Rhetorical Analysis Essay

Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topics

Nova A.

Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topics – 120+ Unique Ideas

10 min read

Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topics

People also read

Rhetorical Analysis Essay - A Complete Guide With Examples

Rhetorical Analysis Essay Example - Free Samples

Crafting an Effective Rhetorical Analysis Essay Outline - Free Samples!

Ethos, Pathos, and Logos - Structure, Usage & Examples

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.

Arrow Down

  • 1. Introduction to Rhetorical Analysis Essay Writing
  • 2. Good Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topics
  • 3. How to Choose a Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topic?
  • 4. Professional Tips to Write Rhetorical Analysis Essay Fast
  • 5. Elevate Your Analytical Skills with Rhetorical Analysis Essay Questions 

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.”

Order Essay

Paper Due? Why Suffer? That's our Job!

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

Tough Essay Due? Hire Tough Writers!

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

Visit our legit essay writing service  now and push your essay writing game to new heights.

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

AI Essay Bot

Write Essay Within 60 Seconds!

Nova A.

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.

Get Help

Paper Due? Why Suffer? That’s our Job!

Keep reading

Rhetorical Analysis Essay

Custom Essay, Term Paper & Research paper writing services

  • testimonials

Toll Free: +1 (888) 354-4744

Email: [email protected]

Writing custom essays & research papers since 2008

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.

is google making us stupid essay

  • How It Works
  • PhD thesis writing
  • Master thesis writing
  • Bachelor thesis writing
  • Dissertation writing service
  • Dissertation abstract writing
  • Thesis proposal writing
  • Thesis editing service
  • Thesis proofreading service
  • Thesis formatting service
  • Coursework writing service
  • Research paper writing service
  • Architecture thesis writing
  • Computer science thesis writing
  • Engineering thesis writing
  • History thesis writing
  • MBA thesis writing
  • Nursing dissertation writing
  • Psychology dissertation writing
  • Sociology thesis writing
  • Statistics dissertation writing
  • Buy dissertation online
  • Write my dissertation
  • Cheap thesis
  • Cheap dissertation
  • Custom dissertation
  • Dissertation help
  • Pay for thesis
  • Pay for dissertation
  • Senior thesis
  • Write my thesis

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!

fashion research topics

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Comment * Error message

Name * Error message

Email * Error message

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

As Putin continues killing civilians, bombing kindergartens, and threatening WWIII, Ukraine fights for the world's peaceful future.

Ukraine Live Updates

  • Skip to right header navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Lindsay Ann Learning English Teacher Blog

70 Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topics for Secondary ELA

rhetorical-analysis-essay

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

Sharing is caring!

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.

' src=

About Lindsay Ann

Lindsay has been teaching high school English in the burbs of Chicago for 19 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.

Related Posts

You may be interested in these posts from the same category.

teaching-strategies-examples

10 Most Effective Teaching Strategies for English Teachers

ap-lang-exam

Beyond Persuasion: Unlocking the Nuances of the AP Lang Argument Essay

nonfiction-texts

Book List: Nonfiction Texts to Engage High School Students

prompts-for-writing

12 Tips for Generating Writing Prompts for Writing Using AI

informational-texts-for-high-school

31 Informational Texts for High School Students

project-based-learning

Project Based Learning: Unlocking Creativity and Collaboration

the-danger-of-a-single-story

Empathy and Understanding: How the TED Talk on the Danger of a Single Story Reshapes Perspectives

story-elements

Teaching Story Elements to Improve Storytelling

figurative-language-examples

Figurative Language Examples We Can All Learn From

growth-mindset-versus-fixed-mindset

18 Ways to Encourage Growth Mindset Versus Fixed Mindset in High School Classrooms

song-analysis

10 Song Analysis Lessons for Teachers

conversation-starters

Must-Have Table Topics Conversation Starters

teacher-side-hustle

Reader Interactions

' src=

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

' src=

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. […]

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

  • Affiliate Program

Wordvice

  • UNITED STATES
  • 台灣 (TAIWAN)
  • TÜRKIYE (TURKEY)
  • Academic Editing Services
  • - Research Paper
  • - Journal Manuscript
  • - Dissertation
  • - College & University Assignments
  • Admissions Editing Services
  • - Application Essay
  • - Personal Statement
  • - Recommendation Letter
  • - Cover Letter
  • - CV/Resume
  • Business Editing Services
  • - Business Documents
  • - Report & Brochure
  • - Website & Blog
  • Writer Editing Services
  • - Script & Screenplay
  • Our Editors
  • Client Reviews
  • Editing & Proofreading Prices
  • Wordvice Points
  • Partner Discount
  • Plagiarism Checker
  • APA Citation Generator
  • MLA Citation Generator
  • Chicago Citation Generator
  • Vancouver Citation Generator
  • - APA Style
  • - MLA Style
  • - Chicago Style
  • - Vancouver Style
  • Writing & Editing Guide
  • Academic Resources
  • Admissions Resources

How to Write a Rhetorical Analysis Essay–Examples & Template

good topics for a rhetorical essay

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.

Let Wordvice help you write a flawless rhetorical analysis essay! 

Whether you have to write a rhetorical analysis essay as an assignment or whether it is part of an application, our professional proofreading services feature professional editors are trained subject experts that make sure your text is in line with the required format, as well as help you improve the flow and expression of your writing. Let them be your second pair of eyes so that after receiving paper editing services or essay editing services from Wordvice, you can submit your manuscript or apply to the school of your dreams with confidence.

And check out our editing services for writers (including blog editing , script editing , and book editing ) to correct your important personal or business-related work.

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”

Order Essay

Paper Due? Why Suffer? That's our Job!

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

Tough Essay Due? Hire Tough Writers!

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.

Was This Blog Helpful?

Keep reading.

  • Rhetorical Analysis Essay - The Ultimate Guide

Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topics

  • Rhetorical Analysis Essay Outline - Template & Writing Guide

Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topics

  • Rhetorical Analysis Essay Example - Samples By Experts

Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topics

People Also Read

  • analytical essay example
  • elements of press release
  • college application essay format
  • definition essay writing
  • illustration essay writing

Burdened With Assignments?

Bottom Slider

Advertisement

  • Homework Services: Essay Topics Generator

© 2024 - All rights reserved

Facebook Social Icon

  • Features for Creative Writers
  • Features for Work
  • Features for Higher Education
  • Features for Teachers
  • Features for Non-Native Speakers
  • Learn Blog Grammar Guide Community Events FAQ
  • Grammar Guide

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!

Screenshot of ProWritingAid's web editor

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.

Try ProWritingAid's Editor for Yourself

good topics for a rhetorical essay

Be confident about grammar

Check every email, essay, or story for grammar mistakes. Fix them before you press send.

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!

Get started with ProWritingAid

Drop us a line or let's stay in touch via :

Writing Universe - logo

  • Environment
  • Information Science
  • Social Issues
  • Argumentative
  • Cause and Effect
  • Classification
  • Compare and Contrast
  • Descriptive
  • Exemplification
  • Informative
  • Controversial
  • Exploratory
  • What Is an Essay
  • Length of an Essay
  • Generate Ideas
  • Types of Essays
  • Structuring an Essay
  • Outline For Essay
  • Essay Introduction
  • Thesis Statement
  • Body of an Essay
  • Writing a Conclusion
  • Essay Writing Tips
  • Drafting an Essay
  • Revision Process
  • Fix a Broken Essay
  • Format of an Essay
  • Essay Examples
  • Essay Checklist
  • Essay Writing Service
  • Pay for Research Paper
  • Write My Research Paper
  • Write My Essay
  • Custom Essay Writing Service
  • Admission Essay Writing Service
  • Pay for Essay
  • Academic Ghostwriting
  • Write My Book Report
  • Case Study Writing Service
  • Dissertation Writing Service
  • Coursework Writing Service
  • Lab Report Writing Service
  • Do My Assignment
  • Buy College Papers
  • Capstone Project Writing Service
  • Buy Research Paper
  • Custom Essays for Sale

Can’t find a perfect paper?

  • Essay Topics
  • Rhetorical Analysis

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

Suffer from writer’s block?

Your unique essay is just a few clicks away!

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.

Can’t come up with a topic for you paper? We’ve prepared a collection of essay topics for you

Want to write a winning essay but lack experience? Browse our free essay samples

Related Topics

Related essays to rhetorical essays.

Words: 1177

Words: 1456

Words: 1445

Words: 1062

Got to the bottom and still stuck with essay ideas?

  • Link to facebook
  • Link to linkedin
  • Link to twitter
  • Link to youtube
  • Writing Tips

How to Write a Rhetorical Analysis Essay

How to Write a Rhetorical Analysis Essay

3-minute read

  • 22nd August 2023

A rhetorical analysis essay is a type of academic writing that analyzes how authors use language, persuasion techniques , and other rhetorical strategies to communicate with their audience. In this post, we’ll review how to write a rhetorical analysis essay, including:

  • Understanding the assignment guidelines
  • Introducing your essay topic
  • Examining the rhetorical strategies
  • Summarizing your main points

Keep reading for a step-by-step guide to rhetorical analysis.

What Is a Rhetorical Strategy?

A rhetorical strategy is a deliberate approach or technique a writer uses to convey a message and/or persuade the audience. A rhetorical strategy typically involves using language, sentence structure, and tone/style to influence the audience to think a certain way or understand a specific point of view. Rhetorical strategies are especially common in advertisements, speeches, and political writing, but you can also find them in many other types of literature.

1.   Understanding the Assignment Guidelines

Before you begin your rhetorical analysis essay, make sure you understand the assignment and guidelines. Typically, when writing a rhetorical analysis, you should approach the text objectively, focusing on the techniques the author uses rather than expressing your own opinions about the topic or summarizing the content. Thus, it’s essential to discuss the rhetorical methods used and then back up your analysis with evidence and quotations from the text.

