(s) in Socratic Seminar .

Next, identify rhetorical appeals . 

  • Ethos: How an author demonstrates credibility and builds trust.
  • Pathos: How an author creates an emotional response.
  • Logos: How an author demonstrates expertise and knowledge.

Look for rhetorical devices & patterns in the text.

  • Rhetorical devices refer to an author’s use of diction and syntax.
  • Does the author repeat key words / phrases? What’s the impact?
  • Does the author return to the same idea or image? Why?

Finally, write a clear thesis statement & topic sentences for your rhetorical analysis essay.

  • Use your thesis statement to generate topic sentences.
  • In your body paragraphs, identify a technique, provide an example, and discuss the “right there” and “beneath the surface” meanings. How does the author’s choice impact the audience, further a message, establish a tone?
  • What’s the context for the repetition?
  • What connotations are important?
  • How is the anaphora used to move the reader to greater understanding (logos), emotional investment (pathos), and/or trust in the author’s ideas (ethos)?

Six Strategies for Teaching Rhetorical Analysis

I’ve created an awesome free guide to inspire English teachers who teach rhetoric and the rhetorical analysis essay in their classrooms. Even if you don’t teach AP lang, you can benefit from these strategies !

rhetorical-analysis-teaching-guide

Rhetorical Analysis Essay FAQ’s

How do you write a rhetorical analysis essay.

Writing a rhetorical analysis essay is like writing a literary analysis essay, except the focus is on one or more non-fiction texts and the analysis targets an author’s style or rhetorical “moves” (a.k.a. use of rhetorical appeals and/or devices). Rhetorical analysis essays usually prove a claim about the author’s message or purpose for writing. The paragraphs in a rhetorical analysis essay unpack “what” an author is doing to send this message and “how” these choices impact the audience.

What does it mean to write a rhetorical analysis?

Writing a rhetorical analysis means that you are aware, as an audience member, reader, listener, human being, of the messages you consume. As a critical consumer of others’ ideas, you ask hard questions about how these messages are shaped, why they’re being delivered in certain ways, and why this is important for you and for society.

What are the three rhetorical strategies?

The three most commonly known rhetorical strategies are known as rhetorical appeals. Ethos (ethics) refers to credibility and trustworthiness. Pathos (passion) refers to engaging an audience’s emotions. Logos (logic) refers to engaging an audience’s brain through logical organization and use of evidence and arguments.

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About Lindsay Ann

Lindsay has been teaching high school English in the burbs of Chicago for 18 years. She is passionate about helping English teachers find balance in their lives and teaching practice through practical feedback strategies and student-led learning strategies. She also geeks out about literary analysis, inquiry-based learning, and classroom technology integration. When Lindsay is not teaching, she enjoys playing with her two kids, running, and getting lost in a good book.

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Reader Interactions

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January 9, 2023 at 9:38 am

Hi Lindsay Ann, thanks so much for these great resources. Just wanted to gently point out a couple errors that you might want to fix:

#12: should be Seth Myers’ (not Seth Myer’s) #13: should be independence (not independance)

Teachers have to help each other out 🙂

Best, Nikkee

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January 9, 2023 at 5:44 pm

Thank you so much for letting me know, Nikkee!

[…] a lot of options and extensions for analyzing rhetoric in social media. Who knows, maybe your next rhetorical analysis essay assignment will be focused on rhetoric in social […]

[…] 70 Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topics for Secondary ELA […]

[…] find that teaching rhetorical analysis and close reading skills go hand-in-hand with teaching voice in […]

[…] helps students to remember that everything comes back to the author’s purpose or message in rhetorical analysis. Author’s purpose is central to unpacking an author’s choices, including use of […]

[…] you assigning a rhetorical analysis essay? Why not try having students use rhetorical analysis sentence […]

[…] I introduced students to rhetoric. First, we journaled on this topic: Think of a time someone talked you into doing something or believing something. How did they do it? What tactics did they use? Students may share out journals. I gave students a graphic organizer with a PAPA analysis (purpose, audience, persona, argument) and picked a speech. Frankly, the speech I picked, which was Samwise Gamgee’s speech to Frodo Baggins in The Two Towers, failed spectacularly since students had no frame of reference. Note: that movie is old now. I know. It makes me sad, too. So go cautiously if you use this, but maybe pick something else. You can find a massive list here. […]

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122 Various Rhetorical Analysis Topics To Help Your Progress

rhetorical analysis topics

Many students don’t know where to start when choosing rhetorical analysis topics for academic papers. That’s because writing about these topics requires students to explore the subject in detail and prove their standpoint. Usually, educators expect learners to use effective and persuasive methods to achieve this goal. In simple terms, a rhetorical essay involves writing about writing. This article presents a rhetorical analysis topics list for learners at different educational levels. It’s useful because it provides helpful ideas to help students with difficulties create interesting titles for their papers.

What Is Rhetorical Analysis?

Before diving into the list of rhetorical analysis topics, let’s define rhetoric.

A dictionary will say rhetoric is “the effective or persuasive art of writing or speaking, especially one that exploits figures of speech and other compositional techniques.”

However, rhetoric is more than just an art form. It’s also a tool that a writer can use to achieve a specific goal. In the context of academic writing, learners often use rhetoric to persuade the reader to see things from their point of view. For example, consider the following statement:

“The death penalty is naturally an inhuman and cruel punishment that governments should abolish.”

This statement is an example of rhetoric because the writer uses persuasive language to make an argument. They want to convince the reader that the death penalty is wrong and governments should stop it.

What Are Good Rhetorical Analysis Topics?

Good rhetorical analysis titles allow the writer to analyze something and its effect on the audience or themselves. Although a rhetorical analysis essay can be about a speech or literature, it can also be about a movie or art. Some educators even ask learners to write rhetorical analyses about billboards or commercials. Nevertheless, an ideal topic allows the writer to acquire and analyze sufficient information. Remember, the goal of a rhetorical analysis is to evaluate the effectiveness of an argument or a piece of work. Therefore, pick a topic that allows you to do this. Once you’ve known what rhetorical analysis is and what makes good topics, let’s delve into some of the titles worth considering.

Best Topics For Rhetorical Analysis In 2023

Maybe you’re looking for the best ideas to consider for your academic essays or papers. In that case, here are some of the titles to consider for your write-up.

  • How social media affects body image
  • Common rhetorical strategies in advertising
  • What is the relationship between violence and video games?
  • How does music affect mood?
  • The role of the internet in education
  • Should governments lower the legal drinking age?
  • Should governments legalize marijuana?
  • Euthanasia: To be or not to be?
  • Cloning: The ethical implications and applications
  • Is homeschooling a viable educational alternative?
  • Is childhood obesity a reflection of bad parenting?
  • Are beauty pageants exploitative?
  • Should the government censor the internet?
  • Can the death penalty deter crime?
  • Should abortion be legal?
  • Are zoos ethical?
  • Should governments dictate the number of children a family can have?
  • Should parents be allowed to choose the sex of their child?
  • Is it ethical to buy organs on the black market?
  • What are the ethical implications of human cloning?
  • The impact of social media on relationships
  • How do the media influence body image and eating disorders?
  • The effect of advertising on consumerism
  • Exploring music’s influence on emotions
  • Investigating the internet’s impact on education
  • The changing face of family structure and its effects
  • The pros and cons of homeschooling
  • Cyber-bullying- Its impact and how to prevent it
  • School uniforms: Are they necessary?
  • Religion in schools: Should the government allow it?
  • Censorship in schools: What are the criteria for choosing books, art, music, and film?
  • Are standardized tests an accurate measure of student ability?
  • Is tracking students by ability level beneficial?
  • Should schools eliminate homework?
  • Is the current educational system preparing students for the workforce?

Pick any of these ideas and investigate them to provide a detailed analysis. You can consult different sources to present an informative paper.

Rhetorical Analysis Ideas For College Students

Perhaps, you’re pursuing your college or university education, and the professor wants you to write a rhetorical analysis essay. In that case, here’s a list of topic ideas to consider for your paper.

  • How do authors use ethos, pathos, and logos in their work?
  • What is the purpose of the author’s argument?- Provide an example
  • Choose a piece of literary work and describe the target audience
  • Explain the methods the author uses to persuade their audience- Choose your scholarly work.
  • Explain the implications of the author’s argument in your preferred literary work
  • Use an example to demonstrate the effectiveness of the author’s rhetoric
  • The rhetoric issue in Plato’s Republic
  • Why did “I Have a Dream” by Martin Luther King break the internet?
  • Rhetorical analysis of the film, Black Panther
  • Analyze the speech writing power in George Washington’s speeches
  • Rhetorical devices and their use in television advertising
  • Analyzing the rhetorical analysis devices in the Monalisa portrait
  • Literary devices and their function in plays and poetry
  • Rhetorical devices in Harry Porter
  • Analyzing the September 11 speech- Which rhetorical devices stand out?
  • How online content like blogs use rhetoric
  • Analyze your favorite book and show how it affected your life
  • Analyze rhetorical devices in your preferred political speech of the 21st century
  • How technology facilitates the manipulation of rhetoric devices
  • Analyzing rhetorical devices in Charles Spurgeon’s sermons
  • Rhetorical analysis of The Great Dictator by Charlie Chaplin
  • Critical analysis of a scene from your favorite movie- Highlight rhetoric devices
  • What marks acceptance speeches, and how do speakers use rhetorical devices
  • Rhetoric in preaching- How preachers impact the congregation
  • Discuss how authors use solitude in literature

These college-level rhetorical analysis ideas allow you to investigate different aspects of writing. Also, they provide a detailed perspective that helps you understand how to approach the assignments.

Good Rhetorical Analysis Topics For High School Learners

Maybe you’re in high school, and the teacher wants you to write a rhetorical analysis essay. If so, this list has ideal titles to consider for your paper.

  • Can a real friendship exist between a dog and a man?
  • Language is crucial to society- A detailed rhetorical analysis
  • The dog is the best housekeeper- A rhetorical analysis of this phrase
  • A comparison of how men and women consume ad messages
  • Rhetorical analysis of women’s attitudes towards fashion compared to men
  • Consumerism and environment- A rhetorical analysis
  • Analysis and summary of “The Kite Runner.”
  • The Animal Farm- A detailed rhetorical analysis of this book
  • Write a rhetorical analysis essay on your favorite birthday
  • A detailed rhetorical analysis of a speech by the school’s head teacher on graduation day
  • Rhetorical analysis of the inaugural address by your favorite teacher
  • Rhetorical analysis of a Nobel Peace Prize Winner’s speech
  • Rhetorical analysis and themes of William Shakespeare’s Pride and Prejudice
  • Online consumers- A detailed rhetorical analysis of their behavior
  • A rhetorical analysis of the electronic media’s impact on culture
  • Social media and its power- A rhetorical analysis of its power in turning the world into a global village
  • Olympics and World Cup- A detailed rhetorical analysis
  • National anthem in Olympic games- A rhetorical analysis
  • A rhetorical analysis of William Shakespeare’s Hamlet
  • Primary themes in Alice in the Wanderland- A rhetorical analysis

These are good topics to write a rhetorical analysis on if you’re in high school. However, you may want to read some books or study the works to write informative and winning papers.

Easy Rhetorical Analysis Topics

Maybe you don’t have adequate time to read or investigate somebody else’s work and write about it. In that case, the following ideas could be excellent for your titles.

  • The Hunger Games- What are this work’s most practical rhetorical strategies?
  • How ancient and modern stylistic devices differ
  • A Room of One’s Own by Virginia Woolf- Exploring the primary rhetorical devices
  • Rhetorical analysis of the class representative’s speech on the Memorial Day
  • The Picture of Dorian Gray- Investigating the critical stylistic devices
  • Develop a rhetorical composition of varying religious texts
  • Rhetorical analysis of Mona Lisa’s smile and its meaning
  • A detailed rhetorical analysis of pop-culture songs
  • Rhetorical analysis of Les Demoiselles d’Avignon by Pablo Picasso
  • Heroism as a theme- How does it come out in different literary works?
  • How authors handle race and prejudice in their works
  • Rhetorical strategies in Harry Potter’s work
  • Rhetorical analysis of a speech by Alexander the Great
  • Themes and their relevance in literary texts about love and hope
  • Rhetorical analysis of Louisa May Alcott in promoting feminism
  • Investigating the American National Anthem- What are the vital rhetorical devices?
  • Does the Fight Song by Rachel Platten mark creativity and art?
  • Why do Ted Talks attract so many listeners?
  • How advertisers curate poster and billboard language in advertising
  • The impact of vivid description and symbols on literary work’s visual impression

These rhetoric topics are relatively easy to write about, but some may require a little research. Nevertheless, most learners will find working on these subjects straightforward.

Rhetoric Research Paper Topics

Maybe you’re writing a research paper and need a rhetorical title. If so, consider these ideas for your project or thesis from professional dissertation writers .

  • How has the definition of rhetoric changed over time?
  • What are the different types of rhetoric?
  • How do persuasive and argumentative rhetorics differ?
  • What are the ethical implications of rhetoric?
  • How does rhetoric affect society?
  • How can authors use rhetoric for good or evil?
  • How art uses rhetoric
  • Creative ads and symbolism
  • Game of Thrones- How does the film use visual arts?
  • Rhetorical devices in digital media campaigns
  • How does the film/television show portray its characters?
  • What is the purpose of the film/television show?
  • Who is the target audience for this piece?
  • What methods does the film/television show use to persuade its audience?
  • What are the implications of the film/television show?
  • Is the film/television show’s rhetoric effective? Why or why not?
  • Works about GMO and human health- A rhetorical analysis
  • Automated system use and rhetorical devices
  • Sports segregation by gender- a rhetorical analysis
  • Data privacy and social media- A detailed rhetorical analysis
  • College athletes’ payment- A rhetorical analysis
  • Investigating gun legalization- Rhetorical analysis of this topic

These are some of the best rhetorical analysis example topics to consider for your essay or paper. Choose a title that interests you and investigate it to present a detailed perspective.

Get Custom Essay Help Online

Maybe you have a title for your paper but not the time or skills to write a quality essay. In that case, get help from our experts to write a winning piece or undergraduate thesis. We’re professional writers with a proven track record of helping learners across the academic levels. Our crew makes completing a writing assignment an awesome experience. You will realize that writing a rhetorical paper is fun with our assistance. We will deliver a masterpiece even if you need help with an advanced essay. Moreover, we guarantee the security of the information you share with us. Also, you will consistently score top grades whenever you seek our assistance. Contact us now!

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  • How to write a rhetorical analysis | Key concepts & examples

How to Write a Rhetorical Analysis | Key Concepts & Examples

Published on August 28, 2020 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on July 23, 2023.

A rhetorical analysis is a type of essay  that looks at a text in terms of rhetoric. This means it is less concerned with what the author is saying than with how they say it: their goals, techniques, and appeals to the audience.

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Table of contents

Key concepts in rhetoric, analyzing the text, introducing your rhetorical analysis, the body: doing the analysis, concluding a rhetorical analysis, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about rhetorical analysis.

Rhetoric, the art of effective speaking and writing, is a subject that trains you to look at texts, arguments and speeches in terms of how they are designed to persuade the audience. This section introduces a few of the key concepts of this field.

Appeals: Logos, ethos, pathos

Appeals are how the author convinces their audience. Three central appeals are discussed in rhetoric, established by the philosopher Aristotle and sometimes called the rhetorical triangle: logos, ethos, and pathos.

Logos , or the logical appeal, refers to the use of reasoned argument to persuade. This is the dominant approach in academic writing , where arguments are built up using reasoning and evidence.

Ethos , or the ethical appeal, involves the author presenting themselves as an authority on their subject. For example, someone making a moral argument might highlight their own morally admirable behavior; someone speaking about a technical subject might present themselves as an expert by mentioning their qualifications.

Pathos , or the pathetic appeal, evokes the audience’s emotions. This might involve speaking in a passionate way, employing vivid imagery, or trying to provoke anger, sympathy, or any other emotional response in the audience.

These three appeals are all treated as integral parts of rhetoric, and a given author may combine all three of them to convince their audience.

Text and context

In rhetoric, a text is not necessarily a piece of writing (though it may be this). A text is whatever piece of communication you are analyzing. This could be, for example, a speech, an advertisement, or a satirical image.

In these cases, your analysis would focus on more than just language—you might look at visual or sonic elements of the text too.

The context is everything surrounding the text: Who is the author (or speaker, designer, etc.)? Who is their (intended or actual) audience? When and where was the text produced, and for what purpose?

Looking at the context can help to inform your rhetorical analysis. For example, Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech has universal power, but the context of the civil rights movement is an important part of understanding why.

Claims, supports, and warrants

A piece of rhetoric is always making some sort of argument, whether it’s a very clearly defined and logical one (e.g. in a philosophy essay) or one that the reader has to infer (e.g. in a satirical article). These arguments are built up with claims, supports, and warrants.

A claim is the fact or idea the author wants to convince the reader of. An argument might center on a single claim, or be built up out of many. Claims are usually explicitly stated, but they may also just be implied in some kinds of text.

The author uses supports to back up each claim they make. These might range from hard evidence to emotional appeals—anything that is used to convince the reader to accept a claim.

The warrant is the logic or assumption that connects a support with a claim. Outside of quite formal argumentation, the warrant is often unstated—the author assumes their audience will understand the connection without it. But that doesn’t mean you can’t still explore the implicit warrant in these cases.

For example, look at the following statement:

We can see a claim and a support here, but the warrant is implicit. Here, the warrant is the assumption that more likeable candidates would have inspired greater turnout. We might be more or less convinced by the argument depending on whether we think this is a fair assumption.

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Rhetorical analysis isn’t a matter of choosing concepts in advance and applying them to a text. Instead, it starts with looking at the text in detail and asking the appropriate questions about how it works:

  • What is the author’s purpose?
  • Do they focus closely on their key claims, or do they discuss various topics?
  • What tone do they take—angry or sympathetic? Personal or authoritative? Formal or informal?
  • Who seems to be the intended audience? Is this audience likely to be successfully reached and convinced?
  • What kinds of evidence are presented?

By asking these questions, you’ll discover the various rhetorical devices the text uses. Don’t feel that you have to cram in every rhetorical term you know—focus on those that are most important to the text.

The following sections show how to write the different parts of a rhetorical analysis.

Like all essays, a rhetorical analysis begins with an introduction . The introduction tells readers what text you’ll be discussing, provides relevant background information, and presents your thesis statement .

Hover over different parts of the example below to see how an introduction works.

Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech is widely regarded as one of the most important pieces of oratory in American history. Delivered in 1963 to thousands of civil rights activists outside the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., the speech has come to symbolize the spirit of the civil rights movement and even to function as a major part of the American national myth. This rhetorical analysis argues that King’s assumption of the prophetic voice, amplified by the historic size of his audience, creates a powerful sense of ethos that has retained its inspirational power over the years.

The body of your rhetorical analysis is where you’ll tackle the text directly. It’s often divided into three paragraphs, although it may be more in a longer essay.

Each paragraph should focus on a different element of the text, and they should all contribute to your overall argument for your thesis statement.

Hover over the example to explore how a typical body paragraph is constructed.

King’s speech is infused with prophetic language throughout. Even before the famous “dream” part of the speech, King’s language consistently strikes a prophetic tone. He refers to the Lincoln Memorial as a “hallowed spot” and speaks of rising “from the dark and desolate valley of segregation” to “make justice a reality for all of God’s children.” The assumption of this prophetic voice constitutes the text’s strongest ethical appeal; after linking himself with political figures like Lincoln and the Founding Fathers, King’s ethos adopts a distinctly religious tone, recalling Biblical prophets and preachers of change from across history. This adds significant force to his words; standing before an audience of hundreds of thousands, he states not just what the future should be, but what it will be: “The whirlwinds of revolt will continue to shake the foundations of our nation until the bright day of justice emerges.” This warning is almost apocalyptic in tone, though it concludes with the positive image of the “bright day of justice.” The power of King’s rhetoric thus stems not only from the pathos of his vision of a brighter future, but from the ethos of the prophetic voice he adopts in expressing this vision.

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The conclusion of a rhetorical analysis wraps up the essay by restating the main argument and showing how it has been developed by your analysis. It may also try to link the text, and your analysis of it, with broader concerns.

Explore the example below to get a sense of the conclusion.

It is clear from this analysis that the effectiveness of King’s rhetoric stems less from the pathetic appeal of his utopian “dream” than it does from the ethos he carefully constructs to give force to his statements. By framing contemporary upheavals as part of a prophecy whose fulfillment will result in the better future he imagines, King ensures not only the effectiveness of his words in the moment but their continuing resonance today. Even if we have not yet achieved King’s dream, we cannot deny the role his words played in setting us on the path toward it.

If you want to know more about AI tools , college essays , or fallacies make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools!

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The goal of a rhetorical analysis is to explain the effect a piece of writing or oratory has on its audience, how successful it is, and the devices and appeals it uses to achieve its goals.

Unlike a standard argumentative essay , it’s less about taking a position on the arguments presented, and more about exploring how they are constructed.

The term “text” in a rhetorical analysis essay refers to whatever object you’re analyzing. It’s frequently a piece of writing or a speech, but it doesn’t have to be. For example, you could also treat an advertisement or political cartoon as a text.

Logos appeals to the audience’s reason, building up logical arguments . Ethos appeals to the speaker’s status or authority, making the audience more likely to trust them. Pathos appeals to the emotions, trying to make the audience feel angry or sympathetic, for example.

Collectively, these three appeals are sometimes called the rhetorical triangle . They are central to rhetorical analysis , though a piece of rhetoric might not necessarily use all of them.

In rhetorical analysis , a claim is something the author wants the audience to believe. A support is the evidence or appeal they use to convince the reader to believe the claim. A warrant is the (often implicit) assumption that links the support with the claim.

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Rhetorical Analysis Essay

Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topics

Cathy A.

Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topics & Ideas for Students

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Published on: Jul 23, 2020

Last updated on: Jan 29, 2024

Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topics

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Rhetorical essay is a challenging task for some students, and it requires proper planning and time. In this type of essay, topic selection is the main thing, and many writers confuse it when choosing a topic for the essay. This blog will help you in selecting a topic for a rhetorical essay.

In a rhetorical analysis essay, the writer defines a problem, deeply analyzes it, makes a specific argument related to the topic, and supports it with strong evidence. It is a form of academic essay writing about a piece of literature, art, or a speech.

Writing a good rhetorical essay needs enough information that you analyze it quickly. This type of essay teaches you many skills and improves your thinking. The writer thinks critically and performs an objective analysis.

For essay writers, this essay becomes the most challenging task, and it requires that the writer evaluate the purpose of the original content. Writing a rhetorical analysis essay requires the ability to analyze the language.

Numerous analytical papers differ by the object of analysis like you can analyze the movie, book, phenomenon, etc. The papers’ structure will be the same, but the only difference is the context you provide.

This type of essay writing requires an understanding of the subject matter and intended audience. The rhetorical essay is not a narrative or a reflective piece of essay writing, but the writer’s opinion still matters.

If you are writing a rhetorical essay choosing the right topic is the first thing that makes your writing phase easier. It becomes a daunting task if you don’t know how to choose the right topic for a rhetorical essay.

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Rhetorical analysis essay topic selection becomes a difficult task for some writers. If you are looking for rhetorical analysis essay topics for your  college essay , then you are in the right place. Here are the best topics for a rhetorical analysis essay that you can use for your academic assignment. Choose from them and write an effective essay.

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Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topics 2022

  • Obama’s Final Farewell Speech
  • Speech from President Trump
  • Analyze Edgar Allen Poe’s poem ‘Raven.’
  • The recipe for a happy life
  • Pride and Prejudice
  • A nation among nations
  • The Price of Inequality by Joseph Stiglitz
  • England in 1819” by Percy Bysshe Shelley.
  • A popular song
  • William Shakespeare. King Lear.

Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topics on Movies

  • Analyze a famous historical movie
  • The insider
  • Write an analysis of Romeo and Juliet
  • Sam Worthington in Avatar
  • The Great Gatsby
  • A Streetcar Named Desire.
  • Gregory Peck in To Kill a Mockingbird
  • Octavia Spencer in the Help

Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topics for College Students

  • One Direction’s “Story of My Life”
  • Martin Luther King Jr.’s last speech
  • “Where the Red Fern Grows” by Wilson Rawls
  • Inaugural address by President Joseph R. Biden
  • Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God.
  • Leonardo’s “The Last Supper” from 1497
  • Analysis of James Joyce’s Ulysses
  • “The Tempest” by William Shakespeare.
  • “Where the Red Fern Grows” by Wilson Rawls.
  • Animal Farm

Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topics about Speeches

  • Speech from Finding Forrester
  • Charlie Chaplin The Great Dictator
  • How does Mahatma Gandhi persuade the listener to Quit India, 1942?
  • Malala Yousafzai’s speech at the Youth Takeover of the United Nations
  • Queen Elizabeth’s intentions in Spanish Armada speech, 1588.
  • Chief Joseph “Surrender Speech”
  • Gettysburg Monologue in Remember the Titans
  • Virginia Woolf’s “A Room of One’s Own”
  • Analysis of the farewell address of a famous president
  • “Every Man a King” by Huey Pierce Long.

Easy Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topics

  • “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson.
  • Web of fries
  • Enough movie
  • A favorite poem was written by William Shakespeare.
  • Silent Voices In Three Poems
  • "The Picture Of Dorian Gray" Analysis
  • Importance of theme of hope in literature
  • An impactful new writer
  • "Huckleberry Finn" Rhetorical Analysis
  • The importance symbolism plays in novels

Funny Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topics

  • Do you love your family members or not?
  • Bananas are delicious fruit for children.
  • Are vegetables rich in the winter or summer season?
  • The fact does not support the rhetorical questions.
  • Do you like your friends or not?
  • How do the monkeys live in the zoo?
  • "Yes, Please" By Amy Poehler
  • "Witches Loaves" By O'Henry
  • Commonly used rhetorical devices
  • Do bees bring honey or not?
  • Flowers are the eyes of nature

Visual Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topics

  • Yellow journalism
  • Culture and arts
  • Art through history
  • Analyze a piece of work from the Parks library
  • Show the use of sound, music, and narration in presentations
  • Is advertising making people materialistic
  • Art comparison over decades
  • “The Canterbury Tales” by Geoffrey Chaucer.
  • The rhetoric of blogs and online writing.
  • The Painted Veil

Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topics about Advertisements

  • California Milk Processor Board: Got Milk?
  • Disneyland: The Happiest Place on Earth.
  • Macdonald: “I'm lovin' it”
  • Apple: Think Different.
  • M&M: Melts in Your Mouth, Not in Your Hands
  • Pepsi: That's What I Like
  • Panasonic: Ideas for Life
  • Harley Davidson: All for Freedom. Freedom for All
  • L’Oréal: Because You’re Worth It
  • Nike: There Is No Finish Line.

How to Choose a Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topic?

A rhetorical analysis essay might be a problem for students, especially if they choose a tough topic for the essay. Pick a good topic for an essay, and solve several writing problems.

Every writer wants to make their writing piece interesting and encourage the reader to read the entire essay. It all depends on the essay topic; if the topic is good, it automatically grabs the target audience’s attention.

The topic is the first thing that grabs the reader’s attention. The topic of the essay should be strong and effective.

Choosing the right topic for an essay becomes a difficult job for some writers. Here are the few tips that every writer should follow when selecting the topic for a rhetorical essay.

Firstly define your objective before choosing the topic. Choose the topic that interests you and make sure that the topic has scope for research or writing. Write on something that you have no idea about or no wider scope; it makes your writing process tough.

Never write about something that is not interesting and boring. If you make your writing phase easier, choose a good interesting topic, and start researching it.

Brainstorming helps the writer in the topic selection phase. Never choose a topic that is too narrow, and you have no resources. Brainstorm the ideas and note down on the paper, choose the one you find interesting, and have enough information.

But one thing to keep in mind if you have so much information, it will take weeks to learn what you need to compose your analysis.

Choose the topic carefully after brainstorming and create a well-crafted essay.

When choosing the topic for an essay, one thing to keep in mind is that you have little knowledge about it. Write about something unfamiliar to you will not make your essay a successful one.

Gather data for the essay from the relevant sources, and you know about the topic. Otherwise, it becomes a strenuous task for you.

If your teacher gives you a choice to choose the topic, then reflect your interest in the topic.

Research is another way of picking the right topic for essays. Make a list of topics that you find interesting in the brainstorming phase. When you finally choose the topic for the essay, start the research process.

Do some background research and gather relevant information about the topic. If you collect enough information that you want, then make this topic final for your essay.

Choose the topic by knowing your opposing viewpoints, and you must have an argument. If you gather information, then collect from sources with different audiences for truly opposing viewpoints.

Never choose a topic that you do not know about anything; otherwise, you will spend months learning the opposing viewpoints’ background details.

Choose a topic that shows the present viewpoints and beliefs in the essay through analysis.

After some research, you will be still unable to choose a topic for an essay, then consult your teacher for guidance. The list you prepare in the brainstorming phase shows them to your teacher and asks them for help. They guide you better in the essay topic section phase and reduce your stress.

