8.9 G

Students need to explain the purpose of rhetorical devices such analogy and juxtaposition and of logical fallacies such as bandwagon appeals and circular reasoning

8.9- Author’s purpose and Craft: Listening, speaking, reading, writing, and thinking. The student uses critical inquiry to analyze the author's’ choices and how they influence and communicate meaning in a variety of texts. The student analyzes and applies author’s craft purposefully in order to develop his or her own products and performances.

Fallacy?? What is that??

Rhetorical Fallacy: don’t allow for the open, two-way exchange of ideas upon which meaningful conversations depend. Instead, they distract the reader with various appeals instead of using sound reasoning.

Logical Fallacy: is an error in reasoning that renders an argument invalid.

Rhetorical Device- a technique that an author or speaker uses to influence or persuade the audience

Rhetorical devices are loosely organized into the following 3 categories:

Ethos

Ethical appeals try to convince the audience that the speaker is a credible source, that their words have weight and must be taken seriously because they are serious and have the experience and judgment necessary to decide what’s right.

Logos

Devices in this category seek to convince and persuade via logic and reason, and will usually make use of statistics, cited facts, and statements by authorities to make their point and persuade the listener.

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Pathos

These rhetorical devices base their appeal in emotion. This could mean invoking sympathy or pity in the listener, or making the audience angry in the service of inspiring action or changing their mind about something.

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For this activity you will...

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Step One

Watch the Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-oUfOh_CgHQ

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Step Two

Use the link below to test your Pathos, Ethos & Logos Knowledge!

https://www.ixl.com/ela/grade-9/identify-appeals-to-ethos-pathos-and-logos-in-advertisements

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How do you feel your knowledge level is with ethos, pathos, and logos?

What is a juxtaposition?

• Juxtaposition is a literary technique in which two or more ideas, places, characters, and their actions are placed side by side in a narrative or a poem, for the purpose of developing comparisons and contrasts.

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• The fact of two things being seen or placed close together with contrasting effect.

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• Authors can juxtapose people, places, things, and ideas

What is the purpose of using a juxtaposition?

The side-by-side placement of two seemingly unrelated concepts, can ignite interest and keep a reader up all night just to see what happens next.

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Is this a juxtaposition?

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Is this a juxtaposition?

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Is this a juxtaposition?

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Is this a juxtaposition?

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EXAMPLE FROM LITERATURE:

• It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way...

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EXAMPLE

POETRY

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Do not go gentle into that good night,�Old age should burn and rave at close of day;�Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Though wise men at their end know dark is right,�Because their words had forked no lightning they�Do not go gentle into that good night.

Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright�Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay,�Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight,�And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way,�Do not go gentle into that good night.

Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight�Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay,�Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

And you, my father, there on the sad height,�Curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray.�Do not go gentle into that good night.�Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

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How do you feel you knowledge is with Juxtaposition?

Analogy

Figurative language that makes comparisons in unexpected ways. A literary analogy is often an extended comparison.

Purpose- to show similarities in process or in structure

Ex: An author might compare a visit to a flea market to an all-you-can-eat-buffet, carrying this comparison through a paragraph, a section of work, or an entire piece.

Ex: What strings are to a guitar, love is to life.

When you draw an analogy between two things, you compare them for the purpose of explanation. The movie character Forrest Gump made a silly analogy famous: "Life is like a box of chocolates."

Practice:

• GREEN : COLOR :: ORCHID : FLOWER
• SCIENTIST : EINSTEIN :: MUSICIAN : MOZART
• HUMAN : FINGERNAIL :: TIGER : CLAW
• Pedal is to Bicycle as Switch it to wagon, motor, skates, train
• Raisin is to Grape as Prune is to apricot, plum, berry, peach
• Grass: Yard :: Sand : ? beach, shell, oad, home
• That would be as difficult as finding a needle in a haystack.
• “We will not be satisfied until justice rolls down like waters, and righteousness like a mighty stream” –Martin Luther King, Jr. “I have a dream” speech

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Circle the analogy in each example:

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They crowded very close about him, with their hands always on him in a careful, caressing grip, as though all the while feeling him to make sure he was there. It was like men handling a fish which is still alive and may jump back into the water.

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Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player That struts and frets his hour upon the stage And then is heard no more. It is a tale Told by an idiot, full of sound a fury, Signifying nothing.

How confident are you with analogies?

Circular Reasoning-an argument that supports a claim with the claim itself

"Circular argument: A sentence or argument that restates rather than proves. Thus, it goes in a circle: 'President Reagan was a great communicator because he had the knack of talking effectively to the people.' The terms in the beginning of the sentence (great communicator) and the end of the sentence (talking effectively) are interchangeable." (Stephen Reid, The Prentice Hall Guide for College Writers, 5th ed., 2000)

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Practice- Why are these circular arguments?

Pvt. Joe Bowers: What are these electrolytes? Do you even know?

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Secretary of State: They're... what they use to make Brawndo!

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Pvt. Joe Bowers: But why do they use them to make Brawndo?

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Secretary of Defense: [raises hand after a pause] Because Brawndo's got electrolytes.

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The Bible is the Word of God because God tells us it is... in the Bible.

You can trust John because Sue told me he is trustworthy, and Sue believes it because Bob told her, and Bob believes it because John told him.

Is this Circular Reasoning? How?

I should knock you on the head because it is right and good to knock persons like yourself on the head.

Is this Circular Reasoning? How?

How confident are you with Circular Reasoning?

Bandwagon Appeal

A persuasive technique used in media messages that appeals to the “everyone is doing it” mentality

How confident are you with Bandwagon Appeal?

Appeals = PATHOS

Authors uses the emotions of the reader so that the reader will share the author’s viewpoint

Appeal to Pity

Appeal to Fear

Appeal to Greed

Appeal to Guilt

Appeal to Compassion

Appeal to Patriotism

Appeal to Safety

Persuasive Techniques

• Appeal to Pity- taps into people’s compassion for others.
• Ex: For the cost of one cup of coffee a day, you could save a life.
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08SLFf7mrwQ
• makes people feel sorry for someone/something in order to make them act

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How confident do you feel with the Appeals?

Rhetorical and Logical Fallacies

• Loaded term- words used that create a powerful, often exaggerated image in the reader's mind- Can be positive, negative, or neutral
• EX: Tax relief instead of Tax cut
• "After the devastation and deep humiliation, these students decided they would no longer play dodgeball at school."
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSp8IyaKCs0
• Caricature- a distortion of characteristics or defects of a person or thing, either in a picture or in words. Making something or someone look cartoonish so that they won’t be taken seriously
• Former President Bush, the big bad wolf of our nation..."

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Rhetorical and Logical Fallacies

• Leading question- a question worded to suggest the desired response.
• Ex: How are the improved features on our website helping you find information more quickly?
• "You wouldn't want this poor child to go hungry, would you?"
• False Assumption- occurs when the author bases his/her whole argument on a false or incorrect belief.
• Example: I believe all kids love sports, so I will write an essay persuading the government to give footballs and basketballs to every child in order to promote healthy living.
• Incorrect premise- a faulty idea that is used as the foundation of an argument

How well did you like this lesson?

What is indifference?