2.   Introducing Your Essay Topic

Introduce your essay by providing some context about the text you’re analyzing. Give a brief overview of the author, intended audience, and purpose of the writing. You should also clearly state your thesis , which is your main point or argument about how and why the author uses rhetorical strategies. Try to avoid going into detail on any points or diving into specific examples – the introduction should be concise, and you’ll be providing a much more in-depth analysis later in the text.

3.   Examining the Rhetorical Strategies

In the body paragraphs, analyze the rhetorical strategies the author uses. Here are some common rhetorical strategies to include in your discussion:

●  Ethos : Establishing trust between the writer and the audience by appealing to credibility and ethics

●  Pathos : Appealing to the audience’s emotions and values

●  Logos : Employing logic, reason, and evidence to appeal to the reader

Find this useful?

Subscribe to our newsletter and get writing tips from our editors straight to your inbox.

●  Diction : Deliberately choosing specific language and vocabulary

●  Syntax : Structuring and arranging sentences in certain ways

●  Tone : Conveying attitude or mood in certain ways

●  Literary Devices : Using metaphors, similes, analogies , repetition, etc.

Keep in mind that for a rhetorical analysis essay, you’re not usually required to find examples of all of the above rhetorical strategies. But for each one you do analyze, consider how it contributes to the author’s purpose, how it influences the audience, and what emotions or thoughts it could evoke in the reader.

4.   Summarizing Your Main Points

In your conclusion , sum up the main points of your analysis and restate your thesis. Without introducing any new points (such as topics or ideas you haven’t already covered in the main body of your essay), summarize the overall impact that the author’s rhetorical strategies likely had on their intended audience.

Expert Proofreading Services

Ensure that your rhetorical analysis essay stands out by having our expert team proofread it. Send in your free sample of 500 words or less and see for yourself the difference in your work!

Share this article:

Post A New Comment

Got content that needs a quick turnaround? Let us polish your work. Explore our editorial business services.

9-minute read

How to Use Infographics to Boost Your Presentation

Is your content getting noticed? Capturing and maintaining an audience’s attention is a challenge when...

8-minute read

Why Interactive PDFs Are Better for Engagement

Are you looking to enhance engagement and captivate your audience through your professional documents? Interactive...

7-minute read

Seven Key Strategies for Voice Search Optimization

Voice search optimization is rapidly shaping the digital landscape, requiring content professionals to adapt their...

4-minute read

Five Creative Ways to Showcase Your Digital Portfolio

Are you a creative freelancer looking to make a lasting impression on potential clients or...

How to Ace Slack Messaging for Contractors and Freelancers

Effective professional communication is an important skill for contractors and freelancers navigating remote work environments....

How to Insert a Text Box in a Google Doc

Google Docs is a powerful collaborative tool, and mastering its features can significantly enhance your...

Logo Harvard University

Make sure your writing is the best it can be with our expert English proofreading and editing.

Pitchgrade

Presentations made painless

  • Get Premium

120 Rhetoric Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

Inside This Article

Rhetoric is the art of persuasion through language, and writing a rhetoric essay can help you improve your skills in crafting compelling arguments. To help you get started, here are 120 rhetoric essay topic ideas and examples to inspire your next assignment:

  • The role of rhetoric in political speeches
  • Analysis of Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech
  • The use of ethos, pathos, and logos in advertising
  • How social media has changed rhetoric in modern society
  • The impact of language on shaping public opinion
  • The ethics of persuasion in rhetoric
  • The power of storytelling in persuasive communication
  • The role of rhetoric in shaping cultural norms
  • Rhetorical strategies in persuasive writing
  • The use of rhetorical devices in famous literature
  • The influence of rhetoric on public policy
  • The art of persuasion in debate
  • The use of rhetoric in historical speeches
  • The role of rhetoric in legal arguments
  • How rhetoric is used in marketing and branding
  • The impact of visual rhetoric in media messages
  • The use of rhetoric in public speaking
  • The role of rhetoric in shaping public perception of social issues
  • The influence of rhetoric on popular culture
  • The effectiveness of rhetorical appeals in argumentative writing
  • The role of rhetoric in shaping public discourse
  • The use of rhetoric in political campaigns
  • The influence of rhetoric on consumer behavior
  • The power of rhetoric in influencing public opinion
  • The use of rhetorical devices in persuasive essays
  • How rhetoric is used in propaganda
  • The impact of rhetorical devices on the reader's emotions
  • The role of rhetoric in shaping personal identity
  • The ethics of persuasive communication in rhetoric
  • The use of rhetorical questions in argumentative writing
  • The influence of rhetoric on interpersonal relationships
  • The power of rhetoric in changing minds and hearts
  • The role of rhetoric in shaping cultural values
  • The use of rhetorical appeals in ethical arguments
  • The impact of rhetoric on social justice movements
  • The effectiveness of rhetorical devices in political speeches
  • The role of rhetoric in shaping public policy debates
  • The ethics of persuasion in rhetorical communication
  • The power of storytelling in persuasive speeches
  • The use of rhetoric in shaping public perception of scientific issues
  • The influence of rhetoric on environmental activism
  • The role of rhetoric in shaping public opinion on healthcare
  • The impact of rhetorical devices on the reader's beliefs
  • The use of rhetorical questions in persuasive writing
  • The power of rhetoric in influencing decision-making
  • The role of rhetoric in shaping personal values
  • The influence of rhetoric on public speaking skills
  • The effectiveness of rhetorical appeals in argumentative essays
  • The use of rhetoric in social media activism
  • The role of rhetoric in shaping cultural narratives
  • The use of rhetoric in political satire
  • The power of storytelling in persuasive arguments
  • The influence of rhetoric on public perception of historical events
  • The role of rhetoric in shaping public discourse on race relations
  • The effectiveness of rhetorical devices in feminist writing
  • The use of rhetorical questions in persuasive speeches
  • The impact of rhetoric on educational policy debates
  • The power of rhetoric in changing public attitudes towards mental health
  • The use of rhetorical appeals in environmental advocacy
  • The influence of rhetoric on social justice movements
  • The effectiveness of rhetorical devices in political debates
  • The role of rhetoric in shaping public policy on immigration
  • The use of rhetoric in shaping public opinion on gun control
  • The power of rhetoric in influencing public health campaigns
  • The influence of rhetoric on personal relationships
  • The effectiveness of rhetorical appeals in persuasive essays
  • The role of rhetoric in shaping public perception of climate change
  • The influence of rhetoric on public perception of gender equality
  • The effectiveness of rhetorical devices in anti-racism writing
  • The use of rhetorical questions in persuasive arguments
  • The effectiveness of rhetorical appeals in feminist writing
  • The influence of rhetoric on public perception of economic inequality
  • The effectiveness of rhetorical devices in environmental advocacy
  • The use of rhetorical questions in argumentative essays
  • The power of rhetoric in changing public attitudes towards democracy
  • The effectiveness of rhetorical appeals in persuasive writing
  • The use of rhetoric in shaping public opinion on healthcare
  • The role of rhetoric in political campaigns
  • The role of rhetoric in shaping public opinion on climate change
  • The impact of rhetoric on social media activism
  • The power of rhetoric in influencing public opinion on gun control

These are just a few examples of the many rhetoric essay topics you can explore. Whether you are interested in politics, advertising, social issues, or literature, there is a wealth of material to analyze and discuss. So pick a topic that interests you, do some research, and start crafting your persuasive arguments. Happy writing!

Want to create a presentation now?

Instantly Create A Deck

Let PitchGrade do this for me

Hassle Free

We will create your text and designs for you. Sit back and relax while we do the work.

Explore More Content

  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service

© 2023 Pitchgrade

Illustration

  • Essay Guides
  • Essay Topics

220+ Best Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topics

  • Speech Topics
  • Basics of Essay Writing
  • Other Essays
  • Main Academic Essays
  • Research Paper Topics
  • Basics of Research Paper Writing
  • Miscellaneous
  • Chicago/ Turabian
  • Data & Statistics
  • Methodology
  • Admission Writing Tips
  • Admission Advice
  • Other Guides
  • Student Life
  • Studying Tips
  • Understanding Plagiarism
  • Academic Writing Tips
  • Basics of Dissertation & Thesis Writing

Illustration

  • Research Paper Guides
  • Formatting Guides
  • Basics of Research Process
  • Admission Guides
  • Dissertation & Thesis Guides

Rhetorical_Analysis_Essay_Topics

Table of contents

Illustration

Use our free Readability checker

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.

Don’t have time for in-depth research? Buy essays online from academic experts and get a paper of top quality delivered promptly.

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. 

Illustration

If you need assistance with rhetorical analysis article topics or have no idea how to create such essays, get in touch with us. We have a group of qualified academic scholars who can provide essay writing assistance on top subjects for rhetorical analysis papers.

Daniel_Howard_1_1_2da08f03b5.jpg

Daniel Howard is an Essay Writing guru. He helps students create essays that will strike a chord with the readers.

You may also like

How to Write Rhetorical Analysis

Rhetorical Analysis Essay

Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topics

Cathy A.

Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topics & Ideas for Students

10 min read

Published on: Jul 23, 2020

Last updated on: Jan 29, 2024

Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topics

People also read

How To Write A Rhetorical Analysis Essay That Stands Out

Top 15+ Rhetorical Analysis Essay Examples for Students

Rhetorical Analysis Essay Outline - Tips & Examples

Understanding Ethos, Pathos, Logos - The Three Rhetorical Appeals

Share this article

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.

On This Page On This Page -->

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.

Order Essay

Paper Due? Why Suffer? That's our Job!

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.

If you get better grades and need professional help from  CollegeEssay.org . Try our AI essay generator and get an essay in no time.

Moreover, you can place " write my essay for me " request at affordable rates and get original work written by expert writers. So order today!