Uncommon topics are hard to write and become difficult for the reader to understand. If you choose a topic that is not so common, then you will never get relevant data. Uncommon topics are not a good way of choosing a topic; it makes your writing phase tough.

Tips for Writing the Best Rhetorical Essay

Writers always follow tips and create a successful essay. Here are some tips that give your essay a professional touch, and you can get grades from your teacher.

  • The essay topic should be catchy and attention-grabbing, so the reader reads the whole essay.
  • The opening paragraph of the essay should be catchy and interesting.
  • Use correct transitions in the body paragraphs.
  • Summarize the main points in the conclusion section.
  • Use simple sentences and try to avoid obscure words or sentences.
  • Gather information from relevant sources such as research papers, articles, books, journals, and government/organization websites.
  • Make your essay authentic and not add fake information.

Writing a rhetorical paper is not a difficult task if you follow proper guidelines. The topic of the essay also plays a vital role in a good essay.

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topics to write rhetorical analysis on

160+ Best Rhetorical Analysis Topics

Rhetorical analysis essay focuses on assessing the method used for delivering a message. This assignment isn’t about giving an opinion on the topic. The purpose is to analyze how the author presents the argument and whether or not they succeeded. Keep reading to find out more strategies and prompts for a rhetorical essay.

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This article will help college and high school students choose a unique topic for a rhetorical analysis essay. You can analyze books, speeches, movies, and even advertisements. To succeed, choose a subject that seems more familiar to you. And keep in mind that our custom writing team is always ready to help you with any assignment.

  • 🔝 Top 10 Topics
  • 💬 Famous Speeches
  • 📚 Non-fiction
  • 📺 Advertisement
  • 🎥 Movie Monologues
  • ✅ Writing Guide

🔝 Top 10 Rhetorical Analysis Topics

  • Consumerism in Fight Club
  • Dangerous obsession in The Birthmark
  • Main rhetorical features of The Lottery
  • Rhetorical devices in Song of Solomon
  • Main rhetorical devices in The Scarlet Letter
  • What made the I Have a Dream speech so powerful?
  • Raven symbolism in Edgar Allan Poe’s The Raven
  • The significance of the I Am Prepared to Die speech
  • How does censorship affect society in Fahrenheit 451 ?
  • Inequality in Priyanka Chopra’s speech Full Power of Women

✍️ Rhetorical Topics on Fiction

Fiction is written from imagination. Like any literature, fiction has its way of communicating a message. You may choose to analyze your personal response to the text. Or, study its background and think about the author’s intention. The following list will inspire ideas for a great rhetorical analysis paper topic:

  • How is the theme of war changes presented in The Things They Carry?
  • Analyze the main rhetorical features of The Great Gatsby .
  • The simple language in All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr.
  • How J.D. Salinger reveals the life of a teenager in The Catcher in the Rye .
  • The narrative form of Millenium Hall .
  • How Erin Morgenstern creates diverse characters in The Night Circus .
  • The theme of justice in The Heretic’s Daughter .

Aristotle quote.

  • Language of mystery in The Secret Life of Violet Grant .
  • How is the character development presented in The Alchemist ?
  • Voice of the author in The Fault in Our Stars by John Green.
  • The conflict between characters in The Poet X .
  • Empathy in Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?
  • Analyze Prudence Shen’s writing techniques in Nothing Can Possibly Go Wrong .
  • Love and crisis in Exit West by Mohsin Hamid .
  • How is the theme of friendship delivered in Code Name Verity ?
  • Lord of the Flies : civilization vs. savagery.
  • The theme of elitism in One Hundred Years of Solitude .
  • Why John Steinbeck emphasizes dreams in Of Mice and Men .
  • Rhetorical devices used in The Sense of an Ending .
  • Lincoln in the Bardo : reflections on humanism .
  • The language of shame in The Vegetarian by Han Kang .
  • Behavior in The Slipover Sweater by Jesse Stuart.

💬 Rhetorical Analysis Topics: Speeches

There are quite a few legendary speeches in history. If you want to analyze one, answer these questions:

  • What’s the objective of the speaker?
  • What is the historical background of the speech?
  • What could be the audience’s expectations?

Start thinking about your thesis statement as you select one of the topics below:

  • Rhetorical devices in The Campaigns of Alexander by Alexander the Great, 326 BC.
  • Persuasion in The Third Philippic by Demosthenes, 342 BC.
  • Expressive means in Funeral Oration by Pericles, 431 BC.
  • Explore the way Theodore Roosevelt uses rhetoric in The Man with the Muck-Rake, 1906.
  • Rhetorical analysis of Pope Urban II’s Speech at Clermont, 1095 .
  • Queen Elizabeth’s intentions in Spanish Armada speech, 1588.
  • Rhetorical devices used in George Washington’s Resignation Speech, 1783.
  • How Al Gore persuades the audience in Nobel Prize Speech, 2007.
  • Expressive means used in Ain’t I A Woman? by Sojourner Truth , 1851.
  • Emotional appeal in Chief Joseph’s Surrender Speech, 1877.
  • Historical context of Freedom or Death by Emmeline Pankhurst, 1913.
  • Ways to engage the audience in Franklin D Roosevelt’s Inauguration Speech, 1933 .
  • Rhetorical devices used in We Shall Fight on the Beaches Speech by Winston Churchill , 1940.
  • The main objective of Gettysburg Address by Abraham Lincoln, 1863 .
  • Heroism in Charles de Gaulle’s The Appeal of 18 June, 1940.
  • Emotional language in William Lyon Phelps’s The Pleasure of Books, 1933.
  • How does Mahatma Gandhi persuade the listener in Quit India, 1942?
  • Main rhetorical features of I Have a Dream speech by Martin Luther King, Jr., 1963.
  • What expressive means does Nelson Mandela use in I Am the First Accused, 1964?
  • How John F. Kennedy engages with the audience in his Inauguration Speech, 1961 .
  • The context of Address to the Nation on the Challenger by Ronald Reagan , 1986.
  • Gratitude in Lou Gehrig’s Farewell to Baseball speech, 1939.

📜 Topics for Rhetorical Analysis: Poetry

There are so many unique things a poem can convey. Analyzing it will require multiple careful readings. In your essay, answer the following questions:

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  • Who is the speaker in the poem?
  • Does the title influence your idea of the meaning?
  • Is there anything peculiar about the poem’s rhythm and structure?

Analyzing poetry.

  • Analyze the use of personification in William Butler Yeats ‘ Brown Penny .
  • The narrator in Allen Ginsberg’s America .
  • How Langston Hughes uses emotional appeal in Let America Be America Again .
  • Regret in The Mother by Gwendolyn Brooks .
  • The key allegories used in Daddy by Sylvia Plath .
  • The mood of And the Moon and the Stars and the World by Charles Bukowski.
  • William Blake’s A Poison Tree : themes of anger and darkness .
  • What rhetorical devices does Walt Whitman use in O, Captain! My Captain!
  • Symbolism in Walt Whitman’s Crossing Brooklyn Ferry.
  • Faces of love in A Red, Red Rose by Robert Burns .
  • Analyze the role of contrast in I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou .
  • How does Stephen Crane characterize war in Fast Rode the Knight ?
  • The function of street language in Dream Deferred by Langston Hughes .
  • Self-acceptance in Maya Angelou’s Phenomenal Woman .
  • The theme of nature in Mary Oliver’s August .
  • Unorthodox punctuation in I Carry Your Heart with Me by E. E. Cummings .
  • To You by Walt Whitman : what is the function of the title?
  • The setting in A Dream within a Dream by Edgar Allan Poe .
  • Who is Emily Dickinson’s There is another Sky addressed to?
  • Analyze Shel Silverstein’s irony in Messy Room .
  • The speaker in Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening by Robert Frost .
  • Analyze main rhetorical devices used in W. H. Auden’s Funeral Blues .

📰 Articles for Rhetorical Analysis

To analyze an article from a rhetorical perspective, try reading it with a purpose. It will help you determine the author’s main point. Besides, you can consider analyzing the article title and its role in persuasion.

Analyzing an article.

  • People vs. nature in The Killer in the Pool by Tim Zimmerman .
  • What are the arguments presented by David Grann in The Mark of a Masterpiece?
  • A thief’s double life in Joshua Bearman’s Art of the Steal .
  • Analyze the narration in Hope. Change. Reality. by Wil S. Hylton.
  • William Finnegan’s In the Name of the Law and its emotional appeal .
  • Persuasive devices used in Mississippi’s Corrections Reform by John Buntin.
  • Politics in Kenneth Jost’s article Unrest in the Arab World .
  • Power fantasy in Video Games: the Addiction by Tom Bissell.
  • The theme of prejudice in Forrest Wilder’s He Who Casts the First Stone .
  • Credibility in The Little Pill That Could Cure Alcoholism by James Medd.
  • Ways to connect with the audience used in Solitude and Leadership by William Deresiewicz .
  • The way Zach Zorich uses rhetorical devices in Should We Clone Neanderthals ?
  • Acceptance in Autism’s First Child by John Donvan and Karen Zucker.
  • How motherhood is presented in Scott Carney’s Inside India’s Rent-A-Womb Business .
  • The theme of hope in Are You Sure You Want to Quit the World? by Nadya Labi.
  • Howard Jacobson’s On Taking Comic Novels Seriously : what helps to persuade the reader?
  • How Jonah Weiner uses social media in Kanye West Has a Goblet .
  • What rhetorical devices Beth Kowitt most prominently uses in Inside the Secret World of Trader Joe’s ?
  • The theme of success in Seven Years as a Freelance Writer by Richard Morgan.
  • Consumerism in Why Stuff Is Not Salvation by Anne Quinden.
  • Analyze the use of humor in Rick Bragg’s article The Guiltless Pleasur e.
  • Ways of engaging with the audience in The Man the White House Wakes Up to by Mark Leibovich.

📚 Rhetorical Topics in Non-Fiction

The term “non-fiction” refers to writings based on facts. When analyzing non-fiction, research the context surrounding the text. It is also important to pay attention to the way the text is written. Think about the author’s objective and who the target readers are. This will help you carry out a thorough rhetorical analysis.

  • Point out the main rhetorical devices used in A Brief History of Time .
  • The theme of racism in I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings .
  • Abuse and sympathy in In Cold Blood .
  • War and trauma in John Hersey’s Hiroshima .
  • How the theme of grief is discussed in H Is for Hawk .
  • Analyze the main rhetorical features in Isak Dinesen’s Out of Africa .
  • Voice of the narrator in Farley Mowat’s Never Cry Wolf .
  • How Nick Hornby explores fandom in Fever Pitch .
  • The emotional appeal in Endurance: Shackleton’s Incredible Voyage .
  • Elie Wiesel’s Night : the loss of innocence.
  • What makes M.F.K. Fisher’s How to Cook a Wolf inspiring?
  • Discuss the title’s function in A Moveable Feast .
  • The theme of overcoming in Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow.
  • What’s the role of setting in Dreams from My Father : a Story of Race and Inheritance?
  • How to Win Friends and Influence People : what persuasive devices are used in it?
  • The theme of grief in The Year of Magical Thinking .
  • Life on the Mississippi : past and present.
  • How Marshall McLuhan explores communication in The Medium is the Message .
  • Persuasion in Silent Spring .

Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring.

  • The Right Stuff : the themes of courage and heroism .
  • What makes Anne Frank: the Diary of a Young Girl terrifying?
  • Emotional appeal in Goodbye to All That .

📺 Rhetorical Analysis Topics: Advertisements

The primary purpose of any ad is persuasion. A good advertisement establishes the connection between the product and the consumer.

Pay attention to the following points:

  • What’s the overall impression of the advertisement?
  • What’s the primary audience?
  • Are the rhetorical devices used effectively?

You can write an interesting rhetorical analysis essay based on one of the advertisements from the following list:

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  • Dunkin’ Donuts: America Runs on Dunkin.
  • California Milk Processor Board: Got Milk ?
  • Lay’s: Betcha Can’t Eat Just One.
  • Red Bull: Red Bull gives you wings.
  • The Mosaic Company: We Help the World Grow the Food It Needs.
  • Meow Mix: Tastes So Good, Cats Ask for It by Name.
  • Nike : There Is No Finish Line.
  • Coca Cola: Friendly Twist.
  • M&M: Melts in Your Mouth, Not in Your Hands.
  • BMW: Designed for Driving Pleasure.
  • McDonald’s : The Simpler, the Better.
  • Taco Bell: Think Outside the Bun.
  • L’Oréal: Because You’re Worth It.
  • Gillette : The Best a Man Can Get.
  • Apple : Think Different.
  • Panasonic: Ideas for Life.
  • Chanel No.5 The Film.
  • Dollar Shave Club: Shave Time. Shave Money.
  • Capital One: What’s in Your Wallet?
  • Harley Davidson: All for Freedom. Freedom for All.
  • Levi’s: Quality Never Goes out of Style.
  • Disneyland: The Happiest Place on Earth.

🎥 Movie Monologues: Topics for Rhetorical Analysis

In some movies , a character gives a speech that captures everyone’s attention. Making a rhetorical analysis of the movie monologue will require making observations, such as:

  • Characterize the speaker and their intentions.
  • Describe the scene where the monologue takes place.
  • Pay attention to the vocabulary and the tone of voice.

Here are a few famous movie monologues that can fit well into your rhetorical essay.

  • Chris Evans in Avengers : Endgame .
  • Anne Hathaway in The Princess Diaries .
  • Octavia Spencer in The Help .
  • Sam Worthington in Avatar .
  • Mel Gibson in Braveheart .
  • Jennifer Lawrence in The Hunger Games : Catching Fire .
  • Gregory Peck in To Kill A Mockingbird .
  • Samuel L. Jackson in Pulp Fiction .

Ingmar Bergman quote.

  • Sylvester Stallone in Rocky Balboa .
  • Meryl Streep in Sophie’s Choice .
  • Tom Wilkinson in Michael Clayton .
  • Ellen Burstyn in Requiem for a Dream .
  • Morgan Freeman in The Shawshank Redemption .
  • Charlie Chaplin in The Great Dictator .
  • Charlize Theron in Monster .
  • Wes Bentley in American Beauty .
  • Robin Williams in Good Will Hunting .
  • Viggo Mortensen in Return of the King .
  • Salvatore Corsitta in The Godfather .
  • Angela Lansbury in The Manchurian Candidate .
  • Laurence Fishburne in The Matrix .
  • Viola Davis in Doubt .

✅ Rhetorical Analysis Writing Guide

To carry out a rhetorical analysis, consider the rhetorical situation. Use what you know about the author and their intentions. A good rhetorical essay includes not only analysis, but also description and evaluation of the text.

Rhetorical situation.

But first, outline your essay using these steps:

  • Introduction/summary. Briefly summarize the text.
  • Example of a thesis: In his book The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Mark Twain shows America through a child’s eyes. The social commentary is made effective through the use of irony and regional dialect.
  • Ethos , which refers to the author’s credibility.
  • Pathos , or the emotional appeal.
  • Logos , which means persuasion by showing evidence.
  • Kairos , referring to the timing.
  • Stasis , or the situation when the argument “gets stuck” due to the opinion difference.
  • Conclusion. Make a final assessment of the text and review your argument.

We hope this article helped you find a good topic for a rhetorical analysis essay. We also hope that it helped you understand how to write it perfectly.

Get an originally-written paper according to your instructions!

Good luck with your assignment!

Further reading:

  • A List of 175 Interesting Cultural Topics to Write About
  • 200 Pop Culture Topics for an A+ Essay
  • 150+ Excellent Narrative Essay Topics
  • Good Book Report: How to Write, Topics, 32 Tips and Ideas
  • 260 Good Descriptive Essay Topics and Writing Tips

🔍 References

  • Rhetorical Analysis: Miami University
  • The Best Film Monologues Ever And Why You Have To See Them: New York Film Academy
  • 27 Companies With Really Catchy Slogans & Brand Taglines: HubSpot.com
  • Sample Ad Analysis: Indian Hills Community College
  • 50 Essential Non-fiction Books You’ll Actually Read: AbeBooks
  • Rhetorical Analysis: Texas A&M University
  • Top 100 Speeches of the 20th Century by Rank: American Rhetoric
  • The Rhetorical Analysis of Poetry: Edutopia
  • Rhetorical Situations: Purdue University
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200 Best Rhetorical Analysis Topics To Cover In Your Paper

rhetorical analysis topics

Do you know what a rhetorical analysis paper is? Most students are at a loss already, yet this is a common task tested at college and university level. We will give you the answers you have been looking for with some effective tips and good examples of rhetorical analysis paper topics.

Follow along.

What Is A Rhetorical Analysis Research Paper ?

You will find a rhetorical analysis paper on the AP English exam. It aims to create an informative paper by dividing the phrases or words that the author develops to show the persuasive techniques used to get feedback from the reader.

It requires a restatement of ideas and rhetorical moves used to persuade the audience to do certain things. A rhetorical analysis essay intends to do the following tasks:

  • Explain the next occurrences in the story,
  • Why the author decided to use a particular move, and
  • How those choices might affect the audience

You can rhetorically analyze various works such as speeches, articles, media pieces, and advertisements. Remember that in a rhetoric paper, your goal is not to add your opinions on the topics or dive into your standpoint on the subject but rather to analyze the author’s use of persuasion specifically.

In short, a rhetorical analysis paper analyzes a text for its use of rhetoric or rhetorical writing. Make sense now?

How To Write A Rhetorical Analysis Paper: Ethos, Pathos, and Logos

As discussed earlier on, rhetoric is how writers use and manipulate language to persuade an audience. Now, rhetorical appeals refer to ethos, pathos, and logos. They are compelling ways, which involve carefully choosing how to craft an argument so that the outcome, audience agreement with the argument, is achieved.

Let us explore each of these three techniques of appeal:

Logos refers to the author’s use of logic, careful structure, and objective evidence to appeal to the audience. An author can achieve this by using:

  • Information that one can fact-check
  • Thorough explanations
  • Solid and non-biased explanation of one’s argument

Logical appeals rest on logical modes of thinking such as comparison, cause/effect thinking, deductive reasoning, and inductive reasoning.

Pathos: An author’s attempt to tap into the audience’s emotions to get them to agree with his claim. It aims to make the reader feel anger, pride, joy, rage, or happiness.

The appeals used here include:

  • Expressive descriptions
  • Vivid imagery
  • Sharing personal stories
  • Using emotion-laden vocabulary

However, excessive use of pathos can indicate a lack of substance or emotional manipulation of the audience.

Ethos: This is an author’s appeal to audience values and authorial credibility/character. When the author attempts to tap into the values or ideologies that the audience holds to justify or support his or her argument, this is classified as ethos.

It makes the audience feel that the author is making an argument that is “right” to their eyes.

However, the misuse of ethos, pathos, and logos weakens arguments. Note that using rhetorical appeals does not always lead to a sound, balanced argument.

Structure of a Rhetorical Analysis Paper

To create a good rhetorical analysis paper like a professional writer here is a brief overview of the structure:

Introduction: It exposes your readers to the paper’s topic and tells them why the literary work is important that it warrants a rhetorical analysis. Your thesis statement comes right at the end of the introduction. It states your opinion regarding whether the writer of the literary work was successful in getting his message across to the audience or not. Body: Most rhetorical analysis papers have three body paragraphs. All paragraphs should, however, be connected by a logical flow. You may decide to dedicate one paragraph to ethos, one to pathos, and the last one to logos. Having a clear outline will help you structure your body paragraphs clearly and logically.

Conclusion: This part wraps up the story and encourages additional thinking and reading for the audience. You begin by offering a summary of your body paragraphs’ main ideas and points, then evaluating the work in general and reinstating your thesis statement.

How To Choose Topics For Rhetorical Analysis

Every outstanding rhetorical analysis paper starts with an equally great topic. Below are some of the sources where you can derive your rhetorical topics:

  • Trending issues in society
  • A speech by a famous politician, actor, or graduate
  • A movie or TV show
  • An advertisement (video or print)

The topic you choose for your rhetorical analysis paper should:

  • Resonate with you personally
  • Trigger the emotion of the reader
  • Show the intention to analyze, not argue

Together, let us look at 200 high-quality rhetoric topics written by expert writers.

Interesting Rhetorical Analysis Topics List

Explore a list of rhetorical topics that will sparkle your paper and brighten up your tutor’s face while awarding grades:

  • A rhetorical analysis of President Biden’s speech on inauguration day
  • The rhetoric of William Shakespeare and his famous piece, Romeo and Juliet
  • Discuss President Obama’s speech on inauguration as compared to that of President Trump
  • A deep rhetorical analysis of Martin Luther’s speeches that made him famous
  • Explore the different rhetorical devices used by presenters and the impact on the target audience
  • Using your knowledge of rhetorical devices, analyze First Lady Melania Trump’s final speech.
  • What are the limitations of monologues in attracting the audience?
  • What stands out most in the speeches of ladies as compared to those of men?
  • Is there any notable rhetoric device in Franklin D. Roosevelt, The Pearl Harbor Address?
  • Evaluate whether rhetorical devices used in plays suit the purpose of the speech well
  • How can you point out the rhetorical richness of any speech?
  • Analyze the use of rhetoric devices in the USA and Britain
  • Conduct a rhetorical analysis of the Bible
  • The impact of rhetorical devices on a reader’s perceptions of a non-fiction story
  • Is there anything that draws your attention to William Shakespeare’s style of writing?
  • How does the credibility of the author impact the audiences’ perception of the story?
  • Ways in which plot and theme work to create a masterpiece
  • A thematic analysis of the ancient writing of the 19th century
  • Evaluate the rhetorical devices used to portray love and romance in plays
  • A profound rhetorical analysis of The Odyssey

Rhetorical Essay Topics For College Students

These professionally handpicked rhetorical analysis topics will benefit college students in their final year a great deal:

  • The issues of rhetoric in Plato’s, Republic
  • Why Martin Luther King’s speech, “I Have a Dream” broke the internet
  • Conduct an in-depth rhetorical analysis of the Black Panther movie
  • The power of speech writing in George Washington’s speeches
  • How does television advertising employ the use of rhetorical devices?
  • An analysis of the rhetorical devices used in the famous portrait, Monalisa
  • Analyze Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill’s last speech that drove many hearts
  • The function of literary devices on poetry and plays
  • Review the main literary devices in the Harry Porter
  • Analyze any impressive speech made on September, 11 with rhetorical devices in mind
  • How do blogs and other online writing content use rhetoric?
  • Analyze a book that impacted your life greatly, and why?
  • An influential political speech that is still referred to in the 21st century
  • How technology has made it possible and easy to manipulate rhetoric devices
  • How do preachers use rhetoric in their sermons to make a meaningful impact on the congregation?
  • What are the popular marks of acceptance speeches?
  • Critically analyze a scene from a favourite movie using rhetoric devices
  • A rhetorical analysis of Charles Spurgeon’s sermons and why they are still popular today
  • Discuss how solitude is used in various works of literature
  • Conduct a rhetorical analysis on Charlie Chaplin’s famous speech, The Great Dictator.

Rhetorical Analysis Ideas For High School Students

Are you a middle school or high school student thinking of where to get mind-blowing rhetorical analysis example topics? We have you covered:

  • Write a rhetorical analysis paper on your first birthday.
  • Provide a rhetorical analysis of the school principal’s speech on graduation day
  • The rhetorical analysis of my favourite teacher’s inaugural speech
  • Analyze the speech of a Nobel Peace Prize winner rhetorically you know
  • Main themes and analysis of “Pride And Prejudice” by William Shakespeare
  • A rhetorical analysis of the behaviour of online consumers
  • How the electronic media has impacted culture: A rhetorical analysis
  • Analyze rhetorical the power of social media in making the world a global village
  • Rhetorical analysis on the impact of Olympics and World Cup
  • The symbolism of playing national anthems during the Olympic games
  • Main themes and rhetorical analysis of “Hamlet” by William Shakespeare
  • Analyze the primary themes present in “Alice in the Wonderland”.
  • A literary analysis of “The Animal Farm.”
  • Summary and analysis of “The Kite Runner.”
  • A rhetorical analysis of the environment and consumerism
  • Rhetorically analyze the attitude of women towards fashion versus that of men.
  • How do women consume media advertisement messages as compared to men?
  • Conduct a rhetorical analysis on why the dog is the best keeper of the house
  • Language serves the life of society: A rhetorical analysis of this statement.
  • Is the friendship between man and dog real?

Good Rhetorical Analysis Paper Topics

Here are true laconic reasoned topics that will make you express yourself to your audience in a clear and sophisticated manner:

  • The rhetorical analysis of the speech of an orator you find impactful
  • The expression of the role of a man and a woman in literary texts
  • How do authors anticipate the reaction of the audience when using rhetorical devices?
  • How does stereotyping blur the effective use of rhetorical devices?
  • Discuss how rhetorical devices vary from classical to Rogerian texts
  • How does the organization of a particular text complement the subject?
  • Discuss the patterns that exist in William Shakespeare’s choice of words
  • What is the impact of an objective or subjective author’s approach?
  • The use of syntax in minimizing information that detracts from the argument
  • How keywords, phrases, and ideas are used to communicate messages in literary texts
  • The impact of a formal or informal language on the delivery of a speech
  • Why do concrete or abstract images matter in a literary text?
  • The ethos, pathos, and logos of Nelson Mandela’s speech “I am prepared to die.”
  • Is Priyanka Chopra’s speech, “Full Power of Women” feminine subjective?
  • What features made Denzel Washington’s Dillard University Commencement Speech stand out?
  • A rhetoric analysis of Coca-Cola’s logo colours
  • Rhetoric analysis of President Biden’s speech on transgender
  • A literary analysis of “The Ethics of Belief” by Clifford
  • Rhetorically analyze “The Power of Introverts” by Susan Cain.
  • Analyze the rhetoric devices used in “Inside the Mind of a Master Procrastinator” by Tim Urban

Easy Rhetorical Analysis Topics For Essay

Finding researchable ideas for your rhetorical analysis paper can be daunting, especially when you don’t know where to start. Here are manageable topics that you can start with:

  • Conduct a rhetorical analysis on the meaning behind Mona Lisa’s smile
  • A rhetorical analysis of songs from pop-culture
  • What rhetorical devices made Pablo Picasso’s Les Demoiselles d’Avignon controversial?
  • How is heroism as a literary theme brought out by different writers?
  • Discuss how authors handle the issues of prejudice and race in their writings
  • Rhetorical strategies used in the Harry Potter series
  • Alexander the Great Speech: A study of the symbols and literary devices used
  • The relevance of the themes of hope and love in most literary texts
  • Rhetorical strategies used by Louisa May Alcott in advancing feminism
  • Rhetorical used devices in the American national anthem
  • Why Rachel Platten’s Fight Song is a mark of both art and creativity
  • How is it that Ted talks tend to attract a large number of listeners?
  • How do advertisers curate language used in billboard and poster advertising?
  • How the use of symbols and vivid description changes the visual impression of a literary work
  • The rhetorical composition of different religious texts
  • Analyze the stylistic devices available in The Picture of Dorian Gray
  • Analyze the speech of your class representative on Memorial Day
  • A review of the main rhetorical devices in Virginia Woolf’s “A Room of One’s Own.”
  • How does the use of stylistic devices in ancient times vary from that of today?
  • Discuss the most valuable rhetorical strategies in The Hunger Games

Rhetorical Situation Essay Topics in 2023

Are you fed up with all the redundant and easy rhetorical analysis topics of 2020? Well, here is a chance to rejuvenate yourself with the latest rhetorical analysis topics of 2023:

  • A rhetorical analysis of The Raven written by the poet Edgar Allen Poe
  • Analyze Jonathan Edward’s sermon, “Sinners in the hands of an angry God.”
  • Give a rhetorical analysis of Pearl Harbor speech given by Franklin D. Roosevelt’s
  • Conduct a detailed rhetorical analysis of BBC World’s “See Both Sides of the Story” billboard
  • What makes “To Kill a Mocking Bird” by Harper Lee such an interesting novel to read?
  • The relevance of “The Canterbury Tales” by Geoffrey Chaucer today
  • Discuss William Shakespeare’s “The Tempest”
  • Inaugural address of the first American black female Vice President, Kamala Harris
  • Evaluate the rhetorical devices present in Macbeth
  • A rhetorical analysis of Alexander Pope’s “The Rape of the Lock.”
  • Main themes and analysis of “The Great Gatsby.”
  • The final speech of Donald Trump as the President of the United States
  • Analyze President Trump’s speech after the violence at The US Capitol
  • Stylistic devices of Kamala Harris’ acceptance speech
  • An analysis of President Trump’s Twitter messages
  • Discuss “Fight Club” by Chuck Palahniuk
  • An analysis of Jack Ma’s motivational speeches
  • How do native speakers communicate messages as compared to others?
  • An evaluation of rhetorical devices in funeral messages
  • Reasons why “The Great Gatsby” movie was a success

Fiction Books Rhetoric Research Paper Topics

Do you have a fiction book to analyze for your rhetoric assignment and you are stuck? Here are some good topics to write a rhetorical analysis today:

  • A rhetorical analysis of “The Revenant” By Michael Punke
  • Dominant themes in “Death of a Salesman” Vs “The White Heron”.
  • Discuss the main themes in “The Lottery”.
  • What stands out in Amy Poehler’s “Yes Please?”
  • How Nathaniel Hawthorne uses rhetoric devices in “Young Goodman Brown.”
  • Is “Frankenstein” by Mary Shelley applicable in the 21st century?
  • Discuss “Seize the Day” from Dead Poets Society
  • How is “A Room of One’s Own” by Virginia Woolf unique?
  • Main themes in Laura Hillenbrand’s “Unbroken.”
  • Analyze Sarah Orne Jewett’s “A White Heron”
  • Rhetoric features in “Antigone” by Sophocles
  • Features of James Joyce’s “Dubliners”
  • How Toni Morrison uses rhetoric features in “Song of Solomon.”
  • Evaluate “Where the Red Fern Grows” by Wilson Rawls
  • Distinct rhetoric featured in Arthur Miller’s “The Crucible.”
  • An analysis of Lord Tennyson’s “Ulysses.”
  • What makes Ronal Reagan’s “The Evil Empire” stand out?
  • Evaluate Clarence Seward Darrow’s “Mercy for Leopold and Loeb”
  • A rhetorical analysis of “The Phantom of the Opera.”
  • Rhetorical strategies in “The Fountainhead” by Ayn Rand

Visual Rhetoric Paper Topics For University Students

Make your easy truly memorable with the rhetorical analysis topics below:

  • Use of text in TV campaigns
  • Visual arts in Hollywood movie productions
  • Features of a magazine cover
  • People are shown on food ads.
  • Art and social class
  • Effects of yellow journalism
  • Use of colour in banners
  • Brand name and emotional appeal
  • Advertising and third world countries
  • Use of soundtracks in movies
  • Effect of camera movements on video quality
  • Visual features of “Jurassic Park.”
  • Use of symbolism in “The blind side.”
  • Visual representations in museums
  • Impact of slow motion
  • TV campaigns for beauty products
  • Digital media campaigns
  • Visual arts “Game of Thrones.”
  • Symbolism in creative ads
  • Arts and culture

Updated Rhetorical Argument Paper Topics

Here are some topics to consider for an argumentative rhetoric paper:

  • Legality of abortion
  • Payment of college athletes
  • Segregation of sports by gender
  • Facebook and data privacy
  • GMOs and people’s health
  • Coronavirus vaccines
  • Are self-driving cars legal?
  • Use of automated systems
  • Social media and globalization
  • Religious organizations and taxes
  • Clubs in schools
  • Should clergymen marry?
  • Is assisted suicide legal?
  • Is automatic voter registration the way to go?
  • Are sex workers permitted?
  • Is the death penalty legal?
  • Should guns be legalized?
  • Are monopolies economical?
  • Are school uniforms essential?
  • Is college necessary?

