Lesson 5 Activity 5.1 A Rhetorical Question

^[1]

Plaque at the White Hart Hotel, Lewes, East Sussex, south east England describing Thomas Paine

Summary: At this point in time in American history, the Voice of the American is grappling with complex political and social issues. There is a growing theme entrenched in the literature. That theme is the answer to the question- What does it mean to be an American? That theme is one of many that evolves and grows throughout the unit.

Benchmarks:

11.5.3.3 Analyze a complex set of ideas or sequence of events and explain how specific individuals, ideas, or events interact and develop over the course of the text.

11.5.6.6 Determine an author’s point of view or purpose in a text in which the rhetoric is particularly effective, analyzing how style and content contribute to the power, persuasiveness, or beauty of the text.

By the end of grade 11, read and comprehend literary nonfiction in the grades 11–CCR text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range.

Learning Target(s):

• I can determine the development of a complex set of ideas over the course of the text.
• I can examine the relationship between the author’s purpose and the power of the text through the use of rhetoric.

Essential Question:

• How does a complex set of ideas develop over the course of the text?
• How does an author’s purpose contribute to the power of the text through the use of rhetoric?

You will need: 2 class periods

Internet Access

ePortfolio Journal

STEP 1: 

Watch the screencast, and listen to the speaker’s explanation of common types of rhetorical devices, what they are, how they are used, and how to identify them in a text.

SOPHIA: Kathryn Reilly’s “Identifying Rhetorical Devices” ^[2]

STEP 2: 

Write down the four common rhetorical devices illustrated in the screencast, and write a definition for each.

STEP 3:

Read Ludwig von Mises Institute: Gary Galles’s “Thomas Paine, an Appreciation”^[3]

Scroll down to the section entitled “The Role of Government.” Read through the list of quotes below the heading as well as those below the headings “Opposition to Tyranny,” “The Principle of Liberty,” and “Willingness to Sacrifice for Liberty.”

STEP 4:  

As you read, look for and write down three examples of the rhetorical devices you learned about in the previous activity. Then, write a sentence or two explaining the purpose of the rhetorical device.

STEP 5:

After you have completed your examples, review your responses with a classmate. Have them sign-off on the discussion of rhetorical devices and make any necessary adjustments to your examples.

STEP 6:

Submit your responses STEP 2 , STEP 4 and STEP 5.