Cathy A. (Literature, Marketing)

For more than five years now, Cathy has been one of our most hardworking authors on the platform. With a Masters degree in mass communication, she knows the ins and outs of professional writing. Clients often leave her glowing reviews for being an amazing writer who takes her work very seriously.

Paper Due? Why Suffer? That’s our Job!

Get Help

Keep reading

Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topics

Legal & Policies

  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookies Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Refunds & Cancellations
  • Our Writers
  • Success Stories
  • Our Guarantees
  • Affiliate Program
  • Referral Program
  • AI Essay Writer

Disclaimer: All client orders are completed by our team of highly qualified human writers. The essays and papers provided by us are not to be used for submission but rather as learning models only.

good topics for a rhetorical essay

227 Rhetoric Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

🏆 best rhetoric topic ideas & essay examples, 👍 good essay topics on rhetoric, 🔎 simple & easy rhetoric essay titles, 💡 interesting topics to write about rhetoric, ✍️ rhetoric essay topics for college, ❓ questions about rhetoric.

  • Steve Jobs Commencement Speech Analysis In his speech, Jobs demonstrates the virtuous use of the rhetoric appeals in the development and presentation of one of the most persuasive commencement speeches in order to draw the students’ attention to the significant […]
  • ’A More Perfect Union’ Barack Obama Rhetorical Analysis In his speech, Obama is very conscious and aware of his audience. The message contained in his speech is that of peace and unity.
  • “Letter From Birmingham Jail” Rhetorical Analysis Essay He supports his argument in the next paragraph, where he puts it across that they have been governed by a combination of unjust and just law whereby there is a need to separate the two.
  • Crest Toothpaste Advertisement’s Rhetorical Analysis The purpose of the advertisement is to increase the popularity of the brand’s anti-cavity toothpaste. Throughout the text, Crest Cool Mint Gel is referred to as the product recommended by the majority of professional dentists, […]
  • A Rhetorical Analysis: “Chevy Commercial 2014” The subtext of this advertisement is that a Company tries to force the relationship between Maddie and the products in attempting to stress that they can be trusted like Maddie.
  • Michele Obama’s Speech: A Rhetorical Analysis The main message of the First Lady was to draw attention to the suppression of the advertising of unhealthy food to minors.
  • The Rhetorical Devices of George Orwell This essay discusses the rhetoric devices George Orwell uses to convince the audience of the credibility of his arguments regarding the ambiguity of political language.
  • “Angela’s Ashes” by Frank McCourt: Rhetorical Devices The principal purpose of the deployment of metaphors and figurative language in the work of literature is to emphasize the emotional intensity of the characters’ experiences.
  • A Rhetorical Analysis of the Titanic Film The close-up shots used in the scene add to the emotional effect of the scene and create a sense of intimacy between the audience and characters, making the intended viewers experience the scene as if […]
  • Rhetorical Analysis of an Essay by Matt de la Peña In Sometimes the “Tough Teen” Is Quietly Writing Stories, Matt de la Pe a presents his personal experiences that shaped his purpose in life and in the essay.
  • Classical and Modern Rhetoric On the other hand, modern rhetoric is the contemporary form of rhetoric that exists to reexamine provisions of classical rhetoric providing a more cooperative form of communication between a speaker and his/her audience.
  • Rhetorical Analysis of Patricia Ryan’s Speech “Don’t Insist on English” The main idea Patricia Ryan’s wants to deliver to the audience in her speech is that the globalization of English language does not give an opportunity for English-speaking countries to notice the entire knowledge of […]
  • Rhetoric of “The ‘Other Side’ Is Not Dumb” by Blanda The author uses rhetorical approaches to increase the engagement of the reader with the text. In the “The ‘Other Side’ Is Not Dumb” article, the author effectively uses various rhetorical techniques to grab the reader’s […]
  • Rhetorical Analysis of an Image The audience of this cartoon is difficult to define, because it can include every person who is interested in the political, social, and economic life of the country.
  • The Book “Common Sense” by Thomas Paine: Rhetorical Analysis In Thomas Paine’s Common Sense, the primary example of logos is the title of the literary work itself due to the fact that Paine tries to appeal to the audience.
  • Rhetoric in “A Modest Proposal” by Jonathan Swift Swift does conduct some math to establish the number of miscarriages, deaths, and the number of children born in a year.
  • Rhetorical Theory Applied to Michelle Obama’s Speech The next step was the discussion of the candidate’s history, her skills, and the nature of the election. In conclusion, this rhetorical analysis reveals the strengths and weaknesses of Michelle Obama’s speech at the Democratic […]
  • Sports Impact on Teenagers: Rhetorical Appeals Participating in any form of sports is of great significance as it helps to utilize, maintain, and improve an individual’s physical capabilities and develop advanced skills in that particular game.
  • Aristotle’s and Plato’s Views on Rhetoric One of the points that Plato expresses in this philosophical work is that rhetoric should be viewed primarily as the “artificer of persuasion”. This is one of the similarities that can be distinguished.
  • Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death: Rhetoric Appeals in Patrick Henry The use of rhetoric appeals to strengthen the message is a common instrument for many orators, and Patrick Henry is no exception to the rule.
  • “Come September” by Arundhati Roy: Rhetorical Analysis The author admits that she is going to read her speech out loud and stresses the two reasons for reading: first, she is a writer and she feels more comfortable when she writes and not […]
  • A Rhetoric Analysis of Economic Discourses in the Climate – Change Debate With a view to untangling some of the complexity of climate-change argumentation, the proposed paper presents a rhetoric analysis of the use of economic discourse in the climate-change controversy.
  • Rhetoric of The Declaration of Independence Other than appealing to ethics, Jefferson and the founding fathers required the audience to have an emotional attachment to the Declaration of Independence.
  • Rhetorical Analysis of Articles on Sweatshops Ravisankar specifically appeals to the ideals and emotions of the audience by exposing the businesses’ desire to maximize profits at any cost and outlining the horrifying workplace conditions at sweatshops.
  • Rhetoric: “Millennials: The Me Me Me Generation” Lastly, the author of the article chose to include rhetorical questions as one of the strategies. Later in the article, the author makes a hasty generalization about the modern workforce adapting to millennials.
  • Rhetoric in “Is Google Making Us Stupid” by Carr An overview of the essay revealed the application of a careful appeal to the reader’s emotions, the establishment of the writer’s credibility, logical presentation of relevant information, and the subtle entreaty using shared experiences.
  • Rhetorical Analysis of “On Being a Cripple” by Mairs Mairs delineates her areas of expertise throughout the essay and indicates that she has the required background in the topic at hand to develop ethos.
  • Rhetoric in “This Boat Is My Boat” Article by Taylor The author uses this anecdote to illustrate the visitors’ pollution and willingness to exert themselves in an activity that ultimately would result in their demise.”Means of transportation and survival” of the Natives should not be […]
  • Rhetoric in Alice Walker’s “The Color Purple” It can be argued that the purpose of Walker’s appeals to her audience is to instill a sense of pride and confidence in them.
  • Messaris’s Theory: Images Application in Rhetoric To prove this point, this paper will explore Messaris’s theory of visual rhetoric and claim that images can be persuasive because of their immediacy and the absence of syllogistic construction.
  • Rhetoric and Propaganda: How Far Is Rhetoric From Propaganda? In order to understand the essence of the two terms, it is important to consider the available definitions and meanings assigned to rhetoric and propaganda in the modern world.
  • The Rhetoric of the Image by Barthes’ Approach Proper consideration of all these levels of the image analysis, provides the analyst with a comprehensive picture of what the image actually presents, what are the hidden, or implicit, meanings it is intended to render, […]
  • The Rhetoric of Bob Fosse: Eroticism and Humor in a Musical This was originally a musical produced by Fosse in 1966 and he translated it into the big screen. However, the credit for creating a new style in musical belongs to Fosse.
  • “A Proposal for an Invitational Rhetoric” by Foss and Griffin In their article, “A proposal for an invitational rhetoric”, Foss and Griffin have discussed on both traditional rhetorical theories and invitational rhetoric; their aim is to offer an understanding of the above approaches.
  • Rhetorical Analysis of the Communist Manifesto A famous philologist and linguist Bakhtin described the use of language in its relation to the particular circumstances and he emphasized the process of subject formation: “pre-empts the phenomenological theory of the subject by producing […]
  • Importance of Self-Care: Rhetoric and Persuasion Taking care of oneself and taking care of health is a serious way to maintain well-being. And therefore, it is more important for one’s well-being not to read the news but to devote time to […]
  • Rhetorical Analysis: Roosevelt’s Inaugural Address The major aim of the President was to encourage people to take certain steps. The President’s speech was successful as Roosevelt obtained the necessary support of the Americans.
  • The Film “Soul” by Pixar: Understanding Plato’s Rhetoric Plato believes that the function of the soul in the conception of noble rhetoric is the ability of the orator to understand other people and execute the art of rhetoric.
  • Stick and Stones and Sports Team Names: Rhetorical Analysis The author constantly relies on the emotional appeal to the readers throughout the development of the whole argument. In addition, using pathos is often characterized as a common fallacy, and in Estrada’s argument, appeal to […]
  • Rhetorical Theory: Ideological Criticism These include cultural studies, which of course helps in identifying the changes that take place to the meaning and application of various ideographs. These transitions also lead to changing meaning and application of the ideographs.
  • King’s “I Have a Dream” Speech: Rhetorical Analysis The speech is full of outrage and contains allusions to the Bible and the US Declaration of Independence. The main theses of King’s political speeches were not only the equalization of the rights of Whites […]
  • Barack Obama’s Speech as a Rhetorical Example The main message of the speech was clearly understood – the president outlined his further steps in the development of the country, he would make.
  • Rhetoric: Chief Seattle’s Enviromental Statement The repetition is used in this speech to emphasize the major themes that Chief Seattle uses to draw the listener’s attention: the sacredness of the earth, the difference between the white man and the Indian, […]
  • Rhetoric: “The Morality of Birth Control” by Margaret Sanger In her speech, Sanger supports the argument that the American women should have the right to learn more about the birth control because of their responsibility for the personal health and happiness in contrast to […]
  • “The Myth of Multitasking” by Rosen: Rhetorical Analysis By the end of the article, Rosen persuades the reader that the benefits of multitasking are overrated and that human brains are wired to focus on one single task.
  • Rhetorical Analysis: Effective Communication He also directs the audience’s attention to the government’s wrongdoings and the consequences of the ANC’s movement. Both speakers employ pathos to appeal to their audience’s emotions and be part of the desired change.
  • Rhetorical Analysis of Gender-Based Violence Against Women In the abstract, the author disapproves of the notion that GBV is steered by poverty and poor government programs to combat this violence.
  • Rhetorical Techniques in “Letter From Birmingham Jail” by Martin Luther King His flawless use of metaphors and parallelism allows the reader or the audience to empathize with King and support him in his fight against racial injustice.
  • Rhetorical Devices in the Famous Speeches There is no doubt that the persuasiveness and vigor of the speech are created due to the message that is conveyed by it: support of German people who wanted to be free, and due to […]
  • Targeted Rhetoric: The Advertisements of Coca-Cola To familiarize the audience with the examples of the application of the rhetorical strategies and visual argument in advertising, let us resort to one of the classical cases of successful advertising the advertisements of Coca-Cola.
  • Barack Obama’s Inaugural Speech and Rhetoric Obama seems to be talking from a point of experience and his understanding of the challenges he articulates is a proof to his assertion.
  • Steve Jobs’ Stanford Speech Rhetorical Strategies Speaking of the goals which Steve Jobs pursued when having a public speech in front of the students of the Stanford University, one has to mention that these goals had nothing to do with Jobs’ […]
  • Rhetorical Analysis of Obama’s Speech In his speech, Barack Obama makes a magnificent attempt to address the issues of racial dishonesty and white privilege that is still observed in America, to describe the “black anger” that is inherent to the […]