Rhetorical Analysis Assignment Ideas On Movies

Are you blank on what movies to analyze? Here are top-notch ideas:

  • American Odyssey
  • Black Panther
  • The Wretched
  • Bad Boys For Life
  • The Titanic
  • Saving Private Ryan
  • Lawrence of Arabia
  • Apocalypse Now
  • To Kill a Mockingbird
  • Gone With The Wind
  • The Godfather
  • The Wizard of Oz

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100 Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topics

Rhetorical analysis essay topics always stood out from other tasks of similar nature. There are many assignments students get at college, but this one is more difficult, largely because few people understand what it even means. Rhetorical analysis means writing an essay where you research a specific text or speech and determine what elements it contains to impact the audience.

These could be literary devices, plot, characterization, style, method of influence, and many other things. To write a good essay, you should understand what makes an author’s rhetoric effective, but even more importantly, you must choose an appropriate topic for your future analysis. The choice is vast, so it’s not an easy task, but fortunately, we have many interesting options you could choose from.

How to Pick Rhetorical Analysis Ideas

The first thing to know is that any topic you select must resonate with your believes in particular. Sure, it has to have academic value — one cannot just write whatever comes into their mind, but your own interest is almost equally important. If you think the text you’re analyzing is boring, you’ll never succeed with your essay. If you hate your chosen topic, there is actually a bigger chance of getting great results with it because you could always pick a negative stance, introducing an argument against the author’s usage of literary techniques. So, passion for the text is everything, whether it’s of positive or negative nature. Recall any works that affected you on some level and use them as the basis for your essay.

Another strategy for picking good topics for rhetorical analysis is to discuss it with friends or professors. They might not know your preferences, but they could give new ideas through their brainstorming. Doing research before you start working on assignment is also crucial. For example, you decided to analyze a short article written by an unknown writer, but you don’t entirely understand how rhetorical analysis works. You won’t be able to find other similar analyses available, so you’ll be stuck. If this is your first try, be sure to select an essay topic other people have already explored before — it’ll give an idea of how to proceed.

100 Rhetorical Analysis Topics List Developed for You

Still feeling uncertain? It’s not a problem, so there is no need to worry! Take a look at the list we’ve composed below. It has 100 topics you could use for your essay.

Easy Rhetorical Analysis Essays Topics

Let’s start with something you won’t have any problems with! Some texts are widely known, so finding research on them isn’t difficult.

  • What literary devices used in “Pride and Prejudice” turn this book into being so popular even now?
  • Literary tactics used within Wordsworth’s poems
  • What symbolism do Harry Potter’s green eyes have?
  • What makes TV Hannibal Lecter’s monologues influential?
  • Fox Mulder’s vs. Dana Scully’s modes of persuasion
  • How true love is depicted in cartoons to resonate with children?
  • Tone of TV Sherlock Holmes & Why he rubs people the wrong way
  • Why are King Arthur’s speeches inspiring within ‘Merlin’ TV show?
  • Describe setting of the Hunger Games & Explain what makes it gruesome
  • Explore choice of dresses in your favorite TV show & Explain what it implies

Rhetorical Analysis Essay Ideas For High School

Good rhetorical analysis essay topics for high school are also pretty easy. Here they are.

  • Frankenstein novel and movies: Their stylistic similarities and differences
  • Why is Ron Weasley less compelling character for many readers/viewers?
  • How setting in ‘Games of Thrones’ reflects its plot
  • Which elements help create the perfect setting in magical realism genre
  • Why are movies usually worse than books they are based on?
  • Harry Potter in the movies vs. books: Differences in portrayal
  • Elements within fiction that inspire fans to write fanfiction on its basis
  • Three stories by Kate Chopin – Their similarities in terms of stylistics
  • Why Romeo and Juliet are still known in our days?
  • Details about secondary characters in “To Kill a Mockingbird”

Rhetorical Essay Prompts For College

How about rhetorical analysis example topics for college? They are a little more complicated, but it just makes them all the more interesting!

  • Your favorite Shakespeare’s poem & Why you like it
  • Role that color green plays in Twilight saga
  • Analyze appearance of vampires from Twilight vs. Interview with a Vampire
  • Compare movies based on Stephen King’s works versus his novels
  • Explore every chilling element in “The Birthmark” by Hawthorne
  • Choose your favorite novel and elaborate on how characters communicate in it
  • Soap operas & Why many people consider characters’ behavior in them exaggerated
  • Setting and conflict in Joyce’s “Ulysses”
  • Analyze the major conflict in Tolstoy’s “War and Peace”
  • Elements of presidency and dictatorship within “Hunger Games”

Non-Fictional Ideas

Analyzing fiction is the most popular choice, but how about rhetorical essay topics on other kinds of works?

  • Trump’s least effective speech: Why was it not successful?
  • Obama’s introduction of new health policies: How did people react?
  • What tactics should ancient kings’ speeches follow to motivate their armies?
  • Surrender speech, its weaknesses & strengths
  • What elements should historical books have to be perceived as convincing?
  • Pathos in real-life stories written by survivors of tragic events
  • How to separate true accounts written by victims from fake ones?
  • Choose any article written by journalist and analyze its efficiency
  • Ethos in reports presented by medical personnel
  • Logos of arguments used by teachers to prove usefulness of their subjects to students

 Rhetorical Topics for Art and Culture

Creative topics for rhetorical analysis essay is something lots of students prefer.

  • Why is Mona Lisa’s smile considered elusive?
  • Painting that stopped you in your tracks
  • Most successful billboards ever created
  • Least effective billboards you have ever seen
  • Song that you consider the best representative of your culture
  • Advertisement that struck a chord with you
  • Can rap be considered American cultural heritage?
  • What makes known blogs popular?
  • Which elements help make a successful ad?
  • What design of an apartment could say about its owner

Ideas for Rhetorical Analysis Essay on Movies

Probably everyone likes movies. If so, these rhetoric topics might be your best pick.

  • Analyze actors’ performance in ‘Titanic’: Is it believable?
  • How do horror movies manage to scare their audience?
  • How fighting scenes in ‘Twilight’ look
  • ‘Saw’ movie: A mindless horror or a chilling thriller?
  • Which version of King Kong is better and why?
  • Analyze the oldest movie and techniques used in it for influencing audience.
  • Which Harry Potter movie is the worst in an entire franchise?
  • Compare versions of ‘Pride & Prejudice’ & State which one stays closest to the original
  • Can we consider “Jurassic Park” impressive in our days?
  • Compare Chinese action movies against American ones

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History Prompts

The past is fascinating, and these rhetorical analysis paper topics could help analyze it more deeply.

  • Pick an old historical figure & Analyze how they became known
  • Winston Churchill: His actions versus his words
  • What people thought about honesty in the past & How did they express it?
  • Why are many important historical documents locked away from the public?
  • Analyze reasons for WW2 based on available historical documents
  • How weddings were organized in the past & What do people do now to express their love?
  • What role symbolism played in Ancient Egypt?
  • People’s dreams of immortality and how they progressed over the years based on literature & art
  • Understanding how Syrian politics promoted war
  • Analyze setting in Troy and reasons that brought war into it

Advanced Rhetorical Ideas

If you like a challenge, check out these more difficult rhetorical essay topic ideas.

  • Portrayal of hope in three different works of art: How did their authors express it?
  • Value and meaning of food as presented in “Hunger Games”
  • What does the Stag man mean in TV show “Hannibal”?
  • Depictions of Mind Palace in “Sherlock” and “Hannibal”
  • Christmas in poor vs. rich families in literature: How are they portrayed?
  • Analyze every speech of Martin Luther King in regard to their effectiveness
  • How animals communicate within different literary works
  • Compare & Contrast leadership strategies of two historically relevant people
  • Why is Mother Teresa talked about still? Delve deeply into reasons
  • Pick two different ambitious people & Evaluate how they fought to realize these ambitions

Enjoy What You Write and Write What You Enjoy

We hope that our list of topics helped find good rhetorical analysis topics. Pick any idea and develop it into a unique essay. Personal involvement means a lot when it comes to analysis, especially of a rhetorical nature. Since it requires taking firm position on a subject, you should have an actual interest in it. Remember what stories you’ve read before, think about the last inspirational or funny speech, and you’re ready to go!

But if something else is bothering you and you don’t feel up to looking for topics for rhetorical analysis, let us know. We’ve been assisting students in different ways including essay, research paper of coursework writing service  for quite a while, so we could help figure out which theme to choose or even craft an essay in your stead. Explain your requirements, talk with your specialist, and get your essay done right by your deadline.

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How to Write a Rhetorical Analysis Essay–Examples & Template

topics to write rhetorical analysis on

What is a Rhetorical Analysis Essay?

A rhetorical analysis essay is, as the name suggests, an analysis of someone else’s writing (or speech, or advert, or even cartoon) and how they use not only words but also rhetorical techniques to influence their audience in a certain way. A rhetorical analysis is less interested in what the author is saying and more in how they present it, what effect this has on their readers, whether they achieve their goals, and what approach they use to get there. 

Its structure is similar to that of most essays: An Introduction presents your thesis, a Body analyzes the text you have chosen, breaks it down into sections and explains how arguments have been constructed and how each part persuades, informs, or entertains the reader, and a Conclusion section sums up your evaluation. 

Note that your personal opinion on the matter is not relevant for your analysis and that you don’t state anywhere in your essay whether you agree or disagree with the stance the author takes.

In the following, we will define the key rhetorical concepts you need to write a good rhetorical analysis and give you some practical tips on where to start.

Key Rhetorical Concepts

Your goal when writing a rhetorical analysis is to think about and then carefully describe how the author has designed their text so that it has the intended effect on their audience. To do that, you need to consider a number of key rhetorical strategies: Rhetorical appeals (“Ethos”, “Logos”, and “Pathos”), context, as well as claims, supports, and warrants.

Ethos, Logos, and Pathos were introduced by Aristotle, way back in the 4th century BC, as the main ways in which language can be used to persuade an audience. They still represent the basis of any rhetorical analysis and are often referred to as the “rhetorical triangle”. 

These and other rhetorical techniques can all be combined to create the intended effect, and your job as the one analyzing a text is to break the writer’s arguments down and identify the concepts they are based on.

Rhetorical Appeals

Rhetorical appeal #1: ethos.

Ethos refers to the reputation or authority of the writer regarding the topic of their essay or speech and to how they use this to appeal to their audience. Just like we are more likely to buy a product from a brand or vendor we have confidence in than one we don’t know or have reason to distrust, Ethos-driven texts or speeches rely on the reputation of the author to persuade the reader or listener. When you analyze an essay, you should therefore look at how the writer establishes Ethos through rhetorical devices.

Does the author present themselves as an authority on their subject? If so, how? 

Do they highlight how impeccable their own behavior is to make a moral argument? 

Do they present themselves as an expert by listing their qualifications or experience to convince the reader of their opinion on something?

Rhetorical appeal #2: Pathos

The purpose of Pathos-driven rhetoric is to appeal to the reader’s emotions. A common example of pathos as a rhetorical means is adverts by charities that try to make you donate money to a “good cause”. To evoke the intended emotions in the reader, an author may use passionate language, tell personal stories, and employ vivid imagery so that the reader can imagine themselves in a certain situation and feel empathy with or anger towards others.

Rhetorical appeal #3: Logos

Logos, the “logical” appeal, uses reason to persuade. Reason and logic, supported by data, evidence, clearly defined methodology, and well-constructed arguments, are what most academic writing is based on. Emotions, those of the researcher/writer as well as those of the reader, should stay out of such academic texts, as should anyone’s reputation, beliefs, or personal opinions. 

Text and Context

To analyze a piece of writing, a speech, an advertisement, or even a satirical drawing, you need to look beyond the piece of communication and take the context in which it was created and/or published into account. 

Who is the person who wrote the text/drew the cartoon/designed the ad..? What audience are they trying to reach? Where was the piece published and what was happening there around that time? 

A political speech, for example, can be powerful even when read decades later, but the historical context surrounding it is an important aspect of the effect it was intended to have. 

Claims, Supports, and Warrants

To make any kind of argument, a writer needs to put forward specific claims, support them with data or evidence or even a moral or emotional appeal, and connect the dots logically so that the reader can follow along and agree with the points made.

The connections between statements, so-called “warrants”, follow logical reasoning but are not always clearly stated—the author simply assumes the reader understands the underlying logic, whether they present it “explicitly” or “implicitly”. Implicit warrants are commonly used in advertisements where seemingly happy people use certain products, wear certain clothes, accessories, or perfumes, or live certain lifestyles – with the connotation that, first, the product/perfume/lifestyle is what makes that person happy and, second, the reader wants to be as happy as the person in the ad. Some warrants are never clearly stated, and your job when writing a rhetorical analysis essay is therefore to identify them and bring them to light, to evaluate their validity, their effect on the reader, and the use of such means by the writer/creator. 

bust of plato the philosopher, rhetorical analysis essay

What are the Five Rhetorical Situations?

A “rhetorical situation” refers to the circumstance behind a text or other piece of communication that arises from a given context. It explains why a rhetorical piece was created, what its purpose is, and how it was constructed to achieve its aims.

Rhetorical situations can be classified into the following five categories:

Asking such questions when you analyze a text will help you identify all the aspects that play a role in the effect it has on its audience, and will allow you to evaluate whether it achieved its aims or where it may have failed to do so.

Rhetorical Analysis Essay Outline

Analyzing someone else’s work can seem like a big task, but as with every assignment or writing endeavor, you can break it down into smaller, well-defined steps that give you a practical structure to follow. 

To give you an example of how the different parts of your text may look when it’s finished, we will provide you with some excerpts from this rhetorical analysis essay example (which even includes helpful comments) published on the Online Writing Lab website of Excelsior University in Albany, NY. The text that this essay analyzes is this article on why one should or shouldn’t buy an Ipad. If you want more examples so that you can build your own rhetorical analysis template, have a look at this essay on Nabokov’s Lolita and the one provided here about the “Shitty First Drafts” chapter of Anne Lamott’s writing instruction book “Bird by Bird”.

Analyzing the Text

When writing a rhetorical analysis, you don’t choose the concepts or key points you think are relevant or want to address. Rather, you carefully read the text several times asking yourself questions like those listed in the last section on rhetorical situations to identify how the text “works” and how it was written to achieve that effect.

Start with focusing on the author : What do you think was their purpose for writing the text? Do they make one principal claim and then elaborate on that? Or do they discuss different topics? 

Then look at what audience they are talking to: Do they want to make a group of people take some action? Vote for someone? Donate money to a good cause? Who are these people? Is the text reaching this specific audience? Why or why not?

What tone is the author using to address their audience? Are they trying to evoke sympathy? Stir up anger? Are they writing from a personal perspective? Are they painting themselves as an authority on the topic? Are they using academic or informal language?

How does the author support their claims ? What kind of evidence are they presenting? Are they providing explicit or implicit warrants? Are these warrants valid or problematic? Is the provided evidence convincing?  

Asking yourself such questions will help you identify what rhetorical devices a text uses and how well they are put together to achieve a certain aim. Remember, your own opinion and whether you agree with the author are not the point of a rhetorical analysis essay – your task is simply to take the text apart and evaluate it.

If you are still confused about how to write a rhetorical analysis essay, just follow the steps outlined below to write the different parts of your rhetorical analysis: As every other essay, it consists of an Introduction , a Body (the actual analysis), and a Conclusion .

Rhetorical Analysis Introduction

The Introduction section briefly presents the topic of the essay you are analyzing, the author, their main claims, a short summary of the work by you, and your thesis statement . 

Tell the reader what the text you are going to analyze represents (e.g., historically) or why it is relevant (e.g., because it has become some kind of reference for how something is done). Describe what the author claims, asserts, or implies and what techniques they use to make their argument and persuade their audience. Finish off with your thesis statement that prepares the reader for what you are going to present in the next section – do you think that the author’s assumptions/claims/arguments were presented in a logical/appealing/powerful way and reached their audience as intended?

Have a look at an excerpt from the sample essay linked above to see what a rhetorical analysis introduction can look like. See how it introduces the author and article , the context in which it originally appeared , the main claims the author makes , and how this first paragraph ends in a clear thesis statement that the essay will then elaborate on in the following Body section:

Cory Doctorow ’s article on BoingBoing is an older review of the iPad , one of Apple’s most famous products. At the time of this article, however, the iPad was simply the latest Apple product to hit the market and was not yet so popular. Doctorow’s entire career has been entrenched in and around technology. He got his start as a CD-ROM programmer and is now a successful blogger and author. He is currently the co-editor of the BoingBoing blog on which this article was posted. One of his main points in this article comes from Doctorow’s passionate advocacy of free digital media sharing. He argues that the iPad is just another way for established technology companies to control our technological freedom and creativity . In “ Why I Won’t Buy an iPad (and Think You Shouldn’t, Either) ” published on Boing Boing in April of 2010, Cory Doctorow successfully uses his experience with technology, facts about the company Apple, and appeals to consumer needs to convince potential iPad buyers that Apple and its products, specifically the iPad, limit the digital rights of those who use them by controlling and mainstreaming the content that can be used and created on the device . 

Doing the Rhetorical Analysis

The main part of your analysis is the Body , where you dissect the text in detail. Explain what methods the author uses to inform, entertain, and/or persuade the audience. Use Aristotle’s rhetorical triangle and the other key concepts we introduced above. Use quotations from the essay to demonstrate what you mean. Work out why the writer used a certain approach and evaluate (and again, demonstrate using the text itself) how successful they were. Evaluate the effect of each rhetorical technique you identify on the audience and judge whether the effect is in line with the author’s intentions.

To make it easy for the reader to follow your thought process, divide this part of your essay into paragraphs that each focus on one strategy or one concept , and make sure they are all necessary and contribute to the development of your argument(s).

One paragraph of this section of your essay could, for example, look like this:

One example of Doctorow’s position is his comparison of Apple’s iStore to Wal-Mart. This is an appeal to the consumer’s logic—or an appeal to logos. Doctorow wants the reader to take his comparison and consider how an all-powerful corporation like the iStore will affect them. An iPad will only allow for apps and programs purchased through the iStore to be run on it; therefore, a customer must not only purchase an iPad but also any programs he or she wishes to use. Customers cannot create their own programs or modify the hardware in any way. 

As you can see, the author of this sample essay identifies and then explains to the reader how Doctorow uses the concept of Logos to appeal to his readers – not just by pointing out that he does it but by dissecting how it is done.

Rhetorical Analysis Conclusion

The conclusion section of your analysis should restate your main arguments and emphasize once more whether you think the author achieved their goal. Note that this is not the place to introduce new information—only rely on the points you have discussed in the body of your essay. End with a statement that sums up the impact the text has on its audience and maybe society as a whole:

Overall, Doctorow makes a good argument about why there are potentially many better things to drop a great deal of money on instead of the iPad. He gives some valuable information and facts that consumers should take into consideration before going out to purchase the new device. He clearly uses rhetorical tools to help make his case, and, overall, he is effective as a writer, even if, ultimately, he was ineffective in convincing the world not to buy an iPad . 

Frequently Asked Questions about Rhetorical Analysis Essays 

What is a rhetorical analysis essay.

A rhetorical analysis dissects a text or another piece of communication to work out and explain how it impacts its audience, how successfully it achieves its aims, and what rhetorical devices it uses to do that. 

While argumentative essays usually take a stance on a certain topic and argue for it, a rhetorical analysis identifies how someone else constructs their arguments and supports their claims.

What is the correct rhetorical analysis essay format?

Like most other essays, a rhetorical analysis contains an Introduction that presents the thesis statement, a Body that analyzes the piece of communication, explains how arguments have been constructed, and illustrates how each part persuades, informs, or entertains the reader, and a Conclusion section that summarizes the results of the analysis. 

What is the “rhetorical triangle”?

The rhetorical triangle was introduced by Aristotle as the main ways in which language can be used to persuade an audience: Logos appeals to the audience’s reason, Ethos to the writer’s status or authority, and Pathos to the reader’s emotions. Logos, Ethos, and Pathos can all be combined to create the intended effect, and your job as the one analyzing a text is to break the writer’s arguments down and identify what specific concepts each is based on.

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How to write a rhetorical analysis

Rhetorical analysis illustration

What is a rhetorical analysis?

What are the key concepts of a rhetorical analysis, rhetorical situation, claims, supports, and warrants.

  • Step 1: Plan and prepare
  • Step 2: Write your introduction
  • Step 3: Write the body
  • Step 4: Write your conclusion

Frequently Asked Questions about rhetorical analysis

Related articles.

Rhetoric is the art of persuasion and aims to study writers’ or speakers' techniques to inform, persuade, or motivate their audience. Thus, a rhetorical analysis aims to explore the goals and motivations of an author, the techniques they’ve used to reach their audience, and how successful these techniques were.

This will generally involve analyzing a specific text and considering the following aspects to connect the rhetorical situation to the text:

  • Does the author successfully support the thesis or claims made in the text? Here, you’ll analyze whether the author holds to their argument consistently throughout the text or whether they wander off-topic at some point.
  • Does the author use evidence effectively considering the text’s intended audience? Here, you’ll consider the evidence used by the author to support their claims and whether the evidence resonates with the intended audience.
  • What rhetorical strategies the author uses to achieve their goals. Here, you’ll consider the word choices by the author and whether these word choices align with their agenda for the text.
  • The tone of the piece. Here, you’ll consider the tone used by the author in writing the piece by looking at specific words and aspects that set the tone.
  • Whether the author is objective or trying to convince the audience of a particular viewpoint. When it comes to objectivity, you’ll consider whether the author is objective or holds a particular viewpoint they want to convince the audience of. If they are, you’ll also consider whether their persuasion interferes with how the text is read and understood.
  • Does the author correctly identify the intended audience? It’s important to consider whether the author correctly writes the text for the intended audience and what assumptions the author makes about the audience.
  • Does the text make sense? Here, you’ll consider whether the author effectively reasons, based on the evidence, to arrive at the text’s conclusion.
  • Does the author try to appeal to the audience’s emotions? You’ll need to consider whether the author uses any words, ideas, or techniques to appeal to the audience’s emotions.
  • Can the author be believed? Finally, you’ll consider whether the audience will accept the arguments and ideas of the author and why.

Summing up, unlike summaries that focus on what an author said, a rhetorical analysis focuses on how it’s said, and it doesn’t rely on an analysis of whether the author was right or wrong but rather how they made their case to arrive at their conclusions.

Although rhetorical analysis is most used by academics as part of scholarly work, it can be used to analyze any text including speeches, novels, television shows or films, advertisements, or cartoons.

Now that we’ve seen what rhetorical analysis is, let’s consider some of its key concepts .

Any rhetorical analysis starts with the rhetorical situation which identifies the relationships between the different elements of the text. These elements include the audience, author or writer, the author’s purpose, the delivery method or medium, and the content:

  • Audience: The audience is simply the readers of a specific piece of text or content or printed material. For speeches or other mediums like film and video, the audience would be the listeners or viewers. Depending on the specific piece of text or the author’s perception, the audience might be real, imagined, or invoked. With a real audience, the author writes to the people actually reading or listening to the content while, for an imaginary audience, the author writes to an audience they imagine would read the content. Similarly, for an invoked audience, the author writes explicitly to a specific audience.
  • Author or writer: The author or writer, also commonly referred to as the rhetor in the context of rhetorical analysis, is the person or the group of persons who authored the text or content.
  • The author’s purpose: The author’s purpose is the author’s reason for communicating to the audience. In other words, the author’s purpose encompasses what the author expects or intends to achieve with the text or content.
  • Alphabetic text includes essays, editorials, articles, speeches, and other written pieces.
  • Imaging includes website and magazine advertisements, TV commercials, and the like.
  • Audio includes speeches, website advertisements, radio or tv commercials, or podcasts.
  • Context: The context of the text or content considers the time, place, and circumstances surrounding the delivery of the text to its audience. With respect to context, it might often also be helpful to analyze the text in a different context to determine its impact on a different audience and in different circumstances.

An author will use claims, supports, and warrants to build the case around their argument, irrespective of whether the argument is logical and clearly defined or needs to be inferred by the audience:

  • Claim: The claim is the main idea or opinion of an argument that the author must prove to the intended audience. In other words, the claim is the fact or facts the author wants to convince the audience of. Claims are usually explicitly stated but can, depending on the specific piece of content or text, be implied from the content. Although these claims could be anything and an argument may be based on a single or several claims, the key is that these claims should be debatable.
  • Support: The supports are used by the author to back up the claims they make in their argument. These supports can include anything from fact-based, objective evidence to subjective emotional appeals and personal experiences used by the author to convince the audience of a specific claim. Either way, the stronger and more reliable the supports, the more likely the audience will be to accept the claim.
  • Warrant: The warrants are the logic and assumptions that connect the supports to the claims. In other words, they’re the assumptions that make the initial claim possible. The warrant is often unstated, and the author assumes that the audience will be able to understand the connection between the claims and supports. In turn, this is based on the author’s assumption that they share a set of values and beliefs with the audience that will make them understand the connection mentioned above. Conversely, if the audience doesn’t share these beliefs and values with the author, the argument will not be that effective.

Appeals are used by authors to convince their audience and, as such, are an integral part of the rhetoric and are often referred to as the rhetorical triangle. As a result, an author may combine all three appeals to convince their audience:

  • Ethos: Ethos represents the authority or credibility of the author. To be successful, the author needs to convince the audience of their authority or credibility through the language and delivery techniques they use. This will, for example, be the case where an author writing on a technical subject positions themselves as an expert or authority by referring to their qualifications or experience.
  • Logos: Logos refers to the reasoned argument the author uses to persuade their audience. In other words, it refers to the reasons or evidence the author proffers in substantiation of their claims and can include facts, statistics, and other forms of evidence. For this reason, logos is also the dominant approach in academic writing where authors present and build up arguments using reasoning and evidence.
  • Pathos: Through pathos, also referred to as the pathetic appeal, the author attempts to evoke the audience’s emotions through the use of, for instance, passionate language, vivid imagery, anger, sympathy, or any other emotional response.

To write a rhetorical analysis, you need to follow the steps below:

With a rhetorical analysis, you don’t choose concepts in advance and apply them to a specific text or piece of content. Rather, you’ll have to analyze the text to identify the separate components and plan and prepare your analysis accordingly.

Here, it might be helpful to use the SOAPSTone technique to identify the components of the work. SOAPSTone is a common acronym in analysis and represents the:

  • Speaker . Here, you’ll identify the author or the narrator delivering the content to the audience.
  • Occasion . With the occasion, you’ll identify when and where the story takes place and what the surrounding context is.
  • Audience . Here, you’ll identify who the audience or intended audience is.
  • Purpose . With the purpose, you’ll need to identify the reason behind the text or what the author wants to achieve with their writing.
  • Subject . You’ll also need to identify the subject matter or topic of the text.
  • Tone . The tone identifies the author’s feelings towards the subject matter or topic.

Apart from gathering the information and analyzing the components mentioned above, you’ll also need to examine the appeals the author uses in writing the text and attempting to persuade the audience of their argument. Moreover, you’ll need to identify elements like word choice, word order, repetition, analogies, and imagery the writer uses to get a reaction from the audience.

Once you’ve gathered the information and examined the appeals and strategies used by the author as mentioned above, you’ll need to answer some questions relating to the information you’ve collected from the text. The answers to these questions will help you determine the reasons for the choices the author made and how well these choices support the overall argument.

Here, some of the questions you’ll ask include:

  • What was the author’s intention?
  • Who was the intended audience?
  • What is the author’s argument?
  • What strategies does the author use to build their argument and why do they use those strategies?
  • What appeals the author uses to convince and persuade the audience?
  • What effect the text has on the audience?

Keep in mind that these are just some of the questions you’ll ask, and depending on the specific text, there might be others.

Once you’ve done your preparation, you can start writing the rhetorical analysis. It will start off with an introduction which is a clear and concise paragraph that shows you understand the purpose of the text and gives more information about the author and the relevance of the text.

The introduction also summarizes the text and the main ideas you’ll discuss in your analysis. Most importantly, however, is your thesis statement . This statement should be one sentence at the end of the introduction that summarizes your argument and tempts your audience to read on and find out more about it.

After your introduction, you can proceed with the body of your analysis. Here, you’ll write at least three paragraphs that explain the strategies and techniques used by the author to convince and persuade the audience, the reasons why the writer used this approach, and why it’s either successful or unsuccessful.

You can structure the body of your analysis in several ways. For example, you can deal with every strategy the author uses in a new paragraph, but you can also structure the body around the specific appeals the author used or chronologically.

No matter how you structure the body and your paragraphs, it’s important to remember that you support each one of your arguments with facts, data, examples, or quotes and that, at the end of every paragraph, you tie the topic back to your original thesis.

Finally, you’ll write the conclusion of your rhetorical analysis. Here, you’ll repeat your thesis statement and summarize the points you’ve made in the body of your analysis. Ultimately, the goal of the conclusion is to pull the points of your analysis together so you should be careful to not raise any new issues in your conclusion.

After you’ve finished your conclusion, you’ll end your analysis with a powerful concluding statement of why your argument matters and an invitation to conduct more research if needed.

A rhetorical analysis aims to explore the goals and motivations of an author, the techniques they’ve used to reach their audience, and how successful these techniques were. Although rhetorical analysis is most used by academics as part of scholarly work, it can be used to analyze any text including speeches, novels, television shows or films, advertisements, or cartoons.

The steps to write a rhetorical analysis include:

Your rhetorical analysis introduction is a clear and concise paragraph that shows you understand the purpose of the text and gives more information about the author and the relevance of the text. The introduction also summarizes the text and the main ideas you’ll discuss in your analysis.

Ethos represents the authority or credibility of the author. To be successful, the author needs to convince the audience of their authority or credibility through the language and delivery techniques they use. This will, for example, be the case where an author writing on a technical subject positions themselves as an expert or authority by referring to their qualifications or experience.

Appeals are used by authors to convince their audience and, as such, are an integral part of the rhetoric and are often referred to as the rhetorical triangle. The 3 types of appeals are ethos, logos, and pathos.

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What Is a Rhetorical Analysis and How to Write a Great One

Helly Douglas

Helly Douglas

Cover image for article

Do you have to write a rhetorical analysis essay? Fear not! We’re here to explain exactly what rhetorical analysis means, how you should structure your essay, and give you some essential “dos and don’ts.”

What is a Rhetorical Analysis Essay?

How do you write a rhetorical analysis, what are the three rhetorical strategies, what are the five rhetorical situations, how to plan a rhetorical analysis essay, creating a rhetorical analysis essay, examples of great rhetorical analysis essays, final thoughts.

A rhetorical analysis essay studies how writers and speakers have used words to influence their audience. Think less about the words the author has used and more about the techniques they employ, their goals, and the effect this has on the audience.

Image showing definitions

In your analysis essay, you break a piece of text (including cartoons, adverts, and speeches) into sections and explain how each part works to persuade, inform, or entertain. You’ll explore the effectiveness of the techniques used, how the argument has been constructed, and give examples from the text.

A strong rhetorical analysis evaluates a text rather than just describes the techniques used. You don’t include whether you personally agree or disagree with the argument.

Structure a rhetorical analysis in the same way as most other types of academic essays . You’ll have an introduction to present your thesis, a main body where you analyze the text, which then leads to a conclusion.

Think about how the writer (also known as a rhetor) considers the situation that frames their communication:

  • Topic: the overall purpose of the rhetoric
  • Audience: this includes primary, secondary, and tertiary audiences
  • Purpose: there are often more than one to consider
  • Context and culture: the wider situation within which the rhetoric is placed

Back in the 4th century BC, Aristotle was talking about how language can be used as a means of persuasion. He described three principal forms —Ethos, Logos, and Pathos—often referred to as the Rhetorical Triangle . These persuasive techniques are still used today.

Image showing rhetorical strategies

Rhetorical Strategy 1: Ethos

Are you more likely to buy a car from an established company that’s been an important part of your community for 50 years, or someone new who just started their business?

Reputation matters. Ethos explores how the character, disposition, and fundamental values of the author create appeal, along with their expertise and knowledge in the subject area.

Aristotle breaks ethos down into three further categories:

  • Phronesis: skills and practical wisdom
  • Arete: virtue
  • Eunoia: goodwill towards the audience

Ethos-driven speeches and text rely on the reputation of the author. In your analysis, you can look at how the writer establishes ethos through both direct and indirect means.

Rhetorical Strategy 2: Pathos

Pathos-driven rhetoric hooks into our emotions. You’ll often see it used in advertisements, particularly by charities wanting you to donate money towards an appeal.

Common use of pathos includes:

  • Vivid description so the reader can imagine themselves in the situation
  • Personal stories to create feelings of empathy
  • Emotional vocabulary that evokes a response

By using pathos to make the audience feel a particular emotion, the author can persuade them that the argument they’re making is compelling.

Rhetorical Strategy 3: Logos

Logos uses logic or reason. It’s commonly used in academic writing when arguments are created using evidence and reasoning rather than an emotional response. It’s constructed in a step-by-step approach that builds methodically to create a powerful effect upon the reader.

Rhetoric can use any one of these three techniques, but effective arguments often appeal to all three elements.

The rhetorical situation explains the circumstances behind and around a piece of rhetoric. It helps you think about why a text exists, its purpose, and how it’s carried out.

Image showing 5 rhetorical situations

The rhetorical situations are:

  • 1) Purpose: Why is this being written? (It could be trying to inform, persuade, instruct, or entertain.)
  • 2) Audience: Which groups or individuals will read and take action (or have done so in the past)?
  • 3) Genre: What type of writing is this?
  • 4) Stance: What is the tone of the text? What position are they taking?
  • 5) Media/Visuals: What means of communication are used?

Understanding and analyzing the rhetorical situation is essential for building a strong essay. Also think about any rhetoric restraints on the text, such as beliefs, attitudes, and traditions that could affect the author's decisions.

Before leaping into your essay, it’s worth taking time to explore the text at a deeper level and considering the rhetorical situations we looked at before. Throw away your assumptions and use these simple questions to help you unpick how and why the text is having an effect on the audience.

Image showing what to consider when planning a rhetorical essay

1: What is the Rhetorical Situation?

  • Why is there a need or opportunity for persuasion?
  • How do words and references help you identify the time and location?
  • What are the rhetoric restraints?
  • What historical occasions would lead to this text being created?

2: Who is the Author?

  • How do they position themselves as an expert worth listening to?
  • What is their ethos?
  • Do they have a reputation that gives them authority?
  • What is their intention?
  • What values or customs do they have?

3: Who is it Written For?

  • Who is the intended audience?
  • How is this appealing to this particular audience?
  • Who are the possible secondary and tertiary audiences?

4: What is the Central Idea?

  • Can you summarize the key point of this rhetoric?
  • What arguments are used?
  • How has it developed a line of reasoning?

5: How is it Structured?

  • What structure is used?
  • How is the content arranged within the structure?

6: What Form is Used?

  • Does this follow a specific literary genre?
  • What type of style and tone is used, and why is this?
  • Does the form used complement the content?
  • What effect could this form have on the audience?

7: Is the Rhetoric Effective?

  • Does the content fulfil the author’s intentions?
  • Does the message effectively fit the audience, location, and time period?

Once you’ve fully explored the text, you’ll have a better understanding of the impact it’s having on the audience and feel more confident about writing your essay outline.

A great essay starts with an interesting topic. Choose carefully so you’re personally invested in the subject and familiar with it rather than just following trending topics. There are lots of great ideas on this blog post by My Perfect Words if you need some inspiration. Take some time to do background research to ensure your topic offers good analysis opportunities.

Image showing considerations for a rhetorical analysis topic

Remember to check the information given to you by your professor so you follow their preferred style guidelines. This outline example gives you a general idea of a format to follow, but there will likely be specific requests about layout and content in your course handbook. It’s always worth asking your institution if you’re unsure.

Make notes for each section of your essay before you write. This makes it easy for you to write a well-structured text that flows naturally to a conclusion. You will develop each note into a paragraph. Look at this example by College Essay for useful ideas about the structure.

Image showing how to structure an essay

1: Introduction

This is a short, informative section that shows you understand the purpose of the text. It tempts the reader to find out more by mentioning what will come in the main body of your essay.

  • Name the author of the text and the title of their work followed by the date in parentheses
  • Use a verb to describe what the author does, e.g. “implies,” “asserts,” or “claims”
  • Briefly summarize the text in your own words
  • Mention the persuasive techniques used by the rhetor and its effect

Create a thesis statement to come at the end of your introduction.

After your introduction, move on to your critical analysis. This is the principal part of your essay.

  • Explain the methods used by the author to inform, entertain, and/or persuade the audience using Aristotle's rhetorical triangle
  • Use quotations to prove the statements you make
  • Explain why the writer used this approach and how successful it is
  • Consider how it makes the audience feel and react

Make each strategy a new paragraph rather than cramming them together, and always use proper citations. Check back to your course handbook if you’re unsure which citation style is preferred.

3: Conclusion

Your conclusion should summarize the points you’ve made in the main body of your essay. While you will draw the points together, this is not the place to introduce new information you’ve not previously mentioned.

Use your last sentence to share a powerful concluding statement that talks about the impact the text has on the audience(s) and wider society. How have its strategies helped to shape history?

Before You Submit

Poor spelling and grammatical errors ruin a great essay. Use ProWritingAid to check through your finished essay before you submit. It will pick up all the minor errors you’ve missed and help you give your essay a final polish. Look at this useful ProWritingAid webinar for further ideas to help you significantly improve your essays. Sign up for a free trial today and start editing your essays!

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You’ll find countless examples of rhetorical analysis online, but they range widely in quality. Your institution may have example essays they can share with you to show you exactly what they’re looking for.

The following links should give you a good starting point if you’re looking for ideas:

Pearson Canada has a range of good examples. Look at how embedded quotations are used to prove the points being made. The end questions help you unpick how successful each essay is.

Excelsior College has an excellent sample essay complete with useful comments highlighting the techniques used.

Brighton Online has a selection of interesting essays to look at. In this specific example, consider how wider reading has deepened the exploration of the text.

Image showing tips when reading a sample essay

Writing a rhetorical analysis essay can seem daunting, but spending significant time deeply analyzing the text before you write will make it far more achievable and result in a better-quality essay overall.

It can take some time to write a good essay. Aim to complete it well before the deadline so you don’t feel rushed. Use ProWritingAid’s comprehensive checks to find any errors and make changes to improve readability. Then you’ll be ready to submit your finished essay, knowing it’s as good as you can possibly make it.

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Helly Douglas is a UK writer and teacher, specialising in education, children, and parenting. She loves making the complex seem simple through blogs, articles, and curriculum content. You can check out her work at hellydouglas.com or connect on Twitter @hellydouglas. When she’s not writing, you will find her in a classroom, being a mum or battling against the wilderness of her garden—the garden is winning!

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200 Rhetorical Analysis Topics For Academic Writing

rhetorical analysis topics

What is the big deal about rhetorical analysis topics? Did your teacher give you a rhetorical analysis assignment? You might have noticed your colleagues scrambling around to find good rhetorical analysis essay topics. Maybe you have been brainstorming on topics that you can write on but have found none.

What you need is a rhetorical analysis topics list! Where would you find good topics to write a rhetorical analysis on, though? Well, here of course! But, before we provide you with our list of 200 topics for rhetorical analysis, why are rhetorical analysis essay topics such a big deal? What is a good topic for a rhetorical analysis essay? All these topics and more have been answered for you in this article.

What is a Rhetorical Analysis Essay?

Pick our rhetorical analysis topics, topics for rhetorical analysis essays, rhetorical analysis topics on speeches, rhetorical analysis topics on movies, rhetorical analysis topics on fiction, rhetorical analysis topics on poetry, rhetorical analysis topics on journals or newspaper articles, rhetorical analysis topics on non-fiction, rhetorical analysis topics on advertisements, comparative rhetorical analysis essay topics, how do you choose your rhetorical analysis essay topic.

Rhetorical Analysis is a type of academic writing that involves analyzing the effect of a literary piece, whether visual art, film, or written literature. The analysis should include an argument where the writer takes a position and defends that stance.

You need to understand the literary piece for your rhetorical analysis paper topics. Information is an essential part of this type of essay. Therefore, the foundation of your essay (the literary piece) has to be one you understand well. This requirement makes the topic of your rhetorical analysis important. Once you get a topic you can conveniently write, it becomes easier to do a rhetorical analysis. It would even help you develop your critical thinking abilities.

As the writer, you have to understand the purpose of the original content to do a rhetorical analysis. While the rhetorical analysis essay papers might differ due to the object of analysis, the structure of a rhetorical analysis always remains the same.

Note that a rhetorical analysis is not the same as a narrative essay or reflective analysis. However, what you think about the object of analysis is still important. You would therefore be better off picking good rhetorical analysis topics that you connect with closely.

We have provided some rhetorical analysis example topics that you can go through and choose one that appeals to you. Check out all of them below!

Rhetorical analysis essays are quite easy if you have the right topics. You can check out these general topics for a rhetorical analysis paper.

  • Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice
  • Shirley Jackson’s The Lottery
  • Mark Twain’s Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
  • Chuck Palahniuk’s Fight Club
  • Primary Themes in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland
  • Van Gogh’s A Starry Night
  • Donald Trump’s Presidential Speech
  • George Orwell’s Animal Farm
  • Wilson Rawls’ Where the Red Fern Grows
  • Rachel Palatten’s Fight Song
  • Edgar Allen Poe’s Raven
  • Joseph Stiglitz’ The Price of Inequality
  • William Shakespeare’s King Lear
  • The Last Supper by Leonardo
  • The Canterbury Tales
  • Toni Morrison’s Beloved
  • Maya Angelou’s I am Human
  • Sophocles’ Antigone
  • Barack Obama’s Eulogy for Beau Biden
  • The Hunger Games movie

The following topics above will give you an idea into what rhetorical analysis topics look like. Now we would give you more specific examples based on the different objects of analysis for current rhetorical analysis topics.

You can analyze the speeches of important personalities and make arguments on them for a rhetorical analysis. Some of these speeches were made in movies. However, the strength of the speech is worth mention. Here are examples of great speeches that you can use;

  • Martin Luther King Jr. – I Have a Dream
  • Martin Luther King Jr. – Letter for Birmingham Jail
  • Huey Pierce Long – Every Man a King
  • Clarence Seward Darrow – Mercy for Leopold and Loeb
  • Ronald Regan – The Evil Empire
  • Ronald Regan – A Time for Choosing
  • Anna Eleanor Roosevelt – The Struggle for Human Rights
  • Priyanka Chopra – Full Power of Women
  • President John F. Kenndy – Inaugural Address
  • Nelson Mandela – I am Prepared to Die
  • Chief Joseph – Surrender
  • Charlie Chaplin – The Great Dictator
  • MLK – The Other America
  • Bob Dylan – Banquet Speech
  • Virginia Woolf – A Room of One’s Own
  • Emma Goldman’s Address to the Jury
  • Finding Forrester’s Speech
  • Malala Yousafzai’s – Youth Takeover of the United Nations Speech
  • Queen Elizabeth – Spanish Armanda Speech of 1588
  • Ashton Kutcher – Teen Choice Awards
  • Alexander the Great Speech
  • Soul of a Man in Remember the Titans
  • The Farther From Home I Feel in Saving Private Ryan
  • Pink’s VMA Acceptance Speech in 2017
  • Seize the Day from Dead Poets Society

Whether it is the standard speech from past presidents that appeal to you or the more unusual speeches from movies and acceptance awards, with this list, you would find one for your essay. All you have to do is take your time to understand the speech and develop your argument on it.

Any iconic movie that you have watched can serve as the basis of your rhetorical analysis. It doesn’t matter the type of movie as long as you can supply and defend a reasonable argument on it. Watched a lot of movies and don’t know where to start? Check out our list of easy rhetorical analysis topics on movies!

  • Wuthering Heights
  • A Streetcar Named Desire
  • Manhattan Project
  • Jurassic Park
  • Almost Famous
  • The Phantom of the Opera
  • The Insider
  • Man of Steel
  • Romeo and Juliet
  • To Kill a Mockingbird
  • Enola Holmes
  • YOU – A Netflix Series
  • The Blind Side
  • The Fault in Our Stars
  • Avengers: Endgame
  • The Lottery
  • Harry Potter
  • Pulp Fiction
  • The Princess Diaries
  • The Shawshank Redemption
  • Requiem for a Dream
  • American Beauty
  • The Godfather

For a rhetorical analysis on a movie, you can decide to pick out an interesting monologue or character from the movie, instead of doing the entire movie. It would help you have a more focused essay without jumbling many things together in the movie.

Fictional writing is a work of the imagination. This type of writing often contains elements that you might not actually find in reality. However, to carry out a rhetorical analysis, you need to figure out the intention of the author for bringing all these elements together.

Based on the themes in the fiction, you can focus your rhetorical analysis on an element used in the book. We have highlighted some good rhetorical analysis essay topics on fiction and what your essay could focus on in the book below.

  • The Things They Carry – Theme of War
  • The Great Gatsby – Rhetorical Features
  • The Catcher in the Rye – Character Revelation
  • The Heretic’s Daughter – Theme of Justice
  • Millennium Hall – Narrative Style
  • All the Light We Cannot See – Simple Language
  • The Night Circus – Character Presentation
  • Exit West – Love and Crisis
  • Lord of the Flies – Civilization against Savagery
  • One Hundred Years of Solitude – Theme of Elitism
  • Lincoln in the Bardo – Humanism
  • Nothing Can Possibly Go Wrong – Writing Techniques
  • The Poet X – Confrontation
  • Code Name Verity – Friendship
  • Of Mice and Men – Theme of Dreams
  • The Vegetarian – Language of Shame
  • The Tempest – Theme of Love
  • Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? – Empathy
  • The Alchemist – Character Development
  • The Sense of an Ending – Rhetorical Devices
  • Love Liberates by Maya Angelou
  • And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie
  • Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller
  • The Slipover Sweater – Human Behavior
  • The Secret Life of Violet Grant – Language of Mystery

Beyond these examples provided, you can create your rhetorical analysis essay topic yourself by picking any fictional piece and writing on a theme or character in it. Ensure you read the book and truly understand it before you set out to write though.

Yes, when we said you can carry out a rhetorical analysis on almost any subject, we meant it. A poem has such elevated style that you would enjoy carrying out a rhetorical analysis. It is all about picking the right poem and knowing what you should highlight.

We have selected a few poems that make good topics for rhetorical analysis. You would find good rhetorical analysis topic ideas below.

  • William Butler Yeats’ Brown Penny
  • Sylvia Path’s Daddy
  • Langston Hughes’ Let America Be America Again
  • Gwendolyn Brooks’ The Mother
  • William Blake’s A Poison Tree
  • Robert Burns’ A Red, Red Rose
  • Stephen Crane’s Fast Rode the Knight
  • Mary Oliver’s August
  • Edgar Allan Poe’s A Dream within a Dream
  • Emily Dickinson’s There is Another Sky
  • H. Auden’s Funeral Blues
  • E. Cummings’ I Carry Your Heart with Me
  • Maya Angelou’s Phenomenal Woman
  • Maya Angelou’s I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings
  • Langston Hughes’ Dream Deferred
  • Walt Whitman’s To You
  • Shel Silverstein’s Messy Room
  • Robert Frost’s Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening

You can make an argument on the tone, mood, language, or themes in these poems. However you decide to approach it, these poems are rich in meaning. You would enjoy wring on them.

Rhetorical Analysis can go beyond speeches, fictions, and poems. You can do a rhetorical analysis on an articles in newspapers and journals. It is the same process as other topics for rhetorical analysis essays only with a slightly different content.

You should understand the writer’s main objective. With this purpose in mind, you can understand the use of words and choice of title. You can also do a rhetorical analysis of controversial topics.

We have found some of the most popular rhetorical analysis essay topics based on journals and newspaper articles.

  • Forest Wilder’s He Who Casts the First Stone
  • William Deresiewicz’s Solitude and Leadership
  • James Medd’s The Little Pill That Could Cure Alcoholism
  • William Finnegan’s In the Name of the Law
  • Tim Zimmerman’s The Killer in the Pool
  • David Grann’s The Mark of a Masterpiece
  • John Bintin’s Mississippi’s Corrections Reform
  • Scott Carney’s Inside India’s Rent-A-Womb Business
  • Jonah Weiner’s Kanye West Has a Goblet
  • Richard Morgan’s Seven Years as a Freelance Writer
  • Anne Quinden’s Why Stuff is not Salvation
  • Mark Leibovich’s The Man the White House Wakes Up
  • Beth Kowitt’s Inside the Secret World of Trader Joe’s
  • Howard Jacobson’s On Taking Comic Novels Seriously
  • Nadya Labi’s Are You Sure You Want to Quit the World?
  • Zach Zorich’s Should We Clone Neanderthals?
  • Tom Bissell’s Video Games: the Addiction
  • Kenneth Jost’s Unrest in the Arab World
  • Joshua Bearman’s Art of the Steal
  • Wil S. Hylton’s Change. Reality.

Do you want to take it a notch higher and make it even more serious? A rhetorical analysis of a non-fiction book might just be what you need. You should research on the context of the book and the way it is written. Figure out the author’s purpose and the target audience. This knowledge would help you carry out an effective rhetorical analysis.

We have pointed out a few unique non-fictions with a major theme in some of the books that can be the focus of your analysis.

  • A Brief History of Time
  • I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings – Racism
  • Hiroshima – Trauma
  • H is for Hawk – Grief
  • Never Cry Wolf
  • Fever Pitch – Fandom
  • How to Cook a Wolf
  • Dreams from my Father
  • Alexander Hamilton
  • Life on the Mississippi
  • The Medium is the Massage – Communication
  • Silent Spring – Persuasion
  • The Right Stuff – Heroism and Courage
  • Anne Frank: the Diary of a Young Girl
  • Goodbye to All That – Emotional Appeal
  • Shackleton’s Incredible Voyage
  • Out of Africa
  • In Cold Blood – Sympathy and Abuse
  • Night – Loss of Innocence
  • A Moveable Feast
  • The Year of Magical Thinking
  • A Nation Among Nations
  • Mini Habits: Smaller Habits, Bigger Results
  • The Status Syndrome
  • Guns, Germs, and Steel
  • The Spirit Level
  • The Ethics of Belief
  • Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God
  • Traveling Mercies
  • Easter Islands’ End

Don’t fall into the belief that non-fiction is not as interesting to analyze as fiction. If you do your research well and choose a text with a context that you can relate to, you would find a non-fiction rhetorical analysis essay topic just as interesting as a fictional one.

We see advertisements every day, whether we want to or not. You might have made at least one comment or two on an ad that you saw somewhere before. Do you know that you can turn those comments into your homework?

While advertisements are mostly short, you can still write rhetorical analysis topics for essay on them. Here are a few ads that should inspire you;

  • Red Bull – Red Bull Gives You Wings
  • Nike – There Is No Finish Line
  • M&M – Melts In Your Mouth, Not in Your Hands
  • McDonald’s – The Simpler, the Better
  • Apple – Think Different
  • Capital One – What’s In Your Wallet?
  • Disneyland – The Happiest Place on Earth
  • Coca Cola – Friendly Twist
  • Meow Mix – Tastes So Good, Cats Ask for It by Name
  • California Milk Processor Board – Got Milk?
  • Dunkin’ Donuts – America Runs on Dunkin
  • Lay’s – Betcha Can’t Eat Just One
  • The Mosaic Company – We Help the World Grow the Food It Needs
  • BMW – Designed for Driving Pleasure
  • Taco Bell – Think Outside the Bun
  • Gillette – The Best A Man Can Get
  • Panasonic – Ideas for Life
  • L’Oreal – Because You’re Worth It
  • Dollar Shave Club – Shave Time. Shave Money.
  • Harley Davidson – All for Freedom. Freedom for All.

Why have only one subject when you can have two? In comparative rhetorical analysis topics, you juxtapose two literary pieces against each other. All you have to do is pick an argument for each and detail where they agree or disagree in light of the content of the work.

  • The Breakfast Club Ending Scene vs. The Danger of a Single Story
  • Priyanka Chopra’s Full Power of Woman Emma Watson’s Power of Women
  • Susan Cain’s The Power of Introverts Don’t Let Others Stop You From Living your own Truth
  • Tim Urban’s Inside the Mind of a Master Procrastinator Mel Ribbons’ Five Second Rule
  • The Lottery The Hunger Games
  • Kid President’s Pep Talk Ellen’s Peopl’s Choice Humanitrian Award
  • Remember the Titans (Gettysburg Monologue) vs. The Gettysburg Address (Abraham Lincoln)
  • Kid President’s Pep Talk to Teachers and Students vs. Shane Koyczan’s To This Day: For the Bullied and the Beautiful
  • Nobel Peace Prize Speech by Malala Yousafzai vs. I am Prepared to Die by Nelson Mandela
  • Steve Jobs’ Stanford Commencement Speech 2005 Donovan Livington’s Harvard Graduation Speech

Now you have two hundred rhetorical analysis essay topics at your disposal. So, your problem is no longer what your topic would be but how to choose the right topic. We have provided pointers to help you.

  • Identify your target audience and think on things that would be new, yet interesting to them
  • Know the purpose of your writing. Is it to get a good grade or promote a cause?
  • Choose a topic that you find interesting. While it is essential to keep your audience in mind, don’t write entirely for them. Write on a topic you love and you would write better.
  • Create a rhetorical question from the subject of the essay. It would help you capture your reader’s attention from the start.
  • Analyze how the topic affects you, people around you, and your audience.
  • Research and get enough information before you start writing.
  • Contact an assignment helper in case you need help.

Once you have checked all these boxes, you can settle on the topic and start writing. You would find rhetorical analysis topics current issues easier with any of the topics we have provided above.

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topics to write rhetorical analysis on

How to Write a Rhetorical Analysis Essay

topics to write rhetorical analysis on

What Is a Rhetorical Analysis Essay: Definition

If you're tasked with defining -'what is a rhetorical analysis essay?', our dissertation service provides a thorough explanation of the topic.

A rhetorical analysis essay requires you to analyze a piece of writing, speech, or another form of communication to determine how effectively the author or speaker has used rhetorical strategies to convey their message. A rhetorical analysis aims to identify the techniques used by the author or speaker to persuade their audience and evaluate the effectiveness of those techniques in achieving the intended goal.

One rhetorical essay example might be an analysis of a political speech. In this case, you would examine how the speaker uses language, tone, and other rhetorical strategies to appeal to their audience. You would also evaluate how successfully those strategies convey the speaker's message. Another example of rhetorical analysis essay might be analyzing a piece of advertising. Here, you would examine how the advertiser uses visual and verbal cues to persuade their audience to buy a particular product or service, and you would evaluate the effectiveness of those cues in achieving that goal.

In short, a rhetorical analysis essay analyzes how language and other persuasive strategies are used to achieve a particular goal. By carefully examining the techniques used by an author or speaker, you can gain a deeper understanding of how language and persuasion work and develop your skills as a communicator.