  • Rhetorical Analysis This is well demonstrated in the web page of the Double Cola Company, a web page that is committed to targeting and attracting the young audience of the high-end economic status.
  • Harris’s “Can We Build AI…?” Talk: Rhetorical Analysis These statements are examples of the use of logos since they are logically intuitive to the point that any member of the general audience can understand.
  • Ocean Dumping Issue and Rhetorical Rationale Therefore, the goal of this paper is to prove that the poster in question manages to accomplish an impressive goal of subverting the audience’s expectation and encouraging them to shift from an ironic perception of […]
  • Rhetorical Analysis of Basketball In this aspect, it is worth considering basketball not only from an emotional and ethical point of view but also from a logical one, thus, the logos.
  • Rhetoric Methods and Their Analysis The essay frequently tells the story of a momentous event in the first person, and it may be written in a variety of genres, including formal essays and creative non-fiction.
  • Rhetorical Devices in America’s Opioid Crisis Documentary In addition, the interview with the mother of an athlete, who was prescribed painkillers and found dead because of overdose, persuades the target audience to think about the opioid crisis.
  • Barbie Product Advertisement: Rhetorical Analysis In addition, the ad promotes new Barbie Style which is also a new product and “all owners of the Barbie dolls should have it.
  • Syllogism and Enthymeme in Aristotle’s Rhetoric One of the implications of syllogism to audiences is in regards to the possibility of creating offensive conclusions from an argument’s statements.
  • Rhetoric: Oral Presentations Comparison In the case of Kleinhans, these techniques involve the application of stress and intonation to convey information to the listener better.
  • Public Speaking and Rhetorical Implications The speaker makes connections between the audience and the topic of his speech a few times. The speaker recognizes some relationships between himself and the audience at some points in his lecture.
  • Rhetoric Analysis of Nike’s Advert The use of ethos and pathos in this advert mainly brings a new scope to the game and creates a new dimension for women.
  • Progress in Cancer Control: Rhetorical Analysis According to their study, these behaviors are more likely to lead to cancer, and the authors’ goal is to convince the audience that they should take responsibility for their health and strive to minimize the […]
  • Rhetorical Analysis of Socialism vs. Capitalism by Thompson In order to convey this message, the author uses several rhetorical devices, the discussion of which is part of this analysis.
  • Rhetoric of Wineburg and Ziv’s Article on Education The authors urge for a drastic change in the national approach to credibility education, which is evident from the appeal to public endangerment at the very end of the editorial.
  • Rhetorical Modes Anthology: Rugby It is a game that turns boys into men and teaches the art of protecting one another in the field. The rugby game teaches discipline as it involves a high level of preparation, and involvement […]
  • Rhetorical Analysis of The Advertised Infant by Corbeil In the text, the author tries to present the consequences of delegating parental roles to baby products. The thesis sets the foundation and can be used to determine the focus of the essay.
  • Gasper’s “Marxism, Morality…” Rhetorical Analysis Despite the positive impact that the use of hypophora as a rhetorical device has on Gasper’s argument in “Marxism, morality, and human nature,” the logical fallacy of the appeal to authority reduces the extent of […]
  • Rhetorical Modes to Use When Discussing Soccer The advancement of urbanization and industrialization led to a reduced leisure period coupled with constant violence that undermined and slowed the game’s development. The team that outscores the rival is the winner, while scoring the […]
  • Rhetoric in Culture: Latino Traditions in America Rhetoric communication is a special feature of linguistics that enables the speaker to persuade the audience and influence them to act in a given way.
  • Rhetorical Modes Anthology on Attention Deficit Disorder It clearly outlines the origin and early symptoms of the disorder and the scientist who discovered attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Summary & Validity: This article describes the causes of hyperactivity disorder and the potential factors […]
  • “Is Google Making Us Stupid?” Article by Carr: Rhetorical Analysis The analysis will be centered on the rhetorical means which help the author convey the main idea and attract the readers’ attention to the particular argument.
  • Rhetorical Analysis of Jean-François Lyotard’s The Postmodern Condition The author does not call on the audience to reconsider the concepts and the state of knowledge, which he defines as ‘postmodern,’ but reflects on changing the paradigm of knowledge in society.
  • The Rhetorical Analysis of the Organic Fable by Cohen In the article “Organic Fable,” Cohen used ethos, logos, and pathos to reveal his opinion and contract of organic foods effectively.
  • Rhetoric in Obama’s 2008 Speech on Racism When the audience became excited, it was Obama’s responsibility to convey his message in a more accessible form. To conclude, Obama’s speech in 2008 facilitated his election as the first African American President in history.
  • “The Rhetoric & Poetics of Aristotle” Book This is necessary to feed more meaning to the language used and contributes to the ability of rhetoric in interpersonal communication. Human interaction is a continuous communication and going back and forth in the rhetoric […]
  • The Philosophy and Rhetoric Journal Analysis The evolving nature of the auditor inside the profession’s legitimization narratives shows the changes in the function of auditing, the economic climate, and American society’s values.
  • Dogs in the Military: Articles’ Rhetorical Analysis Despite the different pathetic natures of the two compared articles about dogs in the industry, their comparison proves that the utilitarian and ethical utility of a scientific article is detectable regardless of the level of […]
  • Rhetorical Modes of the “Billions” TV Show On the one hand, the attorney is desperate to reveal the secrets and wrongdoings of Axe Capital, which would help the legal system battle all evil.
  • Rhetoric of Article on Health Risks Posed by Energy Drinks This is a factual statement which the authors used to illustrate their premise on the consequences of drinking energy drinks to the health of the user.
  • Rhetorical Analysis of a “Fitness ABC’s Certification Manual” For instance, the prevalence of the white color and the scarce number of images and illustrations contribute to the sense of the ordinary.
  • Charismatic Rhetoric of Barack Obama’s Acceptance Speech For example, Obama’s rhetoric and custom linguistic strategies allowed him to appeal to the values of the majority of American citizens.
  • Binge-Watching as an Issue for a Rhetorical Situation The topic is important due to the common phenomenon of binge-watching correlating with the abundance of streaming platforms. A possible repercussion linked to binge-watching is the time-consuming effect of the behavior.
  • Think Before Judge: Rhetorical Analysis of Image The audience to which this image is directed is as diverse as the object itself, that is, both a child and an adult can understand the meaning of the hidden one.
  • Employing Rhetoric Strategies in Writing Most of the time, if you are going to employ this rhetorical device, you will want to compare and contrast both similarities and differences.
  • The Application of Rhetoric Devices The primary purpose of rhetoric is to provoke the audience to think while allowing the author to stance in an argument.
  • Rhetorical Strategies of Conquest The Four Voyages of Columbus by Columbus, The Chronicle of The Discovery and Conquest of Guinea by Azurara, and Letters from Mexico by Cortes report the colonial exploits back to the Portuguese and Spanish royalty.
  • Rhetorical Elements of PayPal Online Commercial Aside from the actors, the imagery used in the commercial shows how easy it is to use PayPal as a payment option through the on-screen emulation of the app’s user interface. It is a clear […]
  • Rhetoric: Kurzweil’s “How to Create a Mind” and Gardner’s “Creating Minds” Huge shifts in the intellectual climate caused by the dialogue of two cultures – natural and technical, on the one hand, and humanitarian and social, on the other, attracted the attention of researchers and gave […]
  • Rhetorical Analysis of Paypal’s Online Payments Commercial The commercial assures its clients of privacy which is a tactical use of the rhetorical appeal that contributes to the commercial’s persuasive nature.
  • Rhetoric and Philosophy of Socrates and Gorgias Socrates argues that oratory practices that became popular among sophists in Athens pursue convincing and persuading rather than speaking the truth.”And the same will be true of the orator and the oratory in relation to […]
  • Burke’s Pentad: Public Relations, Social Theory, and Rhetoric On the example of one of Jeff Wall’s photographs, it is illustrated how the motivation of an actor in this paradigm can be described in different ways in terms of the viewer’s focus.
  • Rhetorical Analysis: Logos and Pathos in Trump’s Truth In the third chapter, “The Truth Is the Greatest Enemy of the State,” attention is paid to Trump’s speeches and promises.
  • Rhetorical Analysis: “$350,000 a Year, and Just Getting By” Lowry’s claim that the explanation is the insulation of richness and resulting lack of awareness is fairly convincing and supplemented with effective use of ethos and logos as well as occasional pathos.
  • The Nuclear Power Passages: Rhetorical Analysis At that, the writer also provides some data utilized by the former vice president and some information to show the negative side of power plants.
  • Analysis of Visual Rhetoric in Business Due to the use of its unique colors and the incorporation of simple visuals representative of the main idea, namely, price tags with time markers on them, IKEA has managed to introduce the idea of […]
  • Dark Window on Human Trafficking: Rhetorical Analysis In this essay, Ceaser utilized his rhetorical skills to dive into the dark world of human trafficking, which severely hits Latin America and the USA, through the usage of images and forms of different societal […]
  • Rhetoric vs. Dialectic: Finding Differences It is more honest and flexible than a mere defending of some point of view that a person can even not share.
  • Rhetoric and Reality of Human Rights Protection For example, the prohibition of homosexuality in many countries of Africa and the Middle East, the restriction of China and Russia’s citizen’s freedoms, and the dictatorship of Africa and Latin America.
  • Rhetorical Argument in the Community Gardens The community garden ensured a large and growing community partnership that is incredibly committed to student development, nutrition, and food sustainability.
  • Rhetorical Analysis of the Distance Education The essay can be addressed both to the children and parents for whom the issues of health and psychology are important.
  • Analysis of Rhetorical Techniques of “The Book of Questions” by Pablo Neruda On the one hand, poetry can and should be enjoyable; on the other hand, however, it needs to compel the reader to critically examine the world order and the nature of things.
  • Rhetoric of Anti-Vaccination Comments by Joe Rogan The argument by Joe Rogan relied on the logic that young people who exercise and eat a healthy diet are not likely to get the disease.
  • Rhetorical Analysis of “Leave Fat Kids Alone” Article by Gordon In the second part of the article, Gordon provides statistical information about overweight and the emergence of the war on childhood obesity.
  • Rhetorical Analysis: The Criteria of Ethos, Pathos, and Logos In general, the latter presents the description of the company and the specifics of the scientific field, which is the focus of the explorations.
  • The Power and Effect of Rhetoric in King’s Speech “I Have a Dream” King’s 1963 speech at Lincoln Memorial portrays the significance and power of rhetoric in persuading the audience.”I Have a Dream” symbolizes the perfect utilization of rhetorical strategies and devices to influence the masses.
  • Rhetorical Strategies: A Natural History of Four Meals To begin with, one should explain that Pollan relies on ethos to claim that the industrial food chain implies essential disadvantages for consumers and the whole planet.
  • Rhetorical Analysis: Elements and Concepts Myles Allen himself is “Professor of Geosystem Science in the School of Geography and the Environment, University of Oxford and Head of the Climate Dynamics Group in the University’s Department of Physics”.
  • Rhetorical Analysis of Academic Communities Comparing the individual articles published in the journals as examples of the discourse in the field of finance, it is possible to note that such a reputable source as The Journal of Finance is characterized […]
  • Communication and Rhetoric: Concepts of Fish and Thaler Rhetoric can be marked by a significant development since the beginning of the 20th century as literary theorists began to reconsider and elaborate on the ideas of ancient and medieval scholars.
  • Rhetorical Theory: Robert Ivie’s Argument Therefore, there is a need to find a rhetorical sense of balance between the leadership-enabled opinion and policy juxtaposed by the underlying culture of beliefs, values, and accepted behaviors.”Negotiating the precarious line between division and […]
  • Communication and Rhetoric by Burke The social aspect is central to rhetoric, according to Burke, who stressed that the system of symbols used for communication was to be common for the speaker and the listeners.
  • Communication & Rhetoric: Stanley Fish Speech Analysis One of the most striking and valuable insights related to Stanley Fish’s position is related to the way rhetoric ‘transgresses’ the limits of the real world.
  • Rhetorical Analysis on Healthy Food and Labeling Problem This approach of the author is a manifestation of logos since the explanations rationalize the existence of the problem. This article has three parts, in which the author explains the cult of “healthy” unprocessed food, […]
  • Rhetorical Critique Article Analysis: Banning Cell Phones and Laptops in the Class Lucy Morsen, the author of the practical proposal concerning the banning of cell phones and laptops in the class, successfully used rhetorical strategies and approaches supported by arguments and results of the recent researches proving […]
  • Rhetoric Definition by Socrates and Gorgios Doubting the existence of the reliable criteria of seeking the truth, the sophistic paid more attention to a more accessible object of cognition – to the human, to the humans mind, and to the humans […]
  • Rhetoric. The Mystery of the Bermuda Triangle by Upton The objective of this essay is to analyze the rhetorical strategies in the article, “The Mystery of the Bermuda Triangle” by Emily Upton.
  • Analysis of Upton’s “The Truth About the Bermuda Triangle” From a Rhetorical Perspective The objective of this essay is to analyse the use of some rhetorical appeals and devices in the article, “The Truth about the Bermuda Triangle”.
  • Clyde Prestowitz. “Apple Has an Obligation to Help Solve America’s Problems”. Analysis of Rhetorical Strategies Reflecting on the article’s presentation, it should be stated that the author has developed a solid piece of information on the issue of jobs creation in the United States using the art of rhetoric effectively […]
  • Masaccio’s Holy Trinity: Analysis of Visual Rhetoric It is necessary to outline that his work presents a great interest due to the number of reasons: it was one of the first frescos to contain features of realism and humanism, the work poses […]
  • The Importance of the Rhetorical Triangle The speaker must be able to maintain the interest and enthusiasm of the audience. The audience must be alert, have an interest in the presentation, and feel as they are an important part of the […]
  • Analyzing Visual Rhetoric Masaccio’s 1427 Trinity There are two prospective points of the triangles in the picture: one is at the top of the ceiling and the other is behind the dirt mound at the foot of crucified Jesus.
  • The Role of Islamic Rhetoric in the Afghanistan-Soviet War of 1979 – 1989 It is the resilience of the people and harshness of the terrain that made it difficult to conquer the country that borders Pakistan to the South, Iran to the West, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan to the east.
  • Visual Rhetoric: The Iraq War and Torture of Abu Ghraib Prisoners Those photos were then given out as evidence of torture that was being done by the American soldiers on the detainees of Abu Ghraib.
  • Bhopal Disaster Report’s Rhetorical Analysis The website is devoted for the analysis of the aftermath of the tragedy and its effects on the residents. The main attempt of the communication is to show the initial affects on the children of […]
  • Rhetoric Analysis: ”Targeted Killing and Drone Warfare” by Anderson In this article, Anderson justifies the use of unmanned drone airstrikes as part of the concerted efforts of NATO allies to seek out and destroy suspected Al-Quadi hideouts in Pakistan and Afghanistan.
  • Rhetoric and Stereotypes of Social Groups The stereotypes connected with tattooed people can be seen more related to particular groups such as criminals, delinquent people and bikers.
  • Rhetoric in “Women in the Nineteenth Century” by Margaret Fuller In her essay, she described women as holly and righteous as can be seen from the examples she gave about the knight who had the name of the Virgin on his lips.
  • Presentation Delivery Modes and Rhetorical Triangle What is characteristic of a lecture is that the information is transmitted one way only, from the speaker to the audience.
  • Toyota Corporation’s Ad: Rhetorical Triangle The rhetorical triangle is used to analyze the attributes of a presentation in bringing out the intended message to the audience and consists of the ethos, logos and pathos.
  • Common Stereotypes and Reinforcing Rhetoric It is safe to assume that due to this stereotype of lies, the members of the public are not willing to listen to politicians anymore because they expect these politicians to be feeding them with […]
  • Personal Rhetoric in Books It is not but before the first few lines of each piece in which the author establishes a personal foundation for the rest of the article to be built on.
  • Aristotle’s Influence on History of Rhetoric: Treatise Rhetoric and the Concept of the Rhetorical Triangle Aristotle has written works in a number of subjects, such as ethics, poetry, politics, music, biology, physics, etc, but among these, his contributions into rhetoric are the most valuable; within this field, Aristotle is known […]
  • Rhetorical Problem of George H.W. Bush Speech Descriptive Analysis However, a closer look at the speech putting into consideration the consequences of the gulf war on the United States and the global community may give us a different and clear picture of the events […]
  • Rhetoric in “The Land Before Time” by M. T. Kelly Since the author is keenly aware of the magnitude of the landscape and the topic he describes, Kelly makes the structure of the essay one of the means of disclosure of the theme of the […]
  • Modern Language: Personal-Critical-Rhetorical Perception The primary concern of Rochelle Harris’ article “Encouraging Emergent Moments: The Personal, Critical and Rhetorical in the Writing Classroom” is to explore a new approach to teaching composition classes to students so that they become […]
  • Rhetorical Persuasion – Appeals to Logos, Pathos and Ethos In his book “A New History of Classical Rhetoric”, George Kennedy provides us with the insight on the art of persuasion as not only some abstract concept, but also as a very practical instrument of […]
  • Persuasive Techniques and Rhetorical Proofs in Articles However, only a profound analysis of the article can throw light on whether the article has credibility or ethical appeal, which is the kind of appeal that the article arouses in the emotions of the […]
  • Rhetoric. “Is Music Piracy Stealing?” by Moore The slogan of the MPAA campaign is originally a statement of the Association that digital copying is the violation of the law equaled with the stealing crime.
  • Logic Dialectic and Rhetoric: Compare and Contrast In addition, the prominent thinker estimated rhetoric in the context of logic, because logic, as well as rhetoric and dialectic, point out the studying of persuasion methods.
  • Barack Obama: The Rhetoric of Political Words Rhetoric is a part of the language. This use is done to achieve some intentions that the speaker, user of rhetoric, has.
  • Political Rhetoric and Marketing Industry: Communication in Today’s World By referring to the idea of the “bourgeois public sphere” of Jurgen Habermas I will try to address the present state of communication in the present moment of history.
  • Advertisement Rhetoric Analysis Occasionally, the effect a particular advertisement might have on the public is the primary focus of the ad with the product a perceived secondary reference.
  • Rhetoric of Social Movements. The Black Panthers It analyzes the forms of public address and popular resistance associated with the social movement, specifies the formal nature of the organization, and gives an analysis of the effectiveness of the official means of public […]
  • Rhetoric. “Oedipus” Play by Sophocles In the play, Oedipus sought his own origins because he understands the importance of knowing his own family. The theme of destiny is also important in the play Oedipus.
  • Rhetoric. Sophocles’ “Oedipus The King” Oedipus as a ruler is supposed to solve a problem of the disaster that fell upon his state and thus invites a blind prophet, Tiresias, expecting to clarify the causes of the plague.
  • Forgive Wolfowitz: Article Rhetoric The subject of the article is to convey us that the mistakes made by Paul Wolfowitz at the World Bank resulting crisis and hunger should be forgiven as the person is concern had only noble […]
  • Phillis Wheatley: Rhetoric Theory in Retrospective The term African American engages the issues closely associated with the writings of the Americans and their place in the literary context: What role they have in the literature and what importance they exert in […]
  • Analyzing Visual Rhetoric: Images Analysis The gun point is actually in the upper half of the picture and the aim is at the viewer’s eye level.
  • Rhetorical Strategies in “The Blind Assassin” by Margaret Atwood The novel relates the events that happened in the 1930’s and refers to the personal angst of the narrator. Iris had a sister called Laura who killed herself after the Second World War and it […]
  • Rhetoric & Professional Communication: Advertising So, the aim of this essay is to examine the essence of the rhetorical theory, its methods, and the results it gives to its user. White space is the advertising tool discussed in the article; […]
  • Mark Edmonson’s Rhetoric in “The Heart of Humanities” Mark Edmonson’s The Heart of Humanities: Reading, Writing, Teaching is a collection of works that explore the importance of the three components for those interested in pursuing humanities as a future study field.
  • Rhetorical Triangle of Infinity Q50 Advertisement In advertising, the rhetorical triangle has particular importance because each of the mentioned components is necessary for invoking different types of appeal between the target audience and the presenter of a message.
  • Smoking Bans: Protecting the Public and the Children of Smokers The purpose of the article is to show why smoking bans aim at protecting the public and the children of smokers.
  • Women Suffrage in Carrie Chapman’s Rhetoric The paper is a bright example of the in-depth analysis of the problem and a perfect insight into the future of womens participation in the political life of the country.
  • Health Information Privacy Standards: Rhetoric Analysis It is easy to understand the purpose of the document, because the USDHHS provided enough information to explain the importance of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996.
  • Rhetoric: “Cho Seung-Hui’s Killing Rampage” by Tao Lin Lin does not find a connection of their suffering to the deceased. Lin argues that it is “due to the automatic acceptance of a pre-existing sort of guideline or suggestion”.
  • The Art of Rhetoric
  • Advertising: Rhetoric or Propaganda?
  • Rhetoric in Baldwin’s and Naylor’s Linguistics Articles
  • Rhetoric: Social Issues’ Influences on US Children
  • Salem Cigarettes Ads and Rhetorical Appeals
  • Rhetorical Figure in “Fond Memories of Home” Poem
  • Utilitarianism in Ron Paul’s Rhetoric
  • The Rhetoric of Violence in Rap
  • Rhetorical Situations: Ethos, Pathos, Logos
  • Isocrates and Aristotle Views on Rhetorical Devices
  • Rhetoric: Never Judge a Book by Its Cover
  • Rhetoric Analysis of The Mind’s Eye by Oliver Sacks
  • Political Rhetoric: Barack Obama’s March 18 Speech
  • Rhetorical Analysis of the Article”Digital Natives and Immigrants” by Nancy Herther
  • The Origin of Rhetoric
  • How TV Affects Your Child: Article Rhetoric
  • Cultural and Rhetorical Analysis of Presidential Debates
  • Rhetorical Analysis of Ethos in “Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave”
  • Rhetoric Philosophy and Shapiro’s Criticism on the Dworkin’s Work
  • Social Constructionism and Its Impact on Cultural Identity in a Society Ruled by a Strong Rhetoric of Risk and Health and Safety Regulations
  • Rhetoric as an Art
  • Orientalist Constructions of Muslim Bodies and the Rhetoric of the «War on Terror»
  • Comparing and contrasting Rhetoric: Tabbi and Thomas Friedman
  • Rhetoric Situation in Articles
  • Rhetorical Stance Of Articles
  • Rhetorical situation and solution to a business
  • Rhetoric Devices in Art and Design
  • Critique and Rhetorical Analysis
  • The Art of Conversation: Rhetorical Devices
  • The Rhetorical Analysis: Nuclear Wastes Challenges
  • Rhetorical Analysis: Chinese Zodiac Movie Poster
  • Rhetorical Analysis: “The Pack Rat among Us”
  • Rhetoric in American Politics
  • Rhetorical Criticism of the Titanic
  • Rhetorical Analysis of Wal-Mart: The Cost of Low Prices
  • Analyzing The Rhetorical Aspect In Dexter
  • Watts, James Washington. Ritual and Rhetoric in Leviticus: From Sacrifice to Scripture
  • Rhetorical situations in the Experiences and Goals Letter
  • The Negative Effects of Wealth in Society: Rhetorical Analysis
  • Rhetorical Situation of a Resume
  • Aspects of Rhetoric and Stereotype Image
  • Rhetorical Analysis of the Article
  • What Are the Main Rhetorical Strategies?
  • How Is Visual Rhetoric Related to the Case of Intellectual Capital?
  • What Are the Types of Rhetoric?
  • What Is Rhetoric and Why Is It Important?
  • How Does Rhetoric Affect Our Life?
  • What Are the Features of Questions and Rhetoric in the Greek New Testament?
  • Why Do People Use Rhetoric?
  • What Makes the Millennial Bashing Rhetoric?
  • How Does Machiavelli Use Persuasive Rhetoric?
  • Is Rhetoric Just Persuasion?
  • How Is Rhetoric Used Instead of Physical Play?
  • What Are the Characteristics of Rhetoric?
  • How Did the Context of Rome Influence the Role of Rhetoric During Roman?
  • How Do One Use Rhetoric in Your Everyday Life?
  • Where Is Rhetoric Most Commonly Used?
  • What Is Modern-Day Rhetoric?
  • Where Is Rhetoric Used Today?
  • What Are the Elements of Rhetoric?
  • How to Use Rhetorical Situations to Examine and Improve Communication?
  • Which Rhetoric Is Most Effective?
  • What Are the Modes of Rhetoric?
  • What Is the Main Purpose of Rhetoric?
  • What Are the Rhetorical Devices?
  • What Is the Strongest Rhetorical Appeal?
  • What Is the Main Purpose of Rhetorical Question?
  • Chicago (A-D)
  • Chicago (N-B)