Rhetorical Analysis Essay Prompt

When given a rhetorical analysis essay prompt, it is important to carefully analyze the prompt to understand the assignment's expectations. The prompt will typically provide you with a text to analyze and a set of specific questions or tasks to guide your analysis.

Here are two different prompts for rhetorical analysis examples:

  • Analyze the use of rhetorical strategies in Martin Luther King Jr.'s 'I Have a Dream' speech. Identify at least three specific rhetorical strategies used by King, and evaluate their effectiveness in achieving his goal of promoting civil rights for African Americans.
  • Analyze the use of visual rhetoric in a recent political advertisement. Identify the specific visual and verbal cues used by the ad's creator, and evaluate how those cues are used to persuade the viewer. Consider the ad's intended audience and the creator's goal in shaping the viewer's perception.

In both of these prompts, the key to a successful rhetorical analysis essay is to carefully analyze the text or visual rhetoric to identify the specific strategies used to persuade the audience and to evaluate the effectiveness of those strategies in achieving the intended goal.

Rhetorical Analysis Strategies

There are three universal methods of persuasion—also called rhetorical strategies. To handle the task, you need to have a good understanding of these strategies and their use.

So, what are the 3 rhetorical strategies? Let’s define each and look closer at their key attributes with our dissertation service :

The ethos rhetorical device is what establishes the author’s credibility in a literary piece. Simply put, the skillful use of this strategy is what helps readers determine whether or not a particular author can be trusted on a specific matter. Credibility is defined by the author’s expertise, knowledge, and moral competence for any particular subject. According to Aristotle, there are three categories of ethos: arete (virtue, goodwill), phronesis (useful skills & wisdom), and eunoia (goodwill towards the audience).

For example, when the author of a book is a well-known expert in a specific subject, or when a product is advertised by a famous person – these are uses of ethos for persuasion. 

According to the pathos literary definition, this Greek word translates to “experience,” “suffering,” or “emotion” and is one of the three methods of persuasion authors are able to use to appeal to their readers’ emotions. In a nutshell, the key goal of this strategy is to elicit certain feelings (e.g. happiness, sympathy, pity, anger, compassion, etc.) in their audience with the sole goal of persuading them of something. The main goal is to help readers relate to the author’s identity and ideas.

Some of the common ways to use pathos in rhetoric are through:

  • Storytelling;
  • Personal anecdotes, etc.

Just to give you an example, when you see an advertisement that shows sad, loveless animals and it asks you to donate money to an animal shelter or adopt an animal – that’s clear use of emotional appeal in persuasion.

According to the logos literary definition, this word translates from Greek as “ground,” “plea,” “reason,” “opinion,” etc. This rhetorical strategy is solely logical; so, unlike ethos or pathos that rely on credibility or emotions, the logos rhetorical device is used to persuade readers through the use of critical thinking, facts, numbers and statistics, and other undeniable data.

For example, when the author of a literary piece makes a statement and supports it with valid facts – that’s logos.

These three strategies: logos, ethos, and pathos play an essential role in writing a rhetorical analysis essay. The better you understand them, the easier you will be able to determine how successful the author of the assigned text was in using them. Now, let’s take a look at how to start.

Rhetorical Analysis Essay Example

For a better understanding, take a careful look at our analysis sample essay. This will serve as an inspiration for your assignment.

Rhetorical Analysis Essay Example:

Get a better idea of what’s needed to master this type of writing. Take a look at our rhetorical analysis essay example, which was written by one of our professional writers.

Choosing Rhetorical Analysis Topics

Choosing a rhetorical analysis topic can be a challenging task, but there are several strategies you can use to identify a suitable topic.

How to Write a Rhetorical Analysis Essay

  • Consider your interests and passion. Think about the texts that have had the most significant impact on you and that you feel passionate about analyzing. This can include speeches, essays, advertisements, or even social media posts.
  • Explore current events or issues that are relevant to your life or the lives of those around you . Analyzing a timely and relevant text can add depth and meaning to your analysis and may also make it more engaging to your audience.
  • Look for texts that have had a significant impact on society or culture. This could include classic speeches, historical documents, or even popular cultural texts such as music videos or movies.
  • Reflect on the scope of your analysis once you have identified a few potential topics. Make sure the text is complex enough to analyze in detail but not so dense or lengthy that it becomes overwhelming. Additionally, ensure enough information is available to support your analysis and provide context for your arguments.

Unique Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topics

Now if you're wondering - 'what is a rhetorical analysis essay example that stands out?', consider the following rhetorical analysis essay topics from our ' write my paper for me ' expert writers:

  • The rhetorical strategies used in a political speech
  • The effectiveness of an advertisement in persuading its target audience
  • The use of figurative language in a poem or song
  • The rhetorical techniques used in a famous historical document, such as the Declaration of Independence or the Gettysburg Address
  • The use of social media to convey a message or persuade an audience
  • The use of humor in a comedic TV show or movie
  • The rhetorical devices used in a TED talk or other popular talk
  • The use of imagery in a work of literature, such as a novel or short story
  • The persuasive techniques used in a persuasive essay or editorial
  • The use of language in a product review or critique of a work of art or literature.

High School Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topics

With these high school rhetorical analysis essay topics, you can start your analysis and produce a strong and effective essay.

  • The use of persuasive techniques in a political campaign ad
  • The rhetorical strategies used in a famous speech, such as Martin Luther King Jr.'s 'I Have a Dream' speech
  • The use of imagery and symbolism in a work of literature, such as William Golding's 'Lord of the Flies.'
  • The persuasive techniques used in a college application essay
  • The rhetorical devices used in a poem, such as Robert Frost's 'The Road Not Taken.'
  • The use of humor in a satirical TV show or movie
  • The rhetorical strategies used in a popular YouTube video or podcast
  • The use of emotional appeals in a charity or non-profit advertisement
  • The rhetorical devices used in a historical document, such as the Constitution or the Bill of Rights
  • The persuasive techniques used in a personal essay or memoir.

College Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topics

Here are ten college-level topics you can use for your ap rhetorical analysis essay:

  • The use of persuasive techniques in a political speech delivered by a contemporary leader
  • The rhetorical strategies used in a famous literary work, such as Toni Morrison's 'Beloved.'
  • The use of figurative language and literary devices in a contemporary poem or song
  • The persuasive techniques used in a corporate advertising campaign or public relations effort
  • The rhetorical devices used in a contemporary work of art, such as a painting or sculpture
  • The use of emotional appeals in a documentary or film exploring a social issue
  • The rhetorical strategies used in a scientific research paper or article
  • The use of humor and satire in a contemporary TV show or movie
  • The persuasive techniques used in a political opinion editorial published in a major newspaper or online media outlet
  • The rhetorical devices used in a speech delivered at a significant historical event, such as the Stonewall Riots or the March on Washington.

2023 Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topics

Here are some unique rhetorical analysis essay topics for 2023 from our essay writing service :

  • The use of rhetorical strategies in a popular TikTok video or trend
  • The persuasive techniques used in a social media influencer's sponsored post
  • The rhetorical devices used in a podcast episode exploring a current social issue
  • The use of visual rhetoric in a contemporary art exhibit or installation
  • The rhetorical strategies used in a political satire TV show, such as 'The Daily Show with Trevor Noah.'
  • The persuasive techniques used in a climate change awareness campaign
  • The use of rhetorical devices in a contemporary speech given by a notable public figure, such as Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez or Greta Thunberg
  • The rhetorical strategies used in popular video games, such as 'Fortnite.'
  • The use of emotional appeals in a recent documentary film, such as 'The Social Dilemma.'
  • The persuasive techniques used in a contemporary marketing campaign for a popular fashion brand.

How to Write a Rhetorical Analysis: Step-by-Step

Writing a rhetorical analysis essay can be a valuable skill for students of all disciplines, as it requires various forms of critical thinking, analysis, and evaluation of communication. Whether you are analyzing a political speech, a work in academic writing, or a visual advertisement, following these steps can help you write a compelling and insightful rhetorical analysis essay.

How to Write a Rhetorical Analysis Essay

  • Analyze the Text : The first step in writing a rhetorical analysis is carefully reading and analyzing the text. Look for the author's purpose, the target audience, and the text's context. Take note of any rhetorical devices, such as metaphors, repetition, or appeals to ethos, pathos, or logos, that the author uses to convey their message.
  • Organize Your Analysis: After the actual analysis, organize your thoughts into an outline or structure for your analysis. Begin with an introduction that provides some background information on the text and the author's purpose. Then, break down the text into smaller sections and analyze each in detail. Use specific examples from the text to support your analysis.
  • Write Your Analysis : With your outline or structure in place, you can begin writing your analysis. Start with an attention-grabbing introduction that sets the tone for your analysis. Then, work through your analysis, using specific examples from the text to support your arguments. Provide the summary in your rhetorical analysis conclusion and a final statement about the author's effectiveness using key rhetorical concepts.

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Rhetorical Techniques 

You'll need to employ some rhetorical techniques to write good rhetorical analysis essays. These are persuasive strategies used to appeal to an audience and effectively communicate a message. Three of the most commonly used techniques, otherwise known as the rhetorical triangle, are ethos, pathos, and logos.

Ethos refers to the credibility and authority of the speaker or writer. It involves establishing oneself as a trustworthy and knowledgeable source to persuade the audience through ethical appeal. Ethos can be established through professional credentials, moral argument, personal experience, or other forms of expertise.

Pathos refers to the use of emotional appeals to persuade an audience. This can be accomplished through vivid imagery, powerful language, and relatable stories or experiences. The goal of pathos is to evoke strong emotional reactions in the audience, such as empathy, compassion, or outrage.

Logos refers to the use of logic and reason to persuade an audience. It involves providing factual information, statistics, and other evidence to support the arguments presented. Logos uses logical appeal and effectively convinces them to adopt a particular viewpoint.

methods of persuasion

Rhetorical Essay Outline

Here is a detailed outline for writing a rhetorical essay, along with examples:

I. Introduction

A. Background information on the topic

B. Rhetorical analysis essay thesis statement

C. Brief overview of the rhetorical analysis

Rhetorical analysis introduction example: The concept of freedom has been a fundamental aspect of American society since its inception. In the speech 'I Have a Dream' delivered by Martin Luther King Jr. in 1963, the issue of freedom and equality for African Americans is passionately addressed through the use of rhetorical devices. This essay will analyze King's use of ethos, pathos, and logos to persuade his audience and convey his message of equality and freedom.

A. Explanation of ethos and its importance

B. Examples of ethos in the text

C. Analysis of the effectiveness of ethos in the speech

Example: King establishes his credibility as a speaker through ethos by referencing his role as a Baptist minister and a leader in the civil rights movement. He also appeals to the authority of the founding fathers and the Constitution to support his argument for equality. By using these sources of authority, King gains the trust and respect of his audience, making them more likely to accept his message.

III. Pathos

A. Explanation of pathos and its importance

B. Examples of pathos in the text

C. Analysis of the effectiveness of pathos in the speech

Example: King uses pathos by employing emotional language and vivid imagery to elicit strong emotions from his audience. For example, he uses phrases like 'sweltering heat of injustice' and 'the quicksands of racial injustice' to create a sense of urgency and desperation in his listeners. By tapping into their emotions, King is able to create a powerful connection with his audience and inspire them to take action.

A. Explanation of logos and its importance

B. Examples of logos in the text

C. Analysis of the effectiveness of logos in the speech

Example: King also uses logos by presenting logical arguments and evidence to support his message. For instance, he references the Emancipation Proclamation and the Declaration of Independence to argue that the American promise of freedom and equality should apply to all citizens. He also uses statistics to highlight the economic and social disparities faced by African Americans. King reinforces his message and persuades his audience to take action by presenting a logical and well-supported argument.

V. Conclusion

A. Restate thesis statement

B. Summarize the main points

C. Concluding thoughts

Example: In conclusion, Martin Luther King Jr.'s 'I Have a Dream' speech is a powerful example of effective rhetoric. By using ethos, pathos, and logos, King is able to persuade his audience and convey his message of freedom and equality for all. His speech continues to inspire people today and serves as a reminder of the power of rhetoric to effect change.

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Steps to Polish Your Rhetorical Analysis

Here are some steps you can take to polish your rhetorical analysis. By following these steps, you can improve the quality and effectiveness of your rhetorical analysis.

rhetorical

  • Re-read the text: To ensure that you have a comprehensive understanding of the text, read it several times. Pay attention to the language, structure, and overall tone of the text.
  • Identify the author's purpose : Determine the author's main goal in writing the text. Are they trying to inform, persuade, or entertain? Understanding the author's purpose will help you analyze the text more effectively.
  • Analyze the rhetorical situation: Consider the context in which the text was written. Who is the intended audience? What is the author's background, and how might that influence their writing? Understanding the rhetorical situation will help you understand the purpose and effectiveness of the rhetorical techniques used in the text.
  • Identify the rhetorical techniques used: Look for specific techniques used by the author to persuade or convey their message. These might include appeals to ethos, pathos, or logos, as well as the use of figurative language, repetition, or rhetorical questions.
  • Evaluate the effectiveness of the techniques: Once you have identified the rhetorical techniques used, evaluate their effectiveness in achieving the author's purpose. Consider how the techniques affect the audience's perception of the message and whether they are persuasive.
  • Revise and edit : Once you have completed your analysis, revise and edit your essay to ensure your argument is clear and well-supported. Pay attention to the organization of your essay, the clarity of your language, and the coherence of your analysis.
  • Get feedback : Ask a peer, instructor, or tutor to read your essay and provide feedback. Consider their suggestions for improvement and revise accordingly.

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135 Unique Rhetorical Analysis Topics That Are Fresh And Exciting

rhetorical analysis topics

If you’re after a list of brand new, original rhetorical analysis topics, you’re in luck! We have 135 unique topic ideas in our brand new rhetorical analysis topics list. You can use these ideas as you see fit and for free. No need to give us any credit; we’re just happy we could help you save some valuable time. This blog post also contains a quick guide on how to write a rhetorical analysis essay quickly and correct. Let’s get started!

A Word On The Rhetorical Analysis Paper

A rhetorical analysis paper is a type of paper that analyzes, evaluates and critiques the methods used by an author to achieve their purpose in a particular piece of writing. In such an academic paper, you need to focus on the author’s use of rhetorical strategies (ethos, pathos, logos, and other literary devices) to influence their audience and achieve their goal. Don’t know how to write such a paper? Here is a quick guide:

Read and analyze the text: Read the text carefully and identify its purpose, audience, and context. Identify the rhetorical strategies used (ethos, logos, and pathos), as well as the tone, style, and structure of the text. Determine the rhetorical situation: Identify the speaker or author, the intended audience, and the context in which the text was produced. Develop a thesis statement: Your thesis statement should identify the main argument or purpose of the text and explain how the rhetorical strategies are used to achieve that purpose. Organize your paper: Your essay should have an introduction, body, and conclusion. In the introduction, provide background information and a thesis statement. In the body, use evidence from the text to support your analysis of the rhetorical strategies used. In the conclusion, summarize your analysis and restate your thesis. Use rhetorical terms and evidence in the body paragraphs: Use rhetorical terms and evidence from the text to analyze the strategies used in the text and rhetorical devices like repetition and metaphor. Write clearly and concisely: Your writing should be clear and concise. Your analysis should be well-organized and very focused. Proofread and revise: Before submitting your essay, proofread it carefully for spelling, grammar and punctuation errors. Also, your paper needs to be clear and concise.

Easy Rhetorical Analysis Topics

Get the highest grade in your class! Pick one of these easy rhetorical analysis topics and start writing in minutes:

  • Talk about a political speech by a prominent leader
  • Discuss a commercial advertisement for a popular product
  • Analyze a social media post or online article by a popular influencer
  • Analyze a movie or TV show trailer
  • Discuss a song or music video
  • Talk about a sports commentary or analysis
  • Analyze a TED talk or inspirational speech
  • Talk about a popular news article or editorial
  • Discuss a video game trailer or gameplay footage

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Interesting Topics For A Rhetorical Analysis

Looking for some of the most interesting topics for a rhetorical analysis? We have 10 such topics right here:

  • The rhetoric of religious sermons and their impact on congregations
  • Rhetorical strategies used in presidential inaugural addresses
  • The role of rhetorical appeals in environmental activism campaigns
  • Rhetorical analysis of speeches delivered by sports figures
  • A critical analysis of the rhetoric of social justice movements
  • The use of rhetorical devices in comedy and how they influence audience response
  • Rhetorical strategies that shape public opinion on controversial issues
  • Rhetorical analysis of product reviews and how they sway consumer opinion
  • The use of rhetorical devices in courtroom trials and their influence on juries
  • A critical analysis of the rhetorical techniques used in public apologies

Best Rhetoric Topics About Fiction Books

Need to write a rhetorical analysis on a fiction book? You can find the best rhetoric topics about fiction books below:

  • Discuss the use of symbolism in “The Great Gatsby” by F. Scott Fitzgerald
  • The representation of power dynamics in “Animal Farm” by George Orwell
  • An analysis of the impact of imagery in “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee
  • Language in “One Hundred Years of Solitude” by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
  • The representation of gender roles in “Pride and Prejudice” by Jane Austen
  • An analysis of the use of irony in “The Catcher in the Rye” by J.D. Salinger
  • The impact of themes in “The Grapes of Wrath” by John Steinbeck
  • Representation of race in “Their Eyes Were Watching God” by Zora Neale Hurston
  • An analysis of the use of voice in “The Diary of a Young Girl” by Anne Frank
  • The impact of characterization in “The Color Purple” by Alice Walker

Rhetorical Analysis Topics About Non-Fiction Books

If you must write the analysis on a non-fiction book, we have some captivating rhetorical analysis topics about non-fiction books right here:

  • The use of ethos in the “I Have a Dream” speech
  • An analysis of the impact of storytelling in “The Tipping Point”
  • The representation of power dynamics in “Between the World and Me”
  • An analysis of the use of evidence in “The Omnivore’s Dilemma”
  • The representation of gender roles in “Lean In”
  • The impact of language in “Manufacturing Consent”
  • Rhetorical strategies used in “Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup”

Advanced Rhetoric Analysis Ideas About Poetry

Writing your paper on one of these advanced rhetoric analysis ideas about poetry should be overly difficult:

  • Analyze the use of imagery in “The Tyger”
  • The role of tone in “Stop All the Clocks”
  • Discuss the use of metaphor in “Dream Deferred”
  • Analyze the representation of race in “If We Must Die”
  • The use of alliteration in “Digging”
  • Discuss the impact of structure in “My Last Duchess”
  • Analyze the impact of form in “The Raven”
  • Discuss the use of irony in “Lady Lazarus”

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Pretty Good Rhetorical Analysis Topics

In this list, you can find some pretty good rhetorical analysis topics. They aren’t the best, but they can work great in certain situations:

  • An analysis of the representation of love in a young adult novel
  • A critical examination of the use of imagery in your favorite poem
  • How the media shapes public perception of political events
  • A comparison of the representation of gender in two popular TV shows
  • Analyze the cultural significance of your favorite hip-hop song
  • An analysis of the role of technology in a popular sci-fi movie
  • A close reading of a favorite play to determine its impact on emotions
  • The representation of inclusivity in a popular television show

Awesome Rhetoric Analysis Ideas For 2023

Your teacher will definitely appreciate an awesome topic. Take a look at our list of awesome rhetoric analysis ideas for 2023 and choose the one you like the most:

  • The rhetoric of political leaders after the 2022 midterm elections
  • Analyze persuasive techniques in post-pandemic recovery social media posts
  • Persuasive tactics used in marketing campaigns for emerging technologies
  • The rhetoric of the debate over reparations for slavery
  • A rhetorical analysis of the language in international climate change negotiations
  • The rhetoric used in the ongoing debate over student loan forgiveness
  • Analyze the media coverage of the 2023 World Series of Major League Baseball
  • Analyze marketing campaigns for the 2024 Summer Olympics
  • A rhetorical analysis of the language in emerging political movements
  • The rhetoric of technology companies responding to growing concerns about data security

Current Rhetorical Analysis Example Topics

If you want to write about topics that are of interest right now, we can help you. Here are some current rhetorical analysis example topics for students of all ages:

  • A rhetorical analysis of the language used in a TED Talk
  • The rhetoric of a sports team’s motivational speech
  • A critical analysis of the language used in a product review
  • The persuasive tactics employed in an online dating profile
  • A rhetorical analysis of a movie trailer
  • The language used in a nonprofit organization’s fundraising appeal
  • An analysis of the rhetoric of a celebrity’s public apology
  • A critical analysis of the language used in a travel brochure
  • The persuasive tactics used in a university’s admissions brochure
  • The persuasive techniques employed in a self-help book

Topics About Movie Monologues

Need some top grades fast? Choose one of our topics about movie monologues and impress your professor with a fun essay:

  • Marlon Brando’s “I coulda been a contender” monologue in “On the Waterfront”
  • A rhetorical examination of Al Pacino’s “Inch by inch” speech in “Any Given Sunday”
  • The representation of power in Meryl Streep’s monologue in “The Devil Wears Prada”
  • An examination of the persuasive tactics used in Denzel Washington’s “Man on Fire” monologue
  • The cultural significance of Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech in “Selma”
  • How film directors use monologues to create a sense of urgency and tension
  • The role of humor in monologues in comedy films
  • The use of irony and sarcasm in monologues in satirical films

Rhetorical Topics For College Students

We have the best rhetorical topics for college students right here! Any college or university student should be able to get a top grade if they write on any one of these ideas:

  • A close reading of a classic novel to determine its cultural significance
  • An analysis of the representation of identity in a popular contemporary novel
  • A critical examination of the use of symbolism in a favorite poem
  • How the media shapes public opinion and understanding of social issues
  • An evaluation of the persuasive tactics used in advertisements aimed at college students
  • A comparison of the representation of gender in two popular films
  • The cultural significance of a popular alternative rock song and its lyrics
  • An analysis of the role of the individual in society in a popular philosophy book
  • A close reading of a favorite play to determine its impact on the reader’s beliefs
  • The representation of diversity and inclusivity in a popular film

Controversial Topics For Rhetorical Analysis

Our experts have just finished adding a brand new list of top quality controversial topics for rhetorical analysis. Here they are:

  • Analyze the rhetoric used by political leaders against immigration policies
  • Discuss the use of persuasive language in anti-vaccination propaganda
  • Analyze the persuasive tactics employed by climate change deniers
  • The rhetoric used by gun rights and gun control advocates
  • A critical analysis of the rhetoric of police brutality protests
  • Discuss the rhetoric of “fake news” and its impact on media credibility
  • A critical analysis of the language used in controversial social media movements
  • The persuasive tactics used in pro-life and pro-choice debates (abortion rights)

Good Rhetorical Analysis Ideas About Movies

Why not write the analysis on a movie you saw recently? In fact, here are some good rhetorical analysis ideas about movies:

  • Talk about the use of humor in the movie “The Hangover”
  • Discuss the representation of power dynamics in “The Godfather”
  • Discuss the use of visual storytelling in the movie “Inception”
  • Talk about the representation of gender roles in the movie “Legally Blonde”
  • The role of music in the movie “Pulp Fiction”
  • Discuss the impact of cinematography in the movie “The Shawshank Redemption”
  • The use of silence in the movie “The Silence of the Lambs”
  • The representation of race in the movie “12 Years a Slave”
  • Talk about the impact of special effects in the movie “Avatar”
  • Talk about the use of character development in the movie “The Dark Knight”

Rhetoric Research Paper Topics 2023

Check out this list of rhetoric research paper topics 2023 and choose a topic that your professor and your peers are interested in:

  • The persuasive techniques used during the most recent election campaign
  • A rhetorical analysis of the social media language about the COVID-19 pandemic
  • The use of persuasive language in online disinformation campaigns
  • The rhetoric used by climate change activists on Facebook
  • A critical analysis of the language in anti-racism protests against police brutality
  • The persuasive tactics used in marketing campaigns for plant-based meat substitutes
  • The language used to discuss recent hate crimes against Asian Americans.
  • The rhetoric used in the ongoing debate over diversity and inclusion in education

Topics Related To Advertisements

Yes, you can write your rhetoric analysis for high school on ads as well. Check out these wonderful topics related to advertisements:

  • A critical analysis of Nike’s “Just Do It” advertising campaign
  • The use of ethos, pathos and logos in Apple’s “Think Different” ad
  • Analyze the representation of cultural identity in Mercedes Benz advertisements
  • An examination of the persuasive tactics used in fast food ads
  • The cultural significance of Budweiser’s “Whassup” advertisements
  • Do advertisements for prescription drugs use fear to sell products?
  • Discuss the role of humor in ads for personal hygiene products
  • Talk about the representation of diversity in clothing brands ads
  • The use of celebrity endorsements in ads for consumer goods

Our Latest Rhetorical Analysis Ideas

In this list, you can check out our latest rhetorical analysis ideas for your student papers. We’ll be updating the list periodically, so stay tuned:

  • Analyze the use of pathos in political advertisements
  • How ethos is used in marketing to establish credibility
  • Analyze the use of logos in scientific research papers
  • Rhetorical analysis of a popular influencer’s marketing strategy
  • How rhetorical devices are used in poetry to evoke emotions
  • Analyze the use of rhetorical appeals in a persuasive essay
  • Rhetorical analysis of a famous movie monologue
  • How rhetorical devices are used in stand-up comedy
  • Analyze the use of irony in political satire shows
  • Analyze the use of rhetorical devices in a famous song

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Are you having trouble thinking of rhetorical analysis topics to explore? Selecting a title for such an essay is an excellent place to start. Afterward, proceed to introduction, body, and then conclusion. In this section, we have compiled a short list of greatest topics for rhetorical analysis to help you improve your grades. Through the catalog, you will discover how to create best topics for rhetorical analysis essay about a worthwhile issue. Need professional essay help online ? Visit StudyCrumb! Simply share your instructions and get your rhetorical analysis or any other essay completed by a pro.

What Are Rhetorical Analysis Topics?

Rhetorical analysis essay topics refer to the subject matter in which researchers examine how different parts of a work produce a specific effect on the reader. They then develop an argument and find compelling evidence to support their opinion. Such topics focus on a particular work of literature, discourse, or art. Unlike a literary analysis ,  rhetorical analysis paper topics are intended to analyze works from a rhetorical standpoint. Thus, the tricks used to convince readers are assessed. Rhetorical analysis ideas and topics are designed to evaluate students' reasoning ability for close attention to detail. Given this, you should dissect literary work into its elements and assess the author's effective strategies.

Basics of Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topics

Characteristics of Good Rhetorical Analysis Topics

Pick a subject that interests you when selecting topics for analysis. Additionally, it requires adequate information to be used in research. What are good rhetorical analysis topics ? This is one of the questions that students keep asking themselves. Below is a listing of characteristics of good topics for rhetorical analysis. The subject matter must consider the scenario's target audience, goal, and background.

  • It should be broad with plenty of information.
  • A good topic ought to be fascinating. That is to say, it should capture reader’s attention.
  • It must also give an excellent choice for research.

How to Choose a Rhetorical Analysis Topic?

An exciting rhetorical analysis essay topic is the first element in any writing that aims to pique the reader's curiosity. All writers strive to ensure their work is professional and appealing to the audience. Furthermore, the titles must be engaging to make your essay solid. Since finding subjects that are compelling and fascinating might be problematic, here are some tips to keep in mind when deciding on good rhetorical analysis essay topics.

  • Pick a subject that appeals to you. Before composing an analysis paper, choose a topic that interests you. Moreover, make sure there is room for research.
  • Consider your understanding of the topic. Selecting familiar rhetorical essay topics will be helpful in your writing. Remember to reveal your understanding of the author's writing technique when conducting the review.
  • Carry out background research. Make a list of subjects that catch your attention. After that, whittle down the selection and choose an ideal topic. You can achieve this by investigating the information that is already accessible on it.
  • Seek help from your instructor. Ask your lecturer for assistance if you are still unsure of the subject. Compile a list of appropriate rhetorical analysis topics to make it easy for the educator.

Best Rhetorical Analysis Topics List

The best rhetorical analysis topics are pertinent to tasks and have sufficient information for use. When handling these essays, choose an engaging subject to make the assignment more doable. Topics for study are not limited to speeches from notable presidents or popular poems. Investigate these interesting rhetorical analysis essay ideas related to cinema, artwork, prompt, and current affairs.

  • Justification of vengeance in The Odyssey .
  • The meaning underlying Mona Lisa’s smile.
  • Literary techniques used in The Chronicles of Narnia .
  • The primary theme in Winston Churchill's We Shall Fight on the Beaches .
  • How stylistic tactics affect a reader's impression of non-fiction material.
  • Purpose of literary devices in Oscar Wilde 's works.
  • How a creative topic and storyline might make a blockbuster.
  • What was the main point in president Trump's speech?
  • How to tell if a play uses the right rhetorical tactics.
  • What prevents speeches from garnering bigger crowds?

Good Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topics

Perhaps you are seeking good topics to write rhetorical analysis on for your academic article. Good topics for rhetorical analysis essay are listed here.