IvyPanda. (2024, February 29). 227 Rhetoric Essay Topic Ideas & Examples. https://ivypanda.com/essays/topic/rhetoric-essay-topics/

"227 Rhetoric Essay Topic Ideas & Examples." IvyPanda , 29 Feb. 2024, ivypanda.com/essays/topic/rhetoric-essay-topics/.

IvyPanda . (2024) '227 Rhetoric Essay Topic Ideas & Examples'. 29 February.

IvyPanda . 2024. "227 Rhetoric Essay Topic Ideas & Examples." February 29, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/topic/rhetoric-essay-topics/.

1. IvyPanda . "227 Rhetoric Essay Topic Ideas & Examples." February 29, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/topic/rhetoric-essay-topics/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "227 Rhetoric Essay Topic Ideas & Examples." February 29, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/topic/rhetoric-essay-topics/.

  • New York Times Topics
  • Emotional Development Questions
  • Patriotism Research Ideas
  • Cognitive Development Essay Ideas
  • Declaration of Independence Paper Topics
  • Political Cartoon Paper Topics
  • Literacy Development Titles
  • Nietzsche Essay Titles
  • 160 Rhetorical Essay Topics

With the many different styles of essay writing students can be assigned, a rhetorical essay can often be the most challenging. An assignment designed to analyze the context, intentions, and effectiveness of subject matter, a rhetorical essay requires students to apply critical thinking to break down the subject matter and contemplate how each part works together to create the desired effect.

A rhetorical essay is not a summary of the text or a personal opinion on the work being analyzed; instead, it requires students to use their critical thinking skills to dissect how the author has used words to create their desired effect.

While writing a rhetorical essay (sometimes called a rhetorical analysis essay) can be challenging, it isn’t impossible when students are aware of the best writing strategies for crafting this type of assignment.

We’ve broken down the essentials of rhetorical essay writing below and included 160 rhetorical essay topics to help students practice their new skills.

Essential Factors When Writing a Rhetorical Essay

Before getting into the breakdown of the rhetorical essay writing process, it’s essential to first understand the point of this type of writing. Unlike other forms of essay writing, a rhetorical essay does not seek to persuade or argue a point. Instead, its purpose is to analyze how the author of a piece of text has used words to create a certain effect or meaning.

There are three key factors that students need to keep in mind when writing a rhetorical analysis essay:

1. Rhetorical Situation

The first step in writing a rhetorical analysis essay is understanding the rhetorical situation. This involves understanding the text being analyzed, the author, the audience, and the purpose for writing.

2. Rhetorical Appeals

After understanding the rhetorical situation, students need to identify which of the topics three rhetorical appeals are being used. These appeals are ethos, pathos, and logos.

Pathos is the appeal to emotion and is often used to create a sense of empathy in the reader. Ethos is the appeal to ethics and is used to build trust between the subject and the audience. Logos is the appeal to logic and is used to persuade the audience through reasoning.

3. Rhetorical Strategies

The final step is to identify the subject’s different rhetorical strategies. These strategies include but are not limited to:

  • Appeal to authority
  • Exaggeration
  • Personification
  • Understatement

Only once students have identified these three rhetorical elements can they begin to analyze and write about the text.

How to Write a Rhetorical Analysis Essay: The Basics

Now that the key elements that students need to keep in mind when writing a rhetorical essay have been covered, let’s look at the basics of putting together this type of assignment step-by-step.

1. Pre-Writing

The first step in the writing process is always pre-writing. This is when students brainstorm and come up with ideas for their essay.

When prewriting for a rhetorical analysis essay, students should take the following steps:

  • Read the text multiple times to thoroughly understand the subject matter.
  • Make note of any words, phrases, or ideas that stand out.
  • Identify the audience, purpose, and context of the text.
  • Determine which rhetorical appeals and strategies are being used.

2. Thesis Statement

After pre-writing, the next step is to write a thesis statement. This will be the main argument or point that students are trying to make in their essay. When writing a thesis statement for a rhetorical analysis essay, students should state a clear position that they will be taking on the text. Some good examples of rhetorical essay thesis statements include:

“The author uses emotional appeal to gain the reader’s trust to sell them a product.”

“Although the author’s use of logos is effective, their overuse of pathos creates a sense of doubt in the reader’s mind.”

“The presenter offers a valid argument, but they fail to consider the deep-seated cultural ideologies that inform the opposing view.”

3. Introductory Paragraph

Once the thesis statement has been written, students can move on to writing their introductory paragraph. This paragraph should begin with a hook that grabs the reader’s attention and end with a clear statement of the essay’s main argument. The rest of the paragraph should be used to provide background information on the text being analyzed.

4. Body Paragraphs

After the introductory paragraph, students will move on to writing their body paragraphs. These paragraphs should each begin with a topic sentence that introduces the main point of the paragraph and end with a conclusion that wraps up that point. The majority of the paragraph should be dedicated to explaining and supporting the point being made.

5. Conclusion

The final step in the writing process is to write a conclusion. This paragraph should begin with a restatement of the essay’s main argument and end with a broader statement about the implications of that argument.

An excellent way to craft a thought-provoking conclusion is to pose a rhetorical question that leaves the reader with something to think about long after they have finished reading your essay.

By following these simple steps, students can easily write a well-crafted rhetorical analysis essay that will engage and inform the reader.

Using the writing guides above, students can craft a well-written rhetorical analysis essay on any of the following topics. Remember that the goal with these topics is to read, understand, and analyze the purposes, effects, and intentions of the given text, not to agree or disagree with the subject matter of the rhetorical analysis.

Rhetorical Essay Topics About Speeches

  • The “I Have A Dream” speech by Martin Luther King Jr.
  • The “Second Inaugural Address” by Abraham Lincoln
  • The “Eulogy for Rosa Parks” by Bill Clinton
  • The “Inaugural Address” by Barack Obama
  • The “Farewell Address” by George Washington
  • The “I Am Somebody” speech by Jesse Jackson
  • The “Tear Down This Wall” speech by Ronald Reagan
  • The “Give Me Liberty Or Give Me Death” speech by Patrick Henry
  • The “We Shall Fight On The Beaches” speech by Winston Churchill
  • The acceptance speech for the Nobel Peace Prize by Nelson Mandela

Rhetorical Essay Topics About Books

  • The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
  • The Autobiography of Malcolm X by Malcolm X
  • Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates
  • Beloved by Toni Morrison
  • Animal Farm by George Orwell
  • Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
  • The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
  • Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad
  • 1984 by George Orwell
  • Lord of the Flies by William Golding

Rhetorical Essay Topics About Advertisements

  • Nike “Just Do It” advertisement
  • Pepsi “Live for Now” advertisement
  • Dove “Real Beauty” campaign
  • Old Spice’s “The Man Your Man Could Smell Like” campaign
  • Burger King’s “Have it Your Way” advertising campaign
  • Absolut Vodka “In an Absolut World” advertisement
  • Got Milk? “Aaron Burr” ad campaign
  • Chevrolet “The Heartbeat of America” commercial
  • Apple “Think Different” commercial
  • FedEx “We Understand” ad campaign

Rhetorical Essay Topics About Songs

  • “Born in the U.S.A.” by Bruce Springsteen
  • “We Shall Overcome” by Pete Seeger
  • “The Times They Are A-Changin'” by Bob Dylan
  • “Say it Loud – I’m Black and I’m Proud” by James Brown
  • “Respect” by Aretha Franklin
  • “Imagine” by John Lennon
  • “What’s Going On” by Marvin Gaye
  • “The Ballad of Sacco and Vanzetti” by Joaquín Rodrigo
  • “Like a Rolling Stone” by Bob Dylan
  • “A Change is Gonna Come” by Sam Cooke

Rhetorical Essay Topics About Films

  • The Godfather
  • Forrest Gump
  • The Silence of the Lambs
  • Citizen Kane
  • The Truman Show
  • The Social Network
  • Chinese Roulette

Rhetorical Essay Topics About Television Shows

  • The Simpsons
  • I Love Lucy
  • All in the Family
  • The Cosby Show
  • Saturday Night Live
  • The Daily Show with Jon Stewart
  • The Colbert Report
  • AMC’s Mad Men

Rhetorical Essay Topics About News Stories

  • The September 11th attacks
  • The moon landing
  • The assassination of JFK
  • The Watergate scandal
  • The Gulf War
  • Hurricane Katrina
  • The O.J. Simpson trial
  • The death of Princess Diana
  • The election of Barack Obama
  • The Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster

Rhetorical Essay Topics About Historical Events

  • The American Revolution
  • The Civil War
  • World War I
  • World War II
  • The Cold War
  • The Holocaust
  • The civil rights movement
  • The women’s suffrage movement
  • The Industrial Revolution
  • The fall of the Berlin Wall

Rhetorical Essay Topics About Websites

Rhetorical essay topics about dictators.

  • Adolf Hitler
  • Saddam Hussein
  • Muammar Gaddafi
  • Kim Jong-il
  • Joseph Stalin
  • Vladimir Lenin
  • Benito Mussolini

Rhetorical Essay Topics About Heroism

  • The 9/11 firefighters
  • The soldiers of the United States Armed Forces
  • The police officers of the United States
  • First responders
  • Good Samaritans

Rhetorical Essay Topics About Racism

  • “Reverse racism”
  • Segregation
  • The Ku Klux Klan
  • White privilege
  • Racism in the United States
  • Racism in South Africa
  • Indigenous rights
  • Racial stereotypes
  • Immigration and xenophobia

Rhetorical Essay Topics About Religion

  • Christianity
  • Agnosticism

Rhetorical Essay Topics About Technology

  • The Internet
  • Social media
  • Smartphones
  • Cyber-bullying
  • Online dating
  • Video games
  • App development
  • Cybersecurity
  • Net neutrality

Rhetorical Essay Topics About Sports

  • Auto racing

Rhetorical Essay Topics About Celebrities

  • Taylor Swift
  • Kim Kardashian
  • Justin Bieber
  • Oprah Winfrey
  • Steven Spielberg
  • James Franco
  • J.K. Rowling

These 160 rhetorical essay topics should serve as a great starting point for your writing. Remember that after choosing the topic, you’ll want to craft an essay that examines the techniques used by the person, entity, or ideologies you’re analyzing and their effectiveness in achieving that goal.

Related Posts

  • 45 Photo Essay Topics
  • 160 Process Analysis Essay Topics
  • 140 Sociology Essay Topics
  • 120 Exploratory Essay Topics
  • 160 Climate Change Essay Topics

Categories:

  • Essay Samples
  • Essay Topics
  • Essay Writing Guides

Recent posts:

  • 170 Ethics Essay Topics
  • 160 Satire Essay Topics
  • 155 Criminal Justice Essay Topics
  • 150 Political Essay Topics
  • 145 Classification Essay Topics
  • 140 Opinion Essay Topics
  • 140 Environmental Essay Topics
  • 135 Controversial Essay Topics
  • 125 Classification and Division Essay Topics
  • 120 Literary Essay Topics
  • 100 Profile Essay Topics
  • 90 Heart of Darkness Essay Topics
  • 80 Holocaust Essay Topics

Testimonials

Group 6

215 Rhetoric Essay Topics

🏆 best essay topics on rhetoric, ✍️ rhetoric essay topics for college, 👍 good rhetoric research topics & essay examples, 🎓 most interesting rhetoric research titles, 🌶️ hot rhetoric ideas to write about, 💡 simple rhetoric essay ideas, 📌 easy rhetoric essay topics, ❓ questions about rhetoric.