  • How the use of casual and formal language influences speech.
  • Different rhetorical techniques used by Classical and Rogerian authors.
  • How preconceptions might limit successful application of rhetorical techniques.
  • Significance of abstract images within classical literature.
  • How literary works communicate information via words, expressions, and concepts.
  • Slavery, as discussed in Beloved by Toni Morrison.
  • What do Pepsi's logo colors symbolize?
  • How President Joe Biden utilized alliteration in his speech on democracy.
  • Linguistic trends in William Shakespeare's publications.
  • How former president Barack Obama applied logos, pathos, and ethos in his farewell speech.
  • A comprehensive rhetorical analysis of The Odyssey .
  • How to use stylistic techniques in a way that can foresee the audience's response.
  • Visual components of Hollywood filmmaking.
  • A criticism of the hyperbole of how innovation has affected culture.
  • Analysis of president Joe Biden's speech on democracy.

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Easy Rhetorical Analysis Topics

Do you wish to focus on easy rhetorical analysis topics? If so, you will discover some of the most effective suggestions in this paragraph. These subjects are easy to write about since information is readily available on the web. Nevertheless, you must be prepared to devote time and resources to studying and composing your easy rhetorical analysis essay topics.

  • How the American national anthem employs literary techniques.
  • TED's presentations and how they embrace rhetorical devices to entice viewers.
  • How writers approach themes of ethnicity and discrimination in their writing.
  • Differences between employment of stylistic elements in historical and contemporary cultures.
  • How linguistic strategies are used in religious books.
  • The difficulty of captivating an audience to a monologue.
  • Various rhetorical strategies that media presenters employ.
  • How can rhetorical depth of any discourse be identified?
  • How various authors handle heroism topics when it comes to their writing.
  • The significance of symbolism with regards to literature.
  • How Michael Scott applies rhetorical techniques.
  • R&B songwriting strategies.
  • Advertiser-selected terminologies on billboards and posters.
  • Creative methods used in the renowned portrait of Mona Lisa .
  • Rhetoric elements used in Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen.

Excellent Topics for Rhetorical Analysis

If you wish to focus on excellent rhetorical essay topics, below are a few you can select from. You only need to decide which rhetorical topics for essays to use.

  • How successful was Barack Obama’s speech during his presidency?
  • Use of stylistic devices in Nike’s Just Do It ad.
  • How does education stifle creative thinking?
  • A speech or piece that uses oratorical tactics.
  • How authors characterize heroism.
  • Rhetorical analysis of Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen.
  • The effect of rhetorical techniques on reader’s comprehension of a non-fiction story.
  • Brand identity and emotional appeal of Monster drink.
  • Impact of President Trump's tweets.
  • Literary devices utilized in eulogy speeches.
  • Relationship between racial discrimination and sexism in America.
  • Pepsi's marketing ideas.
  • A billboard that got your attention.
  • A rhetorical review of President Trump's tweets.

Did you spot a fitting topic? Now it’s time to see how to write a rhetorical analysis essay . 

Visual Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topics

Visual rhetorical analysis topic ideas might help readers recollect your paper. Consider the author's objective and demographics of the intended audience, as it will aid you in conducting complete research. The visual rhetoric essay topics suggestions below can help you achieve that aim.

  • Effects of soundtracks on movies.
  • Newspaper covers using rhetoric aspects.
  • How innovative advertising employs symbols.
  • Rhetorical evaluation of exhibits in art galleries.
  • How slow motion affects films.
  • Use of symbolism in Avatar .
  • William Shakespeare's best poems.
  • How Black Panther utilizes symbolism.
  • Use of arts in The Square .
  • How TV commercials employ texts.
  • Author's utilization of personification in Bluebird by Charles Bukowski.
  • Usage of audio, music, and narrative in presentations.
  • How does John Curran utilize imagery in The Painted Veil .
  • Ways in which Michael Lewis uses cinematography and soundtracks in The Blind Side .
  • How Jurassic Park transformed special effects.

Need more rhetorical topics? Give our Essay Title Creator a shot!

Controversial Topics for Rhetorical Analysis

If you consider debate intriguing, this part includes the best suggestions for rhetorical topics for essay. When composing scholarly articles, these rhetorical analysis topics are outstanding. Just do some research on the piece carefully and comprehend the debate.

  • Use of stereotypes and racial tropes in films.
  • Representation of science and technology in science fiction.
  • Religion and spirituality in Change Your Thoughts, Change Your Life.
  • The portrayal of mental health issues in popular culture.
  • Violence and its impact on society in Avatar.
  • Propaganda in the Triumph of the Will .
  • The Notebook and its illustration of love and friendships.
  • Schindler’s List and how it explains the Holocaust.
  • Dark humor as used in Catch-22 .
  • Police brutality and racial injustice in Copwatch .
  • Immigration and border control in A Better Life .
  • Rhetorical techniques affect how a reader interprets a non-fiction story.
  • Plot twist in The Titanic .
  • Is there something about William Shakespeare's writing style that really appeals to you?
  • How does the audience's impression of the story be affected by the author's credibility?

Rhetorical Analysis Essay Ideas for Students

The success of all academic writing depends on utilizing rhetorical analysis ideas efficiently. This is because the foundation of everything undertaken within schools is to influence thought patterns through speech application. Since language is typically hypnotic, it aims to educate. It is uncommon for students to avoid writing research papers on rhetorical analysis, as they appear as projects, articles, and term papers. Here are a few essay propositions for high school and university learners.

Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topics for High School Students

Topics for a rhetorical analysis essay are many. If you are a secondary school student having problems deciding on rhetorical analysis topics to select from, you are in the right place. Here are 15 essay topics for high school.

  • Use of metaphor in a speech from your school director on graduation day.
  • Main themes used in Alice in Wonderland .
  • Rhetorical devices used in The Story of an Hour by Kate Chopin .
  • How Arthur Miller uses foreshadowing in Death of a Salesman .
  • Literary elements used in An Enemy of the People .
  • Central concepts within William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet.
  • Theme of social class in The Canterbury Tales .
  • Power of tradition as illustrated in The Lottery.
  • Fundamental concepts of Jordan Peele's Get Out .
  • Literary elements used in Frankenstein by Mary Shelley.
  • How Virginia Woolf utilizes the stream-of-consciousness tactic in The Waves .
  • How analogy is used in the inauguration speech of my math teacher.
  • Guilt and justice as discussed in And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie.
  • Synopsis of The Godfather by Francis Ford Coppola.
  • Major theme in Gone With The Wind .

 Rhetorical Analysis Topics for College Students

College students can choose from a wide range of rhetoric research paper topics. They will greatly gain from these analysis paper ideas in the last year of school. Below are essential topics that college learners can select for their essays.

  • How solitude is demonstrated within works of literature.
  • Poetic devices in performances and poems.
  • How does rhetoric function in websites and other digital writing?
  • Methods that can be used to evaluate a scene from a popular film.
  • Main themes in The Matrix .
  • Strength of speech writing in Barack Obama's speeches.
  • Michael Scott's primary writing techniques.
  • A movie that had a massive impact on your life.
  • A significant political discourse that is still discussed today.
  • How Rick Bragg uses comedy in his article The Guiltless Pleasure .
  • What justifications does David Grann make in The Mark of a Masterpiece ?
  • Stylistic devices used in The Crucible by Arthur Miller.
  • How using literary techniques has been streamlined thanks to technology.
  • What elements are commonly found in acceptance speeches?
  • How evangelists utilize rhetoric to engage their audiences.

Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topics in Different Fields

There are many distinct and good topics to write a rhetorical analysis on. It is improbable that one could ever run out of ideas for them when writing any paper. Aside from the topics mentioned above, numerous other fields, for instance, speeches and fiction work, can be explored. Arts are the primary focus of the bulk of these rhetorical subjects. In addition, there are many resources to choose your topics for rhetorical analysis. This section provides examples of other fields that can be traversed.

Rhetorical Analysis Speech Topics

There have been many famous speeches throughout history. To analyze one, you need to consider different aspects of rhetoric topics. For example, the speaker's goals, the speech's historical text, and viewer's aspirations. Here are a handful of topics that can be explored for rhetorical analysis of a speech .

  • Quit India speech by Mahatma Gandhi.
  • How President Donald Trump utilized personification in his final speech.
  • Figures of speech that Richard Nixon employed in his resignation speech.
  • President Biden 's remarks on transgender issues.
  • Malala Yousafzai's acceptance speech for the Nobel Peace Prize.
  • Dark and vengeful undertones in William Blake's A Poison Tree .
  • How to get people to pay attention to Franklin Roosevelt's inaugural speech.
  • The majority of TED speeches use rhetorical tactics.
  • Literary devices used within the speech from Finding Forrester .
  • Discursive strategies used in Jack Ma's inspiring speech.
  • Tones used in Theodore Roosevelt's Duties of American citizenship .
  • Rhetorical devices utilized in JF. Kennedy's inauguration speech.
  • What were the goals of Ronald Reagan's Speech in Address to the Nation on the Challenger ?
  • Oprah's appraisal of Golden Globes' discourse.
  • How does Sam Bern’s outlook on life affect his ability to communicate in My Philosophy for a Happy Life ?

Rhetorical Analysis Ideas on Movies

Do you enjoy watching movies? Has your teacher given you freedom to select them as one of the rhetorical analysis essay ideas? If yes, you can look into some of the points on this list, which provide rhetorical analysis article ideas. In certain films, an individual makes a speech that everybody remembers. Whatever the case, taking observations is necessary for performing rhetorical assessment of movies discourse.

  • Black Panther’s application of literary devices.
  • How the film's author employs a rhetorical tactic in How To Train Your Dragon .
  • Salvatore Corsitta's remarks from The Godfather .
  • Use of imagery by Zack Snyder.
  • The Hunger Games’ use of figurative language.
  • Rhetorical devices used in Pursuit of Happiness .
  • Theme of hope in The Ultimate Gift .
  • The movie Get Out racial theme.
  • Moral standards as depicted in Gone Baby Gone .
  • How racism led to different issues in A Soldier's Story .
  • Concept of posttraumatic stress disorder as illustrated in Fearless movie .
  • Lessons from Life of a King movie.
  • Ethical behaviors as encapsulated by Charles Ferguson.
  • Main themes of Mind, Body, and Soul .
  • Power theme in My Kingdom .

Poetry Topics for Rhetorical Analysis

A plethora of topics to write a rhetorical analysis on is available online, and poem is among the unique subjects that can be explored. To analyze poetry, you need to consider the speaker, rhyme’s meaning, and structure. The following are distinct rhetorical analysis paper topics that students can use.

  • Primary metaphors used by Sylvia Plath .
  • Theme of rage and evil in A Poison Tree .
  • Primary rhetorical strategies employed by W.H.Auden.
  • How personification is used in Bluebird.
  • Concept of nature in Mary Oliver's Fall .
  • Function of contrast in I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings .
  • Role of street jargon as illustrated by Langstone Hughes.
  • Stylistic elements used by Jane Kenyon.
  • Poetic devices used in Disillusionment of Ten O'clock .
  • Primary theme in Love Song .
  • How the author employed poetic devices in Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night .
  • Self-acceptance as illustrated in Phenomenal Woman .
  • Characteristics of the speaker as explained by Claude McKay.
  • Illustration of love in A Red, Red Rose .
  • Artistic devices used by William Shakespeare in Venus and Adonis .

Literature Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topics

Are you searching for rhetorical analysis essay topics that will make your instructor smile? If that is the case, here are some fantastic ideas for rhetorical analysis.

  • Early literature from the 17th century.
  • Faith and religion in the Quran.
  • How to tell if a drama employs correct figures of speech.
  • An in-depth review of rhetorical tactics used in France and Europe.
  • Techniques used in Michelle Obama's Our Diversity Makes Us Who We Are .
  • Literary tactics used by Melania Trump in her farewell address as the first lady.
  • Textual analysis of A Lover's Complaint by William Shakespeare.
  • Theme of misogyny in Hamlet .
  • Central message in Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God.
  • Impact of heroes' personal lives on the society in Oedipus and contemporary America.
  • Myth's influence on culture as explained in Adam and Eve’s story.
  • Metaphors used in the legendary speech made by Martin Luther.
  • What figurative language stands out in The Pearl Harbor Address ?
  • Humanity vs. Nature in Their Eyes Were Watching God .
  • Justice in Scott Fitzgerald's Great Gatsby .

Rhetorical Analysis Topics on Fiction

Like all rhetorical topics, fiction has a point it wants to convey. You might consider how you reacted to the fiction content as a reader. Therefore, if you enjoy reading or watching fictional characters, feel free to choose any rhetorical analysis essay topic below.

  • One Hundred Years of Solitude's elitist theme.
  • Central themes in Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer .
  • How The Alchemist presents character growth.
  • How Erin Morgenstern created varied personalities in The Night Circus .
  • Behavior as illustrated by Jesse Stuart.
  • How Code Name Verity delivers its message of friendship.
  • Depiction of war in Men At Arms .
  • Significance of dreams in Of Mice and Men .
  • How relevant is Macbeth in the modern era?
  • What linguistic techniques does Ayn Rand use?
  • What distinguishes A Room of One's Own from other books?
  • Major themes in To Kill a Mockingbird.
  • Mysterious language as used by Beatriz Williams.
  • How The Lord of the Flies explores conflict between civilization and barbarism.
  • Writing styles used in The Midnight Library .

Non-Fictional Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topics

Non-fiction works are those that are fact-based. When analyzing them, examine the environmental components surrounding rhetorical analysis paper topics. If you enjoy non-fictional topics for a rhetorical analysis, consider using these ideas.

  • Rhetorical techniques in Cold Blood .
  • What was the plot in Charlie Chaplin's speech from The Great Dictator ?
  • Use of allegory in Avengers: Endgame .
  • Traveling Mercies ' rhetoric techniques.
  • How Someday Maybe utilizes personification.
  • Theme of racism in Absolute Beginners .
  • How Ron Chernow explores the concept of triumph in Alexander Hamilton .
  • Stylistic elements in Out of Africa .
  • John Hersey's linguistic interpretation of the suffering in Hiroshima .
  • Themes explored in the Sermons .
  • Religious beliefs according to The Ethics of Belief by William Kingdom.
  • How Mohsin Hamid explores themes of love and turmoil in Exit West .
  • Stylistic techniques in A Brief History of Time .
  • What motivates bibliophiles to read Beloved?
  • Theme of fanaticism in Fever Pitch .

Rhetorical Analysis Topics About Advertisements

The main goal of any advertisement is to convince the audience. Therefore, a successful campaign forges a bond between the client and the product. When exploring rhetorical analysis essay topics, consider the general appeal of the advertisement. Additionally, take into account the target audience and rhetorical techniques. You can choose rhetorical analysis topic ideas from this list.

  • Examples of innovative and powerful advertising.
  • BluBlocker Sunglasses marketing campaign.
  • Advertising's ability to reach a particular audience.
  • Impact of advertising on brand recognition.
  • Effectiveness of Coca-Cola’s share a coke advertisements of 2018.
  • Central idea behind Red Bull's Giving Life to the Night ad.
  • How effective is Apple's Think Different ad.
  • Was Toyota Moving Forward campaign a success?
  • Success behind Disney's The happiest place on Earth tagline.
  • How does Samsung advertise products?
  • How are rhetorical tactics used in television advertising?
  • Effectiveness of Pepsi's video campaigns.
  • Use of logos, ethos, and pathos in MacBook commercials.
  • How do advertisers choose the language that appears on billboards and posters?
  • History of Fanta's effective utilization of advertising.

>> Read more: Marketing Topics for Research

Bottom Line on Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topics

Many of you ask a common question: "what is a good topic for a rhetorical analysis essay?" Feel inclined to utilize any rhetorical analysis topics highlighted in this blog article to write a top-notch essay.   Hopefully, you have found a suitable topic. Feel free to browse our blog for more analytical essay topics and writing tips. From process analysis essay topics to critical analysis essay writing suggestions, we have a bunch of useful guides for students. 

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205 Awesome Rhetorical Analysis Topics For Essays

Table of Contents

Would you have to prepare a rhetorical analysis essay? Are you struggling to come up with interesting rhetorical analysis topics for your assignment? Don’t worry! In this blog post, we have composed a list of the best rhetorical analysis essay topics and ideas that will help you boost your academic scores. Also, from here, you can learn how to write an outstanding rhetorical analysis essay on a good rhetorical analysis topic. To gain more ideas about rhetorical analysis, continue reading.

Definition of a Rhetorical Analysis Essay

A rhetorical analysis essay is an academic essay type that explains the techniques implemented by literary authors to convince their readers. In simple, it is referred to as ‘writing about writing’ because it focuses only on how the authors have created a piece of work to influence the audience. This essay never analyzes the arguments or opinions in a book. Instead, it signifies how effectively the arguments are presented in the work.

The main purpose of rhetorical analysis is to determine the goals of the writers and the techniques they have used to persuasively convey their points. Usually, as a part of English assignments and composition exams, the instructors will ask you to write this analysis essay. You can perform rhetorical analysis to study the work such as novels, speeches, articles, TV shows, movies, plays, and advertisements.

Learn How to Write a Rhetorical Analysis Essay

Till now, we have seen what rhetorical analysis means. Next, let us have a closer look at the steps for writing a rhetorical analysis paper.

  • First, identify the best rhetorical analysis topic that you are confident to write about.
  • Analyze and gather the necessary information about the topic or work you have selected. Say, for instance, perform a basic literary analysis and find out the details like the title, narrator of the work, target audience, the purpose of the work, and tone.
  • After collecting the basic information, find out the appeals or persuasive strategies the author has used in his/her work to attract the audience. Some common rhetorical strategies are Ethos (ethical values) , Logos (logic) , and Pathos (emotions).
  • Research the whole work and identify the literary styles such as figurative language, analogies, repetition, imagery, and analogies, etc. that authors have used.
  • Develop a complete analysis of the work based on the rhetorical situation. During the analysis, mainly find out the purpose of the content, its reason for existence, and the way it is written.
  • Sketch a neat outline based on your analysis.
  • Write an introduction chapter. In this section, mention background information on the topic and include a thesis statement.
  • Prepare body paragraphs. Here, in this section, explain in detail the appeals, rhetorical situations, and techniques the writers have used in their work. When explaining, make it a point to include relevant examples, data, quotes, or facts supporting your ideas.
  • Finally, wrap up the paper with a conclusion. In the conclusion paragraph, restate the thesis statement and summarize all the major points of discussion.
  • After writing the paper, proofread and edit the errors in it before submission.

Rhetorical Analysis Essay

Tips for Choosing a Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topic

By following all the steps shared above, you can write an outstanding rhetorical analysis paper. But out of all the steps, remember to give a high level of importance to topic selection. You can score an A+ grade, only if you have a good topic.

In general, there are limitless rhetorical analysis essay topics available online. Hence, you may face difficulties in choosing one good topic from them.

If you are asked to come up with a good rhetorical analysis topic, then make sure to keep the following tips in mind during topic selection.

  • Pick a topic that matches your interest.
  • Never force yourself to choose a popular non-impressive topic.
  • Focus only on the topics that are trending.
  • Give preference to the topic that has wide research opportunities.
  • Avoid selecting a too-broad or too-narrow topic.
  • Do background research and narrow the topic if it is too broad.
  • Consider only the topic that is familiar to you.
  • Go with the captivating topic, and you have strong knowledge of.
  • Pick a topic that has the power to trigger the emotions of the readers.
  • Finalize the topic only if it satisfies your instructor’s writing guidelines.

The topic selection is the first step in the rhetorical analysis paper writing process that you couldn’t skip. In case, you are asked to choose a topic of your choice, strictly follow the tips shared above, and identify a good topic for your assignment.

List of Interesting Rhetorical Analysis Topics and Ideas

List of Interesting Rhetorical Analysis Topics and Ideas

As said earlier, there are endless rhetorical analysis essay topics available. But here, we have listed only a few interesting Rhetorical Analysis Topic ideas. If you are hunting for the best rhetorical topics, then dive into the whole list of ideas and pick any topic that fits you perfectly.

Simple Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topics

  • A rhetorical analysis of William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet.
  • Explore the different rhetorical devices used by presenters.
  • Conduct a rhetorical analysis of the Bible.
  • Analyze the rhetorical devices used in the famous portrait, Monalisa.
  • Research the rhetorical devices used to portray love and romance in plays.
  • Discuss the limitations of monologues in attracting the audience.
  • Analyze the use of rhetorical devices in the USA and Britain.
  • A thematic analysis of the ancient writing of the 19th century.
  • How can you point out the rhetorical richness of any speech?
  • How does television advertising use rhetorical devices?
  • Importance of theme of hope in literature
  • Issues of race and prejudice as the theme in a current novel
  • The importance symbolism plays in novels
  • Rhetorical strategies used in your favorite novel
  • Analyze the rhetorical strategies Florence Kelly uses in her speech to convey her message about child labor.

Rhetorical Analysis Topics for School Students

  • How the electronic media has impacted culture: A rhetorical analysis
  • Analyze rhetorical the power of social media in making the world a global village
  • Rhetorical analysis of the impact of the Olympics and World Cup
  • Rhetorically analyze the attitude of women towards fashion versus that of men.
  • How do women consume media advertisement messages as compared to men?
  • Conduct a rhetorical analysis of why the dog is the best keeper of the house
  • Provide a rhetorical analysis of the school principal’s speech on the farewell day.
  • A rhetorical analysis of the behavior of online consumers.
  • Analyze the primary themes present in “Alice in Wonderland”.
  • Analyze rhetorical the power of social media in making the world a global village.
  • A literary analysis of “The Animal Farm.”
  • Analyze “The Kite Runner.”
  • Analyze and find the themes in “Pride and Prejudice” by William Shakespeare.
  • Analyze the speech of a Nobel Peace Prize winner you know.

Rhetorical Analysis Topics for College Students

  • A rhetorical analysis of the environment and consumerism.
  • Explore the main literary devices in the Harry Porter.
  • The function of literary devices in poetry and plays.
  • How do blogs and other online writing content use rhetoric?
  • What are the popular marks of acceptance speeches?
  • How technology has made it possible and easy to manipulate rhetoric devices.
  • Discuss the usage of solitude in various works of literature.
  • What are the effects of camera movements on video quality?
  • Explain the issues of rhetoric in Plato’s, Republic.
  • Features of a magazine cover.
  • Do school life and the pressure of homework kill children’s creativity?
  • What is the meaning behind Mona Lisa’s smile?
  • Analyze the story of Romeo and Juliet
  • What is the significance of “The Last Supper” of Leonardo Da Vinci?
  • Critically analyze William Shakespeare’s “The Tempest”

Poetry Topics for Rhetorical Analysis

  • TV campaigns for beauty products.
  • Explain the allegories used in Daddy by Sylvia Plath.
  • The rhetorical devices used by Walt Whitman in O, Captain! My Captain!
  • Analyze the main rhetorical devices in W. H. Auden’s Funeral Blues.
  • Self-acceptance in Maya Angelou’s Phenomenal Woman.
  • How does Stephen Crane characterize war in Fast Rode the Knight?
  • Analyze the Faces of Love in A Red, Red Rose by Robert Burns.
  • Symbolism in Walt Whitman’s Crossing Brooklyn Ferry.
  • Analyze the use of personification in William Butler Yeats’ Brown Penny.
  • Analyze Poe’s Poetry “The Raven”.
  • Analyze the meaning of the poem “The Road Not Taken” written by Robert Frost
  • Discuss the significance of “Ode to a Nightingale” written by John Keats
  • What rhetorical devices are used by Emily Dickinson in “Because I Could not Stop for Death”?
  • Compare and contrast Edgar Allen Poe’s “The Raven” and Emma Lazarus’s “The New Colossus”
  • Which rhetorical devices are mostly used by William Shakespeare?

Rhetorical Analysis Topics on Speeches

  • Explain the themes of anger and darkness in William Blake’s A Poison Tree.
  • Analyze Jack Ma’s motivational speech.
  • Research the stylistic devices of Kamala Harris’ acceptance speech.
  • “Full Power of Women” by Priyanka Chopra.
  • The final speech of Donald Trump as the President of the United States.
  • “I Have a Dream” by Martin Luther King, Jr.
  • Speech from Finding Forrester.
  • “A Time for Choosing” by Ronald Reagan.
  • Analyze Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Pearl Harbor speech.
  • “I Am Prepared to Die” by Nelson Mandela.
  • Analyze President Biden’s speech on transgender.
  • Emma Goldman’s Address to the Jury.
  • Explain the rhetorical devices used in George Washington’s Resignation Speech.
  • Analyze the Nobel Peace Prize Speech by Malala Yousafzai.
  • Research 2005 Stanford Commencement Speech by Steve Jobs.

Fiction Topics for Rhetorical Analysis

  • Discuss an influential political speech that is still referred to in the 21st century.
  • Explain the Author’s voice in “The Fault in Our Stars” by John Green.
  • Describe the delivery of the friendship theme in “Code Name Verity”.
  • Justice theme in “The Heretic’s Daughter”.
  • Analyze the Rhetorical features in “The Great Gatsby”.
  • Language of mystery in “The Secret Life of Violet Grant”.
  • Rhetorical devices used in “The Sense of an Ending”.
  • Discuss the main themes in “The Lottery”.
  • A rhetorical analysis of “The Phantom of the Opera.”
  • Explore the themes in Laura Hillenbrand’s “Unbroken.”
  • A rhetorical analysis of “The Revenant” By Michael Punke.
  • Analyze Sarah Orne Jewett’s “A White Heron”
  • Distinct rhetoric is featured in Arthur Miller’s “The Crucible.”
  • Explore civilization versus savagery in “The Lord of the Flies”.
  • Describe the elitism theme in “One Hundred Years of Solitude”.

Non-fictional Rhetorical Analysis Topics

  • Describe Crisis and Love in Mohsin Hamid’s Exit West.
  • Explain the Sympathy and abuse in “Cold Blood”.
  • Rhetorical analysis of trauma in “Hiroshima” by John Hersey.
  • Explore the persuasion theme in “Silent Spring”.
  • Rhetorical features in Isak Dinesen’s “Out of Africa”.
  • Analyze “Traveling Mercies” by Anne Lamott.
  • Explain the emotional appeal in “Goodbye to all that”.
  • What makes “Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl” terrifying?
  • Explore the theme of grief in “The Year of Magical Thinking.”
  • Analyze “A nation among nations” by Thomas H. Bender.
  • Analyze “The Ethics of Belief” by William Kingdon Clifford.
  • Analyze the movie monologue of Chris Evans in “Avengers: Endgame”.
  • Rhetorical analysis essay on Man of Steel.
  • Discuss the monologue of Charlie Chaplin in “The Great Dictator”.
  • Explore the monologue of Morgan Freeman in “The Shawshank Redemption”.

Rhetorical Analysis Topics on Movies

  • Rhetorical analysis of Macbeth.
  • Explore the monologue of Salvatore Corsitta in “The Godfather”.
  • Analyze Jurassic Park.
  • Research King Kong.
  • The Titanic.
  • Rhetorical analysis of Star Wars.
  • Rhetorical analysis of Almost Famous.
  • The Phantom of the Opera.
  • Bad Boys for Life.
  • The Matrix.
  • McDonald’s: The Simpler, the Better.
  • Red Bull: Red Bull gives you wings.
  • Apple: Think Different.
  • BMW: Designed for Driving Pleasure.

Excellent Rhetorical Analysis Topics

  • Coca-Cola: Friendly Twist.
  • L’Oréal: Because You’re Worth It.
  • Disneyland: The Happiest Place on Earth.
  • Panasonic: Ideas for Life.
  • Nike: There Is No Finish Line.
  • M&M: Melts in Your Mouth, Not in Your Hands.
  • How does stereotyping blur the effective use of rhetorical devices?
  • The expression of the role of a man and a woman in literary texts.
  • The effect of an objective or subjective author’s approach.
  • The rhetorical analysis of the speech of any popular orator.
  • Discuss the patterns that exist in William Shakespeare’s choice of words.
  • How keywords, phrases, and ideas are used to communicate messages in literary texts.
  • The effect of formal or informal language on a speech.
  • A rhetoric analysis of Coca-Cola’s logo colors.
  • Analyze the visual arts in Hollywood movie productions.

Captivating Rhetorical Analysis Topics for Essays

  • Explain how theme and plot can turn a literary work into a masterpiece
  • What are the impacts of yellow journalism?
  • Explain how The Blind Side uses symbolism
  • Examine how food ads portray people.
  • Analyze the effects of slow motion in movies
  • Discuss the effects of soundtracks in films.
  • Prepare a rhetorical analysis essay on Success Strategies.
  • Analyze how TV campaigns use texts.
  • Analyze sermons by Jonathan Edwards
  • Rhetorically analyze a fiction work.

Amazing Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topics

  • A rhetorical analysis of songs from pop culture.
  • The relevance of the themes of hope and love in most literary texts.
  • Explore the rhetorical devices used in the American national anthem.
  • The rhetorical composition of different religious texts.
  • Discuss the most valuable rhetorical strategies in Game of Thrones.
  • Explore the rhetorical devices in funeral messages.
  • When compared to men’s talks, what about women’s remarks sticks out the most?
  • Does the Pearl Harbor Address by Franklin D. Roosevelt include any significant rhetorical devices?
  • Analyze if the rhetorical strategies utilized in plays are effective for the speech’s intended audience.
  • How can the rhetorical depth of any utterance be identified?
  • Examine how rhetorical tactics are used in the USA and the UK.
  • Make a biblical rhetorical analysis.
  • Rhetorical techniques’ effects on how a reader interprets a non-fiction tale
  • Is there something about William Shakespeare’s writing style that appeals to you?
  • How does the audience’s impression of the tale be affected by the author’s credibility?

Great Topics for Rhetorical Analysis

  • A rhetorical analysis of a TED talks speech.
  • Analyze the role of symbolism in novels.
  • Definition of heroism by different writers.
  • Analyze Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code.
  • Persuasive devices were used in Mississippi’s Corrections Reform by John Buntin.
  • Discuss the brand name and emotional appeal.
  • Rhetorical analysis on the impact of the Olympics and World Cup.
  • How does the use of stylistic devices in ancient times vary from that of today?
  • Why do concrete or abstract images matter in a literary text?
  • Discuss how rhetorical devices vary from classical to Rogerian texts.
  • An Examination of customer behavior on the internet using rhetoric
  • How culture has been impacted by the electronic media: a critique of the rhetoric
  • Examine rhetorically how social media is transforming the world into a global community.
  • How do writers plan for the audience’s response when they employ rhetorical strategies?
  • How can stereotypes impede the use of rhetorical strategies effectively?

Latest Rhetorical Analysis Topics

  • Analysis of rhetoric on the effects of the Olympics and World Cup
  • During the Olympic games, playing national anthems has symbolic meaning.
  • William Shakespeare’s “Hamlet”: A Rhetorical Analysis of the Major Themes
  • Analyze the last address given by First Lady Melania Trump using your understanding of rhetorical strategies.
  • Examine the fundamental concepts of “Alice in Wonderland “
  • Rhetorical evaluation of President Biden’s inaugural address
  • Shakespeare’s use of language in his well-known play Romeo and Juliet
  • Compare and contrast President Trump’s inaugural address with that of President Obama.
  • a thorough examination of the speeches that made Martin Luther famous
  • Investigate the various rhetorical strategies employed by speakers and their effects on the intended audience.
  • What are the drawbacks of using monologues to draw an audience?
  • How does the audience’s perception of the story be affected by the author’s credibility?
  • The failure of charity, classism, victorian era, the folly of individualism: Charles Dickens’s Oliver Twist
  • How do the new Hollywood producers and show-runners address the issue related to diversity and inclusivity in the television and movie industry?
  • Analyze the  recurring effect of Misogyny in the real-life experiences of Malala Yousafzai
  • Discuss the impact of legislation on Birth Control pills in the growing cases of the untimely death of Women in rural areas
  • How do teen pregnancy, rape and delegitimization of abortion and birth control pills conjure to control women’s bodies?

Outstanding Rhetorical Analysis Essay Ideas

  • Explain how Jane Austen uses literary devices in her work.
  • How important is home as a theme in literature?
  • Explain how your favorite ad campaign employs rhetoric
  • Discuss how the expression of males and females affects literary texts
  • Explain a speech or article that uses rhetorical devices better
  • Compare the variation of rhetorical devices between Rogerian and classical texts.
  • Discuss the essence of abstract images in literary texts
  • Analyze rhetorical devices in Edgar Allen’s The Raven
  • Rhetorical devices that make Geoffrey Chaucer’s  The Canterbury Tales relevant
  • How Harry Potter implements rhetorical strategies

The Bottom Line

For writing a top-quality rhetorical analysis paper, feel free to use any rhetorical analysis topics suggested in this blog post. In case, you are unaware of how to write a rhetorical analysis essay or don’t know how to perform rhetorical analysis, contact us for Scenario Analysis Assignment Help . To avail of our cheap assignment help service, just send your requirements to us. Based on that, we will prepare and deliver a plagiarism-free assignment on time. Besides, we also offer you unlimited paper revisions and 24/7 customer support. So, no matter what time it is, without any hesitation, utilize our reliable online assignment writing service by submitting the order form.

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Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topics: 20 Best Examples to Use

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by  Antony W

September 13, 2022

rhetorical analysis essay topics list

Between the thousands of over-analyzed rhetorical analysis essay topics and innumerable more that are too complicated to write about, it is usually a challenge to pick a good one. 

Ideally, you want a topic that is so common enough that it needs little introduction, yet unique so that your essay is fresh and outstanding.

Some innovative fellows manage to come up with fresh twists on old topics, but this isn't always possible.

We will explore some of the best rhetorical analysis topics to use in your essay, as well as how to choose one when presented with a list of possible ideas.

Qualities of a Good Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topic

A rhetorical analysis essay is a critical evaluation of how a communicator puts their point across and what linguistic devices they employ to do that.

You will be looking at how they manipulate words to achieve the desired effect.

Therefore, the most basic quality is that the work you choose to analyze must be highly compelling and influential as proof of its effectiveness.

This is partly why most students and experts alike choose to stick to world-famous classics. However, that doesn't mean there aren't great works to make interesting topics elsewhere.

Here are the things to watch out for when selecting work for a rhetorical analysis essay.

The topic you choose needs to be fresh if it is to excite any interest.

 Your instructor has probably seen hundreds of essays, if not thousands. 

If you want to impress them, either have a fresh angle or pick one that is not already picked to the bone by other students.

You have probably heard this before: a topic that is not too specific, neither too broad.

You want it to be just right for your essay. 

One that is too wide will need extensive research before you can have enough background to write authoritatively.

One that is too focused will not give you enough material to work with.

3. Personal Interest

Choose a topic that you can relate to or that intrigues you. It might be a favorite writer, a respected orator, a movie you particularly enjoyed, or an all-time top song.

That way, you are assured of enjoying the writing process all the way through and your authenticity will shine through the writing.

You can also choose a topic that is part of your job, a hobby, or that you are well-versed in. It will give you a head start and save time on research.

4. Appeal to Your Audience

Remember that you are writing for an audience and that you expect a good grade out of it.

Think about what kind of topics your instructor would like or at least not object to.

If you will be presenting it in class, go for a topic that your classmates will enjoy.

5. Strong and Clear Arguments

A bland topic will have almost no material for you to write about.

A plain text, speech, video, or other communication will be too dry for you to properly write about.

It will be much better for you if you use one with strong arguments, flowery language, and obvious mastery of literary skills.

This rules out academic and scholarly works because they tend to use dry language without bias.

Bias is what will give you fuel, and the arguments for or against them will form a big part of your essay.

6. Relevance to Contemporary Issues

Review a work that is still relevant to today's issues and controversial topics because those will always draw interest.

7. Well Known Or Common

Choose a topic or work that is famous enough that you don't have to introduce it to your audience in the essay.

If you go for one that is obscure or too new, you will have to give a full breakdown to get the reader on the same page with you.

Rhetorical Analysis Essay Writing Help 

Help for Assessments offers lots of useful material to students at all levels, but we don’t stop there.  We will write your rhetorical analysis essay for you and handle any other academic assignment or project you have.

All you need to do is leave us an order, and our outstanding experts will get on it at once.

How to Choose Rhetorical Analysis Topics  

Choosing topics for a rhetorical analysis essay is not very different compared to choosing other essay topics.

You will start with a general topic, narrow it down to an appropriate one that fulfills the above qualities, and select a work covering that topic on which to write the essay.

Please note that fictional works don’t do very well when it comes to rhetorical analysis, so it’s best to avoid them from the get-go.

The same applies to comedic and funny works unless they are meant to address serious and relevant issues in society.

1. Define your objectives

Remember that the objectives for writing a rhetorical analysis essay are different from those of other essays.

You are not trying to prove or disprove the work or even build upon it in any way.

Your main goal is to show that you understand how the communicator uses various tools and techniques to compel or influence the reader.

You might also be looking to prove to your instructor that you can think critically, read between the lines, and perhaps unearth hidden messages.

Defining these objectives is your first step.

2. Brainstorm Topic Ideas

Explore various avenues to get possible ideas for your topic.

These days, you can gather ideas pretty quickly online, especially through platforms such as this one.

You can also watch videos, listen to speeches or podcasts, or even just ask friends, family, and strangers on online forums. Gather all the ideas you get and write them down.

3. Select One or Two that Meet the Criteria

It will be easy to eliminate some of the ideas you have gathered: they are too common, irrelevant, obscure, or challenging.

With the remaining ones, assess them against the given criteria.

You will often come across one or two that appeal strongly to you, so give them special consideration.

4. Look Into Available Research

Whether you have narrowed down to the one you are looking for or not, this stage is essential.

You will want to check on what data is currently available to support your chosen topic.

This is also where you will be checking to see if that topic is too wide, too narrow, or too common.

If you come across any problem here, a change of approach or topic will be easier than having to do it later.

5. Find Works that Interest You Within Your Discipline

For college assignments, you will mostly be reviewing books, articles, and journals.

However, you might also be given speeches, videos, movies, songs, and even pieces of art to analyze.

Other instructors will give you the freedom to choose.

Whichever the case, now is the time to pick out the right work and make sure that it is expressive and rich enough to review.

With this plan, you will find it much easier to select great topics for your rhetorical essay.

Sometimes you may have to mix up the steps a bit, but it’s still a great plan.

We have used it to come up with lots of great sample topics that we are now going to share with you.

20+ Example Topics for Your Rhetorical Analysis Essay

Brainstorm ideas.

  • A new writer, orator, or famous leader you find impactful.
  • A speech or article from a president, CEO, Nobel prize winner, or other respected people.
  • A world-famous movie.
  • A book that influenced your life greatly.
  • Contrasting different writers on a topic, e.g, feminism or ethics.
  • How a certain theme is explored in literature or contemporary media e.g. role of a man as a father figure, hope, ambition, etc.
  • One of the lesser-known classics such as Little Big Man by Thomas Berger.
  • A less-known poem from a famous poet.
  • An influential political work.
  • A scene or part from a dramatic movie, video, or even news on mainstream media.
  • A favorite blogger, vlogger, or Instagram star.
  • The inaugural address of a president.
  • A sermon from a favorite preacher.
  • A monologue from a famous play, e.g. Shakespear.
  • Acceptance speech during an award, e.g. Pink’s acceptance speech in the 2017 VMA awards.

Sample Topics

  • Charlie Chaplin’s famous speech The Great Dictator.
  • Obama’s “ A More Perfect Union.”
  • Obama’s inaugural address in 2009.
  • Steve Jobs’ 2005 Stanford commencement speech.
  • The movie Thank You for Smoking.
  • Superbowl ads (choose one effective one) or any other timeless ad.
  • Plato’s Republic.
  • Mona Lisa’s smile (if you are very good at art and can fill 4 pages with it.)
  • Silent Voices in Three Poems.
  • Charles Spurgeon sermons.
  • Clifford’s The Ethics of Belief.
  • The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien.
  • A poem by Edgar Allan Poe, Raven. 
  • Analyze the theme of loyalty in Barn Burning by William Faulkner.
  • Discuss solitude in literature.

About the author 

Antony W is a professional writer and coach at Help for Assessment. He spends countless hours every day researching and writing great content filled with expert advice on how to write engaging essays, research papers, and assignments.

Rhetorical Analysis Essay Guide

Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topics

Last updated on: Feb 9, 2023

Top Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topics for Students

By: Betty P.

Reviewed By: Rylee W.

Published on: Feb 25, 2020

Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topics

A rhetorical analysis essay is a type of essay in which you write about a piece of literature, art, or speech. Most of the students find it extremely stressful and scary to write rhetorical essays. They have no idea what it is, how to write one because they are not into reading.

Are you one of those students?

We cannot help it because, If you want to get an A in this type of assignment. You need to read the book thoroughly. Also, analyze the literary devices employed in the book. But we can help you get some rhetoric essay ideas.

Many students are stuck at the very beginning of writing this type of essay. They don’t know how to select a topic or subject to analyze.

In this blog, you get a complete list of interesting topics to help you in your writing phase.

Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topics

On this Page

Good Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topics for Students

A good topic is the key to a perfect essay. Here is a list of topics for essays that assist you in making the right choice.

Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topics for College Students

  • "The Odyssey" And "Beowulf"
  • "The Prince" Summary
  • The symbolism of Bullfighting In “The Sun Also Rises” by Ernest Hemingway.
  • Rhetorical Analysis of "Romeo And Juliet"
  • Rhetorical Analysis of "The Great Gatsby"
  • Rhetorical Analysis of "Hamlet"
  • Main Themes And Analysis of Plato's "Republic"
  • "The Picture Of Dorian Gray" Summary
  • Rhetorical Analysis of "Pride And Prejudice"
  • Rhetorical Analysis of “The Fault in Our Stars”

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Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topics for High School Students

  • An attitude of consumers towards Fast Fashion
  • Rhetorical Analysis of the Cultural Industry
  • Consumers Habits: Women Vs. Men“
  • 1950’s Fashion” Rhetorical Analysis
  • Rhetorical Analysis of the Commercials and the Media“
  • 1970’s Fashion” Analysis
  • Martin Luther King jr last speech
  • Rhetorical Analysis of E-commerce
  • “Electronic Media and Culture” Rhetorical Analysis
  • Environment and Consumerism Analysis

Sports Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topics

  • Rhetorical Analysis of “Olympics”
  • “NFL And the Concussion Rules”
  • BCS or Playoffs
  • Kobe or LeBron
  • Players or Owners
  • Rhetorical Analysis of Presidential Sports Encomia
  • Rhetorical Analysis of Symbolic Power of Sports
  • Rhetorical Analysis of the use of steroids
  • Rhetorical Analysis on “Football World Cup”

Fiction Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topics

  • O'Henry’s "Witches Loaves"
  • Rhetorical Analysis of "Huckleberry Finn"
  • Rhetorical Analysis of "Fight Club"
  • Michael Punke’s "The Revenant""The White Heron" Analysis
  • Rhetorical Analysis of “Death of A Salesman"
  • "The Lottery" Main ThemesLiterary Analysis of "Life In The Iron Mills"
  • "Alice In The Wonderland" Primary Themes"
  • The Fountainhead" by Ayn Rand Analysis

Easy Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topics

  • A blog that you are passionate about
  • England in 1819” by Percy Bysshe Shelley.
  • Do we allow our fears to restrain us from action?
  • Is there anything weird in the rhetoric of Amy Poehler?
  • Faces of love in A Red, Red Rose by Robert Burns.
  • Analyze Edgar Allan Poe’s poem ‘Raven.
  • ’The similarities and differences between two Ovidian tales
  • Steve Jobs commencement speech
  • Is there no age for education?
  • What is under our feet?

Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topics on Movies

  • Rhetorical analysis of Romeo + Juliet.
  • To Kill a Mockingbird
  • Analyze TV shows based on true events
  • Summary of "The Prince"
  • Use of symbolism Harry Potter series
  • Analyze a famous historical movie
  • Martin Luther King and “I Have a Dream.” How it changes.
  • Jennifer Lawrence in the Hunger Games: Catching Fire.
  • The Phantom of the Opera
  • The Shawshank Redemption

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Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topics About Speeches

  • “Full Power of Women” by Priyanka Chopra
  • Analysis of the farewell address of a famous president
  • Joseph Stiglitz’ The Price of Inequality
  • A rhetorical analysis of President Biden’s speech on inauguration day
  • Speech from President Trump
  • Malala Yousafzai speech for students
  • Any speech delivered by George W. Bush: what does it carry?
  • Rhetorical analysis of Pope Urban II’s Speech at Clermont, 1095.
  • Any given Sunday speech

Visual Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topics

  • The rhetoric of blogs and online writing.
  • Animal Farm
  • Yellow journalism
  • The spirit level
  • “The Hunger Games” vs. “The Lottery”
  • Art through history
  • Out of Africa
  • Rhetorical analysis of creative ads
  • Culture and arts
  • Analyze the text in a famous TV campaign

Comparative Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topics

  • The Hunger Games vs. the Lottery
  • Backpacks vs. Briefcases
  • Jazz vs. Rock
  • "Death of a Salesman" Vs. "The White Heron"
  • Lord of the Flies: civilization vs. savagery.
  • The Breakfast Club Ending Scene vs. The Danger of a Single Story
  • Life in high school vs. life in college
  • Adolf Hitler vs. Joseph Stalin
  • American vs. Chinese concepts of beauty.
  • Gandalf vs. Dumbledore

Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topics for 2022

  • Rhetorical Analysis of "The Ethics of Belief" by Clifford
  • Summary and Analysis of Jared Diamond’s "Easter Islands' End"
  • Rhetorical Analysis of "Success Strategies”
  • Anne Lamott’s "Traveling Mercies
  • ”Joseph Stiglitz “The Price of Inequality”
  • Rhetorical Analysis of “The Sun Is Also a Star”
  • Summary and Analysis "Guns, Germs, And Steel”
  • Rhetorical Analysis of “Forty Rules of Love”
  • “The Host” Summary“
  • The Kite Runner” Summary and Analysis

How to Choose a Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topic?

When you choose the topic for the rhetorical analysis essay, you should follow some tips. Also, save yourself from selecting a bad essay topic. For your help, we gathered some tips that will make your topic selection phase easy.

  • Choose an interesting rhetorical question that has the scope of research or writing.
  • Brainstorm the essay topic ideas.
  • Pick the one that grabs the reader’s attention.
  • You have little information about the topic.
  • Select the topic by knowing the opposing viewpoints.
  • Consult your professor and get guidance from them for your topic.
  • Know the target audience’s interests and choices.
  • Collect information about the rhetorical devices that you can discuss in the essay.
  • Determine the rhetorical strategy.

We hope that the lists mentioned above will help you select your next rhetorical analysis topic. Therefore, choose the best one according to your interest and scope.

Are you still having trouble choosing your topic or writing your rhetorical analysis essay? Consult 5StarEssays.com . We are here for you round the clock and provide the best essay writing services.

Our qualified essay writers deliver high-quality work at the most affordable rates. You only have to request to write my essay and our writers are ready to help you.

So, place your order now and free yourself from the stress of strict deadlines and poor grades.

Betty P.

Betty is a freelance writer and researcher. She has a Masters in literature and enjoys providing writing services to her clients. Betty is an avid reader and loves learning new things. She has provided writing services to clients from all academic levels and related academic fields.

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Rhetorical Analysis Definition and Examples

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rhetorical analysis essay

Introduction

What is a rhetorical analysis essay a quick overview.

A rhetorical analysis essay is an academic essay writing form. In this essay, the audience evaluates how an author or speaker uses various rhetorical techniques to convey their message and persuade the audience. The primary goal of a rhetorical analysis essay is to analyze how effectively the speaker can leave an impact on the audience.

In a rhetorical analysis essay, you have to dissect a piece of text. It can be a speech, a book, an article, or any other form of communication. You break down the content using rhetorical devices like ethos, pathos, and logos. These devices assess how the choice of words, tone, structure, and persuasive strategies contribute to the overall message.

Rhetorical Strategies: Exploring the Key Concepts

Rhetorical strategies are techniques used to persuade or manipulate an audience through language and communication. Some key concepts include:

Ethos appeals to the credibility and trustworthiness of the speaker or source.

It appeals to the emotions and feelings of the audience to evoke sympathy or excitement.

It emphasizes the logic and reason of the argument through evidence, facts, and sound reasoning.

This refers to the opportune moment of an argument, taking into account the context and readiness of the audience.

5. Metaphor

This concept uses figurative language to make a comparison, mostly to clarify or enhance understanding of an argument.

6. Repetition

Sometimes, authors use repeating words or phrases to emphasize a point or to create a rhythmic effect.

7. Rhetorical Questions

Authors ask questions that are not meant to be answered but to provoke thought or engage the audience.

8. Anaphora

Repeating a word or phrase at the beginning of successive sentences or clauses for emphasis.

9. Parallelism

Structuring sentences or phrases with similar grammatical structures to create balance and rhythm.

Using language to convey the opposite of its literal meaning. This is mostly used to demonstrate humor or criticism.

11. Hyperbole

This refers to exaggerating a point for better effect. This is often used to emphasize a point or create a vivid image.

12. Analogy

Drawing comparisons between two different things to explain or illustrate a concept.

13. Antithesis

These are contrasting ideas or words within a sentence that highlight their differences.

14. Allusion

Authors sometimes make references to literature, history, or pop culture to add depth and meaning.

15. Syllogism

This is a logical argument consisting of a major, a minor premise, and a conclusion.

These are the key concepts that are often used in persuasive essay topics writing. Our experts can guide you and tell you how and where to use these aspects.

How to Write an Exceptional Rhetorical Analysis Essay: The Real Deal!

Here are the key steps to help you craft an exceptional rhetorical analysis essay:

1. Selecting the Text

Choose a text (speech, article, advertisement, etc.) you want to analyze. It should be rich in rhetoric and provide ample material for analysis.

2. Understanding Rhetoric

Familiarise yourself with the basics of rhetoric. This comprises three key elements –

  • Ethos that appeals the credibility
  • Pathos, which appeals to emotional appeal
  • Logos appealing logical appeal.

These elements form the foundation of your analysis.

3. Reading and Annotating

Carefully read the chosen text multiple times. Annotate the text as you go along, highlighting rhetorical devices, persuasive techniques, and any significant appeals to ethos, pathos, or logos.

4. Identifying Rhetorical Devices

Identify and list the rhetorical devices used in the text. Common devices include metaphors, similes, hyperbole, alliteration, repetition, and parallelism. Note how these devices contribute to the author's argument or message.

5. Understanding Audience

Consider the target audience for the text. Analyze how the author tailors their rhetoric to connect with and persuade this specific audience.

6. Determining the Author's Purpose

Determine the primary purpose of the text. Is the author trying to persuade, inform, entertain, or inspire? Analyze how the author's rhetorical choices align with their purpose.

7. Evaluating Ethos, Pathos, and Logos

Examine how the author uses ethos, pathos, and logos to persuade the audience. Identify instances where these appeals are strong or weak and explain their impact.

8. Structural Analysis

Analyze the text's structure. Look at how the author organizes their argument, including the introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion.

9. Writing the Introduction

Craft a strong introduction for your essay. Provide essential background information about the text and author. Clearly state the text's purpose and your thesis statement.

10. Body Paragraphs

Dedicate each body paragraph to a specific rhetorical element or device you've identified. Start each paragraph with a clear topic sentence, provide evidence from the text, and analyze how that evidence contributes to the author's argument and engages the audience.

11. Transitions

Ensure smooth transitions between paragraphs and ideas. Use transition words and phrases to guide the reader through your analysis.

12. Conclusion

Summarise the key points and restate your thesis in the conclusion.

But you cannot submit just yet. You have to proofread the essay thoroughly and make edits wherever required. However, if you don’t have the means or time to do that, ask us. We have the best tools and professionals to help you make the final touches before the submission.

Fun & Interesting Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topics

  • The Rhetoric of Stand-Up Comedy: Analysing Comedic Techniques.
  • The Persuasive Power of Internet Memes.
  • Political Speeches: When Politicians Try to Be Funny.
  • Analyzing the Rhetoric of Late-Night Talk Show Hosts.
  • The Art of Satire: Analysing Satirical News Shows.
  • Celebrity Endorsements: Laughing All the Way to the Bank.
  • Infomercials: The Rhetorical Tricks Behind the Cheesiness.
  • The Rhetoric of Commercials: From Super Bowl Ads to Local Spots.
  • Analyzing the Use of Humour in Advertising.
  • The Language of Social Media Influencers: #InfluencerRhetoric.
  • Parody in Popular Culture: From "Weird Al" to SNL.
  • Analyzing the Rhetorical Devices in Comedic Literature.
  • The Humour of Shakespeare: Analysing His Use of Rhetoric.
  • The Stand-Up Comedy of George Carlin: A Rhetorical Analysis.
  • Analyzing the Rhetoric of Internet Trolls.
  • The Rhetorical Power of Cartoons and Animated Shows.
  • The Art of Irony in Literature and Film.
  • The Rhetoric of Self-Deprecating Humor: A Study in Modesty.
  • Analyzing the Satirical Elements in "The Onion" Articles.
  • The Persuasion of Political Cartoons: Beyond the Laughter.
  • Analyzing the Rhetoric of Social Media Roasts.
  • The Use of Sarcasm in Modern Conversation.
  • Analyzing the Rhetorical Devices in Late-Night Monologues.
  • The Art of Wordplay in Stand-Up Comedy.
  • The Rhetoric of Comedic Podcasts: From Scripted to Improv.
  • Analyzing the Rhetorical Devices in "The Daily Show."
  • The Humor in Advertising Mascots: From Geico's Gecko to the Energizer Bunny.
  • Analyzing the Rhetoric of Viral Internet Challenges.
  • The Use of Hyperbole in Humorous Speeches.
  • Analyzing the Rhetorical Devices in Classic Sitcoms.

Cool Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topics on Poetry

  • Analyze the use of metaphors in Robert Frost's poem "The Road Not Taken."
  • Examine the symbolism of the caged bird in Maya Angelou's "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings."
  • Explore the theme of love and loss in Shakespeare's sonnets.
  • Analyze the use of irony in Emily Dickinson's poem "I'm Nobody! Who are you?"
  • Examine the role of imagery in Langston Hughes's "Harlem (Dream Deferred)."
  • Discuss the use of personification in William Blake's "The Tyger."
  • Analyze the structure and rhyme scheme in John Keats's "Ode to a Nightingale."
  • Examine the theme of nature in Walt Whitman's "Song of Myself."
  • Discuss the use of alliteration in Edgar Allan Poe's "The Raven."
  • Analyze the use of repetition in Allen Ginsberg's "Howl."
  • Examine the symbolism of the rose in William Wordsworth's "Lines Composed a Few Miles Above Tintern Abbey."
  • Discuss the use of enjambment in Sylvia Plath's "Daddy."
  • Analyze the theme of identity in Langston Hughes's "Theme for English B."
  • Examine the use of sensory imagery in T.S. Eliot's "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock."
  • Discuss the role of tone in Robert Frost's "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening."
  • Analyze the use of juxtaposition in William Blake's "The Lamb" and "The Tyger."
  • Examine the theme of death in Emily Dickinson's poetry.
  • Discuss the use of allegory in Samuel Taylor Coleridge's "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner."
  • Analyze the symbolism of the sea in Walt Whitman's "Leaves of Grass."
  • Examine the use of onomatopoeia in E.E. Cummings's "Buffalo Bill's."
  • Discuss the role of satire in Alexander Pope's "The Rape of the Lock."
  • Analyze the use of paradox in John Donne's "Death Be Not Proud."
  • Examine the theme of time in Andrew Marvell's "To His Coy Mistress."
  • Discuss the use of irony in W.B. Yeats's "The Second Coming."
  • Analyze the structure and rhyme scheme in William Wordsworth's "I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud."
  • Examine the theme of war in Wilfred Owen's poetry.
  • Discuss the use of allusion in T.S. Eliot's "The Waste Land."
  • Analyze the symbolism of the mirror in Sylvia Plath's "Mirror."
  • Examine the use of repetition and refrain in Langston Hughes's "A Dream Deferred."
  • Discuss the role of perspective and point of view in Robert Browning's "My Last Duchess."

Amazing Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topics on Movies

  • Analyze the symbolism in Quentin Tarantino's "Pulp Fiction."
  • Discuss the cinematography techniques in Christopher Nolan's "Inception."
  • Discuss the role of music and sound in Stanley Kubrick's "2001: A Space Odyssey."
  • Analyze the use of color in Wes Anderson's "The Grand Budapest Hotel."
  • Examine the character development in Martin Scorsese's "Taxi Driver."
  • Discuss the impact of editing and pacing in Alfred Hitchcock's "Psycho."
  • Analyze the use of metaphor and allegory in "The Matrix" series.
  • Examine the cultural commentary in Jordan Peele's "Get Out."
  • Discuss the narrative structure in Akira Kurosawa's "Rashomon."
  • Analyze the use of montage in Sergei Eisenstein's "Battleship Potemkin."
  • Examine the portrayal of gender roles in Ridley Scott's "Alien."
  • Discuss the social commentary in Bong Joon-ho's "Parasite."
  • Analyze the use of visual effects in James Cameron's "Avatar."
  • Examine the role of foreshadowing in David Fincher's "Fight Club."
  • Discuss the symbolism of the white dress in Darren Aronofsky's "Black Swan."
  • Analyze the political themes in Spike Lee's "Do the Right Thing."
  • Examine the use of lighting and shadows in Orson Welles's "Citizen Kane."
  • Discuss the character archetypes in George Lucas's "Star Wars" franchise.
  • Analyze the portrayal of mental illness in Ron Howard's "A Beautiful Mind."
  • Examine the use of satire in Stanley Kubrick's "Dr. Strangelove."
  • Discuss the representation of technology in Steven Spielberg's "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial."
  • Analyze the use of flashbacks in Quentin Tarantino's "Kill Bill."
  • Examine the role of costume design in Sofia Coppola's "Marie Antoinette."
  • Discuss the ethical dilemmas in Christopher Nolan's "The Dark Knight."
  • Analyze the symbolism of the feather in Robert Zemeckis's "Forrest Gump."
  • Examine the portrayal of race and identity in Barry Jenkins's "Moonlight."
  • Discuss the use of non-linear storytelling in Guy Ritchie's "Snatch."
  • Analyze the visual motifs in Tim Burton's "Edward Scissorhands."
  • Examine the role of silence in Yorgos Lanthimos's "The Lobster."
  • Discuss the representation of addiction in Darren Aronofsky's "Requiem for a Dream."

Top Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topics on Popular Speeches

  • Analyze the use of metaphor and repetition in "I Have a Dream" by Martin Luther King Jr.
  • Examine the rhetorical strategies in "A More Perfect Union" by Barack Obama
  • Analyze the language Lincoln used to commemorate fallen soldiers in his "The Gettysburg Address"
  • Examine Malcolm X's persuasive techniques in "The Ballot or the Bullet"
  • Analyze the rhetoric used by Betty Friedan to spark the second-wave feminist movement in "The Feminine Mystique"
  • Examine the "Speech to the Troops at Tilbury" by Queen Elizabeth I
  • Analyze the persuasive strategies used by Ronald Reagan in his "Tear Down This Wall” speech
  • Examine the use of ethos, pathos, and logos in "I Am Malala" by Malala Yousafzai
  • Analyze the emotional impact of "The Last Lecture" by Randy Pausch
  • "Ain't I a Woman?" by Sojourner Truth: Examine the powerful rhetorical devices used in this women's rights speech.
  • "Remarks on the Assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr." by Robert F. Kennedy: Analyse the emotional appeal and call for unity in this speech.
  • Examine the use of personal anecdotes in "The Power of Vulnerability" by Brené Brown
  • Analyse Churchill's call in his iconic "We Shall Fight on the Beaches" speech
  • Examine the rhetorical devices used in Jobs' "The Stanford Commencement Address"
  • "A Whisper of AIDS" by Mary Fisher
  • Roosevelt's persuasive language in "The Four Freedoms"
  • Analyse "The Man in the Arena" by Theodore Roosevelt
  • Examine the use of ethos and pathos in the "Remarks on the Signing of the Voting Rights Act" by Lyndon B. Johnson
  • Analyse "The Crisis" speech by Winston Churchill
  • Examine the rhetorical devices used in "The Perils of Indifference" by Elie Wiesel
  • Analyse Reagan's persuasive arguments in "A Time for Choosing"
  • Examine the satirical elements and social critique in "The Paradox of Our Time" by George Carlin
  • Analyse "The Danger of a Single Story" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
  • Examine the rhetorical impact of "The Stanford Rape Victim's Impact Statement" by Chanel Miller
  • Analyzing the "Remarks to the Senate" by Margaret Chase Smith
  • Examine Churchill's rhetoric in "Blood, Toil, Tears, and Sweat"
  • Analyze the rhetorical style of "The Sermon on the Mount" by Jesus Christ
  • Examine Henry David Thoreau's call in "A Plea for Captain John Brown"
  • Analyse Douglass's powerful critique in "What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?"
  • Examine the persuasive techniques in "The Youth Climate Strike" by Greta Thunberg

Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topics on Non–Fiction

  • The Power of Persuasion: Analysing Martin Luther King Jr.'s 'I Have a Dream' Speech.
  • The Impact of Narrative Techniques in Memoirs: A Study of 'The Glass Castle' by Jeannette Walls.
  • Fact vs. Fiction: Investigating the Line Between Journalism and Creative Non-Fiction.
  • The Art of the Personal Essay: Examining E.B. White's 'Once More to the Lake.'
  • Environmental Awareness Through Non-Fiction: Rachel Carson's 'Silent Spring.'
  • The Use of Anecdotes in Malcolm Gladwell's 'Outliers' to Make a Persuasive Argument.
  • Cultural Critique in Non-Fiction: George Orwell's '1984' and Its Relevance Today.
  • Exploring the Power of Storytelling in Non-Fiction: Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's 'The Danger of a Single Story.'
  • The Role of Statistics and Data Visualization in Non-Fiction Writing.
  • Evaluating the Ethical Dilemmas in Investigative Journalism: 'All the President's Men' by Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward.
  • Rhetorical Devices in Susan Sontag's 'On Photography' and Their Influence on the Reader.
  • The Art of the Profile: Analysing the Style of Truman Capote's 'In Cold Blood.'
  • The Role of Personal Experience in Non-Fiction Writing: Joan Didion's 'The Year of Magical Thinking.'
  • The Impact of Emotional Appeals in Non-Fiction: 'The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks' by Rebecca Skloot.
  • Science Communication in Non-Fiction: Carl Sagan's 'Cosmos' as a Model.
  • The Art of Argumentation in Christopher Hitchens' 'God Is Not Great.'
  • Analyzing the Role of Humor in David Sedaris' Essays.
  • The Evolution of the Self-Help Genre: From Dale Carnegie to Brené Brown.
  • Exploring the Use of Personal Reflection in Non-Fiction: Ta-Nehisi Coates' 'Between the World and Me.'
  • The Intersection of Science and Literature: Mary Roach's 'Stiff.'
  • The Influence of Historical Context on Non-Fiction Writing: Howard Zinn's 'A People's History of the United States.'
  • Environmental Advocacy Through Non-Fiction: Bill McKibben's 'The End of Nature.'
  • The Art of Investigative Reporting: 'The Devil in the White City' by Erik Larson.
  • Rhetorical Analysis of Presidential Speeches: A Focus on Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address.
  • The Role of Personal Identity in Non-Fiction: Roxane Gay's 'Hunger.'
  • Gender and Feminism in Non-Fiction: A Study of Roxane Gay's 'Bad Feminist.'
  • The Influence of Historical Documents on Contemporary Non-Fiction Writing.
  • The Impact of Travel Writing: Paul Theroux's 'The Great Railway Bazaar.'
  • Analyzing the Use of Symbolism in Non-Fiction: 'Into the Wild' by Jon Krakauer.
  • The Role of Autobiography in Non-Fiction: Maya Angelou's 'I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings.'

Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topics on Fiction

  • The Symbolism of the 'Green Light' in F. Scott Fitzgerald's 'The Great Gatsby.'
  • The Role of Foreshadowing in Edgar Allan Poe's 'The Tell-Tale Heart.'
  • Character Development in J.D. Salinger's 'The Catcher in the Rye.'
  • The Use of Irony in Mark Twain's 'The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.'
  • Exploring the Theme of Identity in J.K. Rowling's 'Harry Potter' Series.
  • Narrative Structure in Gabriel Garcia Marquez's 'One Hundred Years of Solitude.'
  • Analyzing the Impact of Setting in William Golding's 'Lord of the Flies.'
  • The Motif of Darkness in Joseph Conrad's 'Heart of Darkness.'
  • The Symbolism of the Mockingbird in Harper Lee's 'To Kill a Mockingbird.'
  • The Role of Allegory in George Orwell's 'Animal Farm.'
  • Character Transformation in Jane Austen's 'Pride and Prejudice.'
  • The Use of Stream of Consciousness in Virginia Woolf's 'Mrs. Dalloway.'
  • Exploring the Theme of Alienation in Franz Kafka's 'The Metamorphosis.'
  • The Symbolism of the 'Red Room' in Charlotte Brontë's 'Jane Eyre.'"
  • Analyzing the Impact of Dialogue in Arthur Miller's 'The Crucible.'
  • The Use of Magical Realism in Isabel Allende's 'The House of the Spirits.'
  • Character Archetypes in J.R.R. Tolkien's 'The Lord of the Rings.'
  • The Role of Time in Kurt Vonnegut's 'Slaughterhouse-Five.'
  • Exploring the Theme of Love and Sacrifice in Nicholas Sparks' Novels.
  • The Symbolism of the Conch Shell in William Golding's 'Lord of the Flies.'
  • The Use of Motif and Imagery in Toni Morrison's 'Beloved.'
  • Character Motivation in Fyodor Dostoevsky's 'Crime and Punishment.'
  • The Role of Irony in Oscar Wilde's 'The Picture of Dorian Gray.'
  • The Symbolism of the 'White Whale' in Herman Melville's 'Moby-Dick.'
  • Narrative Perspective in Margaret Atwood's 'The Handmaid's Tale.'
  • The Use of Foil Characters in Shakespearean Tragedies.
  • Exploring the Theme of War in Erich Maria Remarque's 'All Quiet on the Western Front.'
  • Character Conflict and Growth in John Steinbeck's 'Of Mice and Men.'
  • The Symbolism of the 'Raven' in Edgar Allan Poe's Poem.
  • The Role of Imagery in F. Scott Fitzgerald's 'The Great Gatsby.'

Latest Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topics

  • Analyzing the Rhetoric of Social Media Influencers: Strategies, Impact, and Ethics.
  • The Use of Visual Rhetoric in Political Campaign Advertisements in the Digital Age.
  • Rhetorical Analysis of Climate Change Advocacy Speeches by Greta Thunberg.
  • The Role of Memes in Shaping Online Discourse: A Rhetorical Examination.
  • The Rhetorical Techniques of Podcast Hosts in Engaging and Persuading Audiences.
  • Analyzing the Rhetoric of Environmental Activism in Contemporary Documentaries.
  • The Influence of Rhetorical Appeals in Modern Political Debates and Discourse.
  • The Rhetoric of Fake News: Analysing Manipulative Techniques and Their Impact.
  • Exploring Rhetorical Strategies in Contemporary Stand-up Comedy.
  • Rhetorical Analysis of TED Talks: Persuasion and Storytelling in Public Speaking.
  • The Rhetorical Framing of Social Justice Movements in the Media.
  • Analyzing the Persuasive Techniques in Modern Advertising: From Super Bowl Commercials to Digital Campaigns.
  • The Rhetorical Strategies Used by Activists in the Black Lives Matter Movement.
  • The Role of Visual Rhetoric in Environmental Awareness Campaigns.
  • Rhetorical Analysis of Celebrity Speeches and Their Influence on Social Issues.
  • The Rhetoric of Health and Wellness Influencers: Ethical Considerations.
  • Analysing Rhetorical Devices in Contemporary Pop Songs and Music Videos.
  • Rhetorical Analysis of Branding and Brand Storytelling in the Fashion Industry.
  • The Rhetoric of Online Product Reviews: Persuasion and Consumer Behavior.
  • Analyzing the Rhetoric of Political Satire Shows in the Current Political Climate.
  • The Use of Rhetorical Appeals in Debates Surrounding Technology Ethics.
  • Rhetorical Analysis of Environmental Policy Speeches by World Leaders.
  • The Rhetorical Techniques Used in Contemporary Self-Help Literature.
  • Analysing Rhetorical Strategies in Online Gaming Communities and Esports.
  • The Rhetoric of Crisis Communication: Examining Responses to Global Events.
  • Rhetorical Analysis of Anti-vaccine Movement Arguments and Their Impact.
  • The Rhetoric of Conspiracy Theories: Persuasion and Disinformation.
  • Analyzing the Rhetorical Appeals of Influential Science Communicators.
  • Rhetorical Strategies in Contemporary Food and Nutrition Debates.
  • The Role of Rhetoric in Shaping Public Opinion on Artificial Intelligence and Robotics.

Why Is Rhetorical Analysis Important?

Rhetorical analysis is important because it helps us in:

1. Critical Thinking

When you analyze rhetoric, it encourages critical reflection thinking. You have to examine the various strategies used to persuade, inform, or entertain. This boosts your critical thinking abilities.

2. Effective Communication

Studying effective rhetoric can improve your own communication skills. It helps you convey ideas more persuasively. You can easily break the ice and be a better communicator in other verticals of life.

3. Media Literacy

It helps individuals discern the quality and intentions of various messages in media, politics, and advertising.

4. Cultural Awareness

Rhetorical analysis reveals cultural values and biases embedded in messages. This is crucial in fostering cultural awareness.

5. Decision Making

Understanding persuasive techniques aids in making informed decisions. Students can easily recognize data and evidence that seems manipulative or biased. Thus, they can filter those out and make informed decisions.

If you still have some queries about how rhetorical analysis essays are important to us, we are just a call away.

How to Analyse Rhetorical Strategies in An Essay or Speech?

Follow this step-by-step guide to analyze rhetorical strategies in an essay or speech –

  • Read the Essay
  • Identify the Rhetorical Strategies
  • Analyse Word Choice
  • Examine Sentence Structure and Syntax
  • Identify Persuasive Techniques
  • Evaluate Organisation
  • Consider Audience
  • Assess Effectiveness
  • Provide Evidence and Examples
  • Write Your Analysis

We can help you in all these processes and guide you to correctly analyze any rhetorical essays.

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Aero Bingham – Response

  • In Class Writing – 2023-1-23
  • Rhetorical Analysis

As we’ve explored the elements of the rhetorical situation in our recent discussions, it’s become clear how crucial understanding these elements is to effective communication. For this in-class activity,  I would like you to reflect on your journey through the concepts of author, audience, purpose, context, genre, medium, and exigence .

Task: Select two or three terms from the list above. For each chosen term, write a reflective summary  that covers the following points:

  • Definition and Understanding: Begin by defining the term in your own words and explain your understanding of it. How does this element contribute to the rhetorical situation?
  • Personal Relevance and Application: Discuss how this element specifically aids in enhancing communication. Reflect on your own experiences as a communicator – whether as a student, in personal interactions, or in any other role where communication is key. How have you, or how might you, use this element to improve your communication?
  • Real-World Examples: Provide specific examples to illustrate your points. These can be drawn from your own experiences, observations from the world around you, or hypothetical scenarios. How does the effective use of this element impact the success of communication? Conversely, how might neglecting this element lead to communication failures?
  • Critical Analysis: Critically analyze the significance of these elements in different contexts. Consider different audiences, purposes, or mediums and how they might alter the application and importance of the chosen elements.

– Definition and Understanding: “Purpose” is defined as the reason why the author is writing what they’re writing. Every situation is different, so every author will have a different purpose for their piece.

– Personal Relevance and Application: If everything is written the same way without any variation depending on the situation, we would not be able to effectively communicate with each other. With my purpose

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Ron DeSantis ally Chris Rufo has close ties with ‘dissident right’ magazine

Relationship with IM-1776, which praises dictators and attacks liberal democracy, is collaborative and supportive

Chris Rufo, a rightwing culture-war celebrity and close Ron DeSantis ally, has maintained a close relationship with IM-1776, a “dissident right” magazine that regularly showers praise on dictators and authoritarians, puffs racist ideologues, and attacks liberal democracy.

The outlet’s editors and writers – many of them so-called “anons” working under pseudonyms – have variously advocated for the repeal of the Civil Rights Act; celebrated figures such as the “Unabomber” Ted Kaczynski and the proto-fascist Italian nationalist Gabriele D’Annunzio; and advanced conspiracy theories about the Covid pandemic, and what they term the “regime” , a leftist power structure that they imagine unites the state, large corporations, universities and the media.

Rufo and IM-1776

The Guardian has previously reported on Rufo’s links with an outlet that experts described as pushing scientific racism; with a Danish data scientist who had previously co-authored scientific-racist papers; and on co-hosting an audio stream on X in which one participant advocated cooperating with a hypothetical white nationalist leader.

Rufo, who played a leading role in the downfall of Harvard president Claudine Gay, has said such reporting is “ guilt by association ”, but his relationship with IM-1776 is explicitly collaborative and supportive, and the association is apparently mutually beneficial.

Last month a “manifesto” written by Rufo – The New Right Activism – ran in the online and print versions of IM-1776, and Rufo has publicly urged his audience to buy and subscribe to the outlet. He has also co-hosted a series of Twitter spaces with the magazine’s editors, beginning in July last year.

In one of them, recorded in October, he indicated an interest in incorporating the “dissident right” more fully in mainstream political discourse, saying: “I think there is a room for engaging the dissident right and the establishment right. I think we need to have a bridge between the two and and engage in thoughtful dialogue.”

More recently, he has expressed a personal interest in expanding the range of acceptable political discourse.

On the Pirate Wires podcast earlier this month, he told host Mike Solana of his own activism: “I try to play that game, I try to lay traps, I try to provoke certain reactions, I try to launder certain words and phrases into the discourse.”

The Guardian emailed Rufo detailed questions about his relationship with IM-1776, what if any concerns he had about content on the site, and which words or phrases he had laundered into the discourse, but received no response.

Dr Julian Waller, a research analyst at the Center for Naval Analyses and a professorial lecturer at George Washington University, said: “Rufo is very intentionally acting as a bridging actor between people to his right – in a variety of dimensions and different ideological segments – and the more institutional establishment world: the harder right of American politics.”

He said: “In the American context, the closest thing we have to a post-liberal government – and I won’t say dissident right, I’ll say post-liberal – is the DeSantis administration in Florida, and Chris Rufo’s activist legislative packages have been used by that state forthrightly.”

Mark Granza, by his own account an Italian national living in Hungary, is the founder and editor-in-chief of IM-1776 . He has returned Rufo’s public admiration. Granza was interviewed in February last year by the conservative Rod Dreher in the Hungarian Conservative, an outlet aligned with the authoritarian government of Viktor Orbán where Dreher writes as a fellow of the state-funded Danube Institute.

Granza said of Rufo that “he doesn’t care about convincing the other side, or battling in the ‘marketplace of ideas’. He’s going to tell you what he’s going to do, and then do it, whether you agree with him or not.”

Granza added: “That’s what I believe conservatives should do: use whatever power they have or can get and impose their views on to society.”

Authoritarian sympathies

Authoritarian sentiments like this also feed into IM-1776’s political enthusiasms.

The magazine has been especially supportive of El Salvador’s president Nayib Bukele, who suspended civil liberties in 2022 as part of a crackdown on alleged gang members that has seen about 75,000 people arrested without charge – more than 1% of the country’s total population.

The Guardian previously reported warnings from Salvadoran opposition figures, human rights groups and journalists that Bukele’s populist, bitcoin-fueled presidency is in danger of developing into an authoritarian state: Bukele has referred to himself as the “world’s coolest dictator”.

On Twitter in September 2022, Granza characterized Bukele and Orbán’s authoritarian moves on crime and immigration as reminders of “the existence of the deep state in the west”. In March last year he posted: “America needs its own Bukele. Build massive prisons and start by throwing in every single regime apparatchik.”

Political figures who receive regular praise in IM-1776 include the Italian proto-fascist D’Annunzio, who was the subject of a three-article “symposium” on the site in 2021.

D’Annunzio, a poet and a first world war pilot, led Italian nationalists in seizing the city of Fiume after it had been given to Croatia in the Versailles settlement. In the months in which he governed it as an independent regency, D’Annunzio’s innovations included the use of Roman salutes, balcony speeches to crowds, and deploying black-shirted followers to repress opponents. All of these and more were later taken up and used by Mussolini’s fascist regime.

Another favorite is Russian president Valdimir Putin, of whom a pseudonymous author asked at IM-1776 this week: “Is this the last real statesman?”

Rehabilitations

IM-1776 regularly runs articles that attempt to rehabilitate lesser known far-right thinkers and even convicted terrorists.

Benjamin Braddock bylined a May 2022 interview with Renaud Camus, the French novelist, white nationalist and conspiracy theorist who coined the “Great Replacement” as a book title and as description of a purported plot by “replacist elites” to substitute immigrants for white Europeans.

Camus’s slogan inspired white nationalist chants at Charlottesville, Virginia; was borrowed as the title of the manifesto written by the man who massacred 52 Muslims in two mass shootings in Christchurch, New Zealand, in March 2019; and also motivated the man who killed 10 Black people in the car park of a market in Buffalo in May 2022.

In Braddock’s deferential interview, Camus characterizes these “replacist” elites as “Davos, bankers, international finance, multinational companies, pension funds, hedge funds, big five, and all kind of more or less private powers”.

Last June, IM-1776 published an obituary of Ted Kaczynski by another pseudonymous author calling themselves “The Prudentialist”.

Kaczynski died in a federal prison last year at the conclusion of a life sentence he received for a 17-year mailbombing campaign that killed three of his targets and injured 23 others.

Describing Kaczynski as “allegedly a lone wolf terrorist, but also a mathematical genius”, the IM-1776 author relativized his crimes and explained that Kaczynski’s “iconic status on the contemporary right can be partly attributed to the devastating critique of the left included in his famous manifesto, Industrial Society and Its Future”.

Charles Haywood

Other IM-1776 contributors go even further in rhetorical attacks on the left.

One regular contributor to and apparent funder of IM-1776 is the former shampoo manufacturer and would-be “warlord” Charles Haywood. Haywood is bylined in six articles published on the IM-1776 website.

In several of these articles, he uses eliminationist language in relation to his perceived enemies.

In one, a dialogue with fellow IM-1776 regular Daniel Miller, Haywood writes that the goal of the right must be “the total, permanent defeat of the left, of the ideology at the heart of the Enlightenment”, and later that “our society is commanded to excise the limitless, satanic evils brought on us by the left”.

Elsewhere, in a glowing review of Rufo’s book, America’s Cultural Revolution, Haywood says that it shows that “we might have to accept we can’t live with these people, the five or ten percent of our nation who lead or are most active in supporting the left”, and goes on to demand the repeal of the “so-called Civil Rights Act”.

Waller, the political analyst, included Haywood as one of three case studies in a working paper on writers providing “advocacy in favor of genuine authoritarian regimes – ones which outright reject the basic structural and constitutional premises of modern electoral democracy”.

In conversation he said that he included Haywood in the paper as one of the writers who “ … think democracy is bad, and that actually an authoritarian regime is good … it’s rare in the contemporary period for someone to be that open about these sorts of things.”

In a separate review of First Do No Harm, a book on Covid by a pseudonymous author who claims to be a doctor, Haywood claims that Covid “‘vaccines’ aren’t vaccines at all, but prophylactic/therapeutic drugs of very limited efficacy”.

In October 2022, Granza was interviewed on the YouTube channel of the Afrikaner nationalist activist Ernst van Zyl. In the interview, Granza indicated that beyond writing for IM-1776, Haywood stepped in at a crucial moment to keep IM-1776 alive.

During the pandemic, Granza said, he was “completely incapable of continuing to fund the project. I had to find another job, and Charles Haywood pitched in.”

Donations via Claremont

Beyond asking for subscriptions, IM-1776 solicits donations on a page on their website , but potential donors who click on the “tax deductible donations” are routed to a form on the rightwing Claremont Institute’s website, where Claremont advises: “The Claremont Institute is serving as a fiscal sponsor of IM-1776/the Art & Literature Foundation until they get fully established as a non-profit. Their commitment to the promotion of cultural work that draws on and promotes the beauty and truth of the natural order is well within the Claremont Institute’s mission.”

The Guardian emailed Mark Granza with questions about content on the site and his own political sympathies. He did not respond directly but sent a reply email with an attached image of a hackneyed meme.

The Guardian also emailed Charles Haywood with questions about funding arrangements at IM-1776, content on the site, and their own public pronouncements, but received no response.

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  3. 70 Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topics

    The BEST Rhetoric Topics As a teacher, I'm always in search of engaging texts for students to analyze. In this post, I'm sharing the best speeches, advertisements, and essays for rhetorical analysis. You'll never run out of rhetorical analysis essay topics again! So, you'll definitely want to stop right now and pin this post.

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    Olympics and World Cup- A detailed rhetorical analysis. National anthem in Olympic games- A rhetorical analysis. A rhetorical analysis of William Shakespeare's Hamlet. Primary themes in Alice in the Wanderland- A rhetorical analysis. These are good topics to write a rhetorical analysis on if you're in high school.

  5. How to Write a Rhetorical Analysis

    Knowledge Base Essay How to write a rhetorical analysis | Key concepts & examples How to Write a Rhetorical Analysis | Key Concepts & Examples Published on August 28, 2020 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on July 23, 2023. A rhetorical analysis is a type of essay that looks at a text in terms of rhetoric.

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    Popular topics to choose are famous poems, speeches, movies, art, literature, etc. Relevant Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topics Rhetorical analysis topics can go beyond just famous presidents and Mel Gibson in Braveheart. Explore these unique rhetorical analysis topics that cover current events, art, and movies.

  7. Top 80 Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topics for Students

    > Blog > Rhetorical Analysis Essay > Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topics Written by Cathy A. Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topics & Ideas for Students 10 min read Published on: Jul 23, 2020 Last updated on: Jan 29, 2024 How To Write A Rhetorical Analysis Essay That Stands Out Top 15+ Rhetorical Analysis Essay Examples for Students

  8. 160+ Best Rhetorical Analysis Topics

    9 min Updated: September 25th, 2023 Print 160+ Best Rhetorical Analysis Topics (2 votes) Rhetorical analysis essay focuses on assessing the method used for delivering a message. This assignment isn't about giving an opinion on the topic. The purpose is to analyze how the author presents the argument and whether or not they succeeded.

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    200 Best Rhetorical Analysis Topics To Cover In Your Paper Do you know what a rhetorical analysis paper is? Most students are at a loss already, yet this is a common task tested at college and university level. We will give you the answers you have been looking for with some effective tips and good examples of rhetorical analysis paper topics.

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    Rhetorical analysis essay topics were collected by our expert writers. Dive into a list of essay ideas for analyzing and pick any prompt you enjoy. ... characterization, style, method of influence, and many other things. To write a good essay, you should understand what makes an author's rhetoric effective, but even more importantly, you must ...

  11. How to Write a Rhetorical Analysis Essay-Examples & Template

    Rhetorical appeal #1: Ethos Ethos refers to the reputation or authority of the writer regarding the topic of their essay or speech and to how they use this to appeal to their audience.

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    Try Paperpile. No credit card needed Get 30 days free This will generally involve analyzing a specific text and considering the following aspects to connect the rhetorical situation to the text: Does the author successfully support the thesis or claims made in the text?

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  14. How to Write a Rhetorical Analysis: 6 Steps and an Outline for Your

    1. Identify the 4 elements of rhetoric. Start your analysis by taking note of the following rhetorical elements: Audience: Who is the piece intended for? Depending on the medium being used, the audience might consist of readers, spectators, listeners, or viewers.

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    Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller. The Slipover Sweater - Human Behavior. The Secret Life of Violet Grant - Language of Mystery. Beyond these examples provided, you can create your rhetorical analysis essay topic yourself by picking any fictional piece and writing on a theme or character in it.

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    Current Rhetorical Analysis Example Topics. If you want to write about topics that are of interest right now, we can help you. Here are some current rhetorical analysis example topics for students of all ages: A rhetorical analysis of the language used in a TED Talk; The rhetoric of a sports team's motivational speech

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    A plethora of topics to write a rhetorical analysis on is available online, and poem is among the unique subjects that can be explored. To analyze poetry, you need to consider the speaker, rhyme's meaning, and structure. The following are distinct rhetorical analysis paper topics that students can use.

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    Don't worry! In this blog post, we have composed a list of the best rhetorical analysis essay topics and ideas that will help you boost your academic scores. Also, from here, you can learn how to write an outstanding rhetorical analysis essay on a good rhetorical analysis topic. To gain more ideas about rhetorical analysis, continue reading.

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    Remember that you are writing for an audience and that you expect a good grade out of it. Think about what kind of topics your instructor would like or at least not object to. If you will be presenting it in class, go for a topic that your classmates will enjoy. 5. Strong and Clear Arguments.

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    A rhetorical analysis essay is a type of essay in which you write about a piece of literature, art, or speech. Most of the students find it extremely stressful and scary to write rhetorical essays. They have no idea what it is, how to write one because they are not into reading. Are you one of those students?

  22. How to write a rhetorical analysis essay: guide & paper topics

    First, you should write a topic sentence, unpack it, give evidence, and analyze it. The next step is about proving your objective and providing a transition. Repeat this sequence three times to write rhetorical analysis essay papers correctly. But use only one idea or claim per paragraph.

  23. Rhetorical Analysis: Techniques, Topics, and Importance

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  24. WRITING TIP: Rhetorical Analysis (HIRE ME)

    Work approach for Rhetorical Analysis: . Vital Cue: there are two levels or types of rhetorical analysis, per se. . A rhetorical analysis requires a student to analyze a piece of non-fictitious work to identify how the author or speaker uses specific communicative discourses (spoken language, images, gestures, written language, etcetera) to persuade, entertain, or inform a specific audience.

  25. Rhetorical Analysis : Aero Bingham

    Aero Bingham - Response. In Class Writing 2023-1-23. - Definition and Understanding: "Purpose" is defined as the reason why the author is writing what they're writing. Every situation is different, so every author will have a different purpose for their piece. - Personal Relevance and Application: If everything is written the same ...

  26. Ron DeSantis ally Chris Rufo has close ties with 'dissident right

    Other IM-1776 contributors go even further in rhetorical attacks on the left. One regular contributor to and apparent funder of IM-1776 is the former shampoo manufacturer and would-be "warlord ...