  • “Snack Attack”: Rhetorical Analysis
  • Greta Thunberg’s Speech: Rhetorical Analysis
  • Susan B. Anthony’s Speech Analysis: Rhetorical Devices, Purpose, & More
  • Rhetoric of “Virtual Promise” by Claire Giordano
  • Steve Jobs’ Commencement: Rhetorical Analysis
  • Rhetorical Strategies in Mobley’s “Justice or Murder?”
  • Rhetoric: The “Stressed Out” Song by Twenty One Pilots
  • Rhetoric of “The Myth of the Charioteer” by Plato The Myth of the Charioteer by Plato is the part of his dialogue Phaedrus. Being presented as the Chariot Allegory, Plato aims to describe the nature of human soul using rhetoric.
  • The Speech “Beyond Vietnam: A Time to Break Silence” by Martin Luther King, Jr: Rhetorical Analysis In order to convince his audience that the civil rights movement in the U.S. should oppose the Vietnam War, Martin Luther King, Jr. appealed to their ethos, pathos, and logos.
  • Algebra Development: Rhetoric, Syncopated and Symbolic Stages The study discusses the three stages of algebra development which includes rhetoric stage, syncopated stage and symbolic stage.
  • Rhetorical Appeals in Podcast “Serial” by Koenig In her podcast “Serial”, Sarah Koenig uses ethos to tell the story by emphasizing herself as the narrator and letting the audience focus more on the story.
  • “Dwellings” Rhetorical Techniques Analysis The essay discusses Hogan’s story and shows how it uses images pulled from the lasting changes of nature to show that homes are never as simple and as fixed as they sometimes believe.
  • Rhetorical Analysis: “I Have a Dream” Speech It can be stated without a doubt that Martin Luther King’s speech “I Have a Dream” is among the most memorable and outstanding speeches up to date.
  • Rhetorical Analysis of a Film “Us” By pointing out metaphors, symbols, dialogues, and details in various scenes, The Film Theorists make a convincing argument about the film’s “Us” deeper meaning.
  • Rhetorical Analysis of Adidas “Break Free” Advertisement The “Break Free” advertisement is a great example of an inspiring video with an unpredictable plot. It uses original images that seem not connected to the sport.
  • Rhetorical Analysis Essay: an Example of a Web Page Case Study The use of rhetoric elements ⚛️ in marketing helps stimulate ? customer demand. Learn more about how to do this from this rhetorical analysis essay sample!
  • “Learning to Read and Write” by Frederick Douglass: Rhetorical Methods and Techniques In “Learning to Read and Write,” the conducted philological analysis showed that there are seven artistic techniques at once, along with Aristotelian methods of persuasion.
  • Usage of Rhetorical Appeals in “Letter From Birmingham Jail” In 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. wrote “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” as a response to a statement by clergymen, accusing King’s peaceful resistance to the racism of violence.
  • Rhetorical Analysis of the Gillette Commercial This paper aims to convey the rhetorical analysis of the Gilette Commercial “We Believe: The Best Men Can Be” to identify how its text uses the rhetorical triangle to influence.
  • Rhetorical Analysis of “Hidden Intellectualism” by Gerald Graff The author claims that a person can be intelligent in many ways and differentiates between so-called “book smart” and “street smart” people.
  • Antigone and Creon’s Use of Rhetoric This analysis reveals that the rhetoric of Antigone and Creon is similar because they represent categorical ideas.
  • Think Different: A Rhetorical Analysis of an Image The Apple statement “Think Different” celebrates individuals that think differently, such as Apple, since they are the ones who contribute to the betterment.
  • Rhetorical Effects of Grammatical Choices in “Only Disconnect” The purpose of this paper is to discuss some of the rhetorical effects of grammatical choices in Gary Shteyngart’s “Only Disconnect.”
  • Douglass’ Rhetorical Strategy: Biblical Allusions In the present paper, two examples of biblical allegories used by Douglas in the Narrative will be analyzed to show why his audience could find those passages persuasive.
  • Rhetorical Analysis of “Media Control” by Chomsky In the article “Media Control: The Spectacular Achievements of Propaganda” Chomsky exposes how political influence threatens democracy and the participation of the bewildered herd.
  • “The Rhetoric of Video Games” by Ian Bogost In his article “The rhetoric of video games,” Ian Bogost writes about how video games reflect the real life of people, their interactions, feelings, and worldviews.
  • “Why Summer Makes Us Lazy”: Rhetorical Analysis The text of the article “Why Summer Makes Us Lazy” is presented sequentially, and the ideas follow one from the other, thereby creating a coherent narrative.
  • Rhetorical Analysis of the Two Ads This essay is aimed at a rhetorical analysis of the two proposed ads in order to identify the means of Pathos, Ethos, and Logos.
  • “Get Out” Movie’s Rhetorical Analysis The movie Get Out is a horror satire. Its main purpose is to illustrate an exaggerated reality of interracial interactions from the African-American person’s perspective.
  • Rhetoric Analysis of Jack London’s “To Build a Fire” In his “To Build a Fire”, London incorporates the rhetorical triangle to demonstrate the power of nature over human beings and animals.
  • Rhetorical Analysis of Steve Jobs Commencement Speech In his commencement speech presented to the Stanford graduates of 2005, Steve Jobs provided the audience with parallels regarding the college setting and his education and career path.
  • The 2018 Coca-Cola Super Bowl Commercial Rhetorical Analysis The analysis argues that “The Wonder of Us” commercial of the relaxing coke experience associated with the youthful propagate the urge to get the refreshing moments with the drink.
  • Rhetorical Analysis Essay: Ethos, Logos and Pathos A rhetoric situation is an act of speaking or writing effectively. Rhetoric is also a situation that lacks a meaningful understanding.
  • Steve Job’s Speech at Stanford: Rhetorical Analysis Steve Jobs’ 2005 Stanford university commencement address illustrates how rhetorical components should be utilized while giving a discourse.
  • Rhetorical Analysis of the Song “Permanent” by David Cook In the paper implements rhetorical analysis to the song Permanent by David Cook and discuss the major aspects brought up in it.
  • Visual Rhetoric in New-Age Beauty Advertisements The purpose of this paper is to examine how the advertisement “Feeling like Glossier” combines simple design and a memorable catchphrase.
  • Lincoln’s and Dickinson’s Rhetorical Discourses Abraham Lincoln’s “Second inaugural address” and Emily Dickinson’s “Success is counted sweetest” can be regarded as an illustration of close ties between poetics and rhetoric.
  • “Why I Won’t Buy an iPad” by Doctorow: Rhetorical Analysis The purpose of the essay is to determine whether Cory Doctorow has effectively convinced his readers why they should not buy IPad in the “Why I Won’t Buy an iPad” essay.
  • Alan Moore’s Rhetoric and Writing Style in Watchmen Alan Moore’s comic book Watchmen was a phenomenal breakthrough in the production of the comic. It was unexpected but a negative story about superheroes.
  • Rhetorical Analysis: “In Defense of the ‘Impractical’ English Major” by C. Gregoire and “Top 10 Reasons You’re Not Wasting Your Time as an English Major” by S. Reeves In their articles, Carolyn Gregoire and Sophie Reeves aspire to prove that English majors are capable of gaining success in this life, as well as of developing important skills.
  • The “Ain’t I a Woman?” Speech by Truth: Rhetorical Analysis “Ain’t I a Woman?” is a seminal speech by Sojourner Truth at the Women’s Rights Convention in Akron, Ohio. Truth uses numerous rhetorical devices to appeal to her audience.
  • “Letter From Birmingham Jail” by Martin Luther King, Jr.: Rhetorical Analysis By combining ethos, pathos, and logos in a natural way, the “Letter from Birmingham Jail” by Martin Luther King, Jr. becomes a powerful speech supported by main rhetorical tools.
  • Hamlet’s Monologue: A Rhetorical Analysis The rhetorical devices used by Shakespeare in the monologue of Hamlet help readers better understand the main character’s uncertainty about his life, death, and revenge.
  • Rhetorical Analysis of “The Disadvantages of an Elite Education” by Deresiewicz “The Disadvantages of an Elite Education,” the article by William Deresiewicz, claims that higher education can be disadvantageous and harmful for the personality and society.
  • Chomsky’s “Media Control” Rhetorical Analysis In the “Media Control: The Spectacular Achievements of Propaganda” article, the author Noam Chomsky begins by analyzing two models of democracy.
  • Michelle Obama’s TED Speech: Rhetoric Devices Michelle Obama’s TED speech is an example of a well-designed public speech that will be analyzed according to the Aristotelian rhetoric framework.
  • Rhetoric. James Q. Wilson on Gun Ownership Laws The author examines the views and arguments of Time correspondent James K. Wilson regarding the tightening of gun control legislation.
  • Obama Speech: Rhetorical Analysis and Evaluation In his speech, Obama starts by making reference to Martin Luther King Jr. He highlights the important role Luther played in the fight for the liberation of the Black Americans.
  • The COVID-19 Vaccination Hesitancy: Rhetorical Analysis This rhetorical analysis paper focuses on a video, presented by John Oliver, which discusses the prevalent skepticism surrounding the COVID-19 vaccination process in the US.
  • Rhetorical Analysis of John F. Kennedy’s Inaugural Address John Kennedy was a good orator and delivered compelling messages of which considered the best was his inaugural address.
  • Angelina Jolie’s Rhetorical Speech on Female Empowerment Angelina Jolie delivered a powerful message to her colleagues to inspire them to fight for female empowerment through art.
  • Executive Leadership for Women: Examining the Rhetoric and the Reality It is true that Men and women are not randomly distributed through out organizations but there are evidences of discrimination on the ground of gender are evident.
  • Plato’s Gorgias Dialogue on the Power of Rhetoric Dialogue Gorgias by Plato consists of three conversations of Socrates: with Gorgias himself, with Polus, and with Callicles.
  • The Essay “This Is the Kind of Storytelling that Economics Needs” by Peter Coy: Rhetorical Analysis The current paper presents the rhetorical analysis of the opinion article “This is the kind of storytelling that economics needs” by Peter Coy.
  • George W. Bush’s Speech: Rhetorical Analysis The speech under analysis is delivered by former US president George W. Bush on the crisis in the Middle East, particularly in Iraq. The speech’s aim was to outline the US policy.
  • Rhetorical Triangle Assignment: “In The End” by Linkin Park Although it has produced a substantial number of memorable songs, In The End by Linkin Park is particularly meaningful.
  • Rhetorical Analysis of a Commercial The rhetorical analysis entails Nike’s commercial, “We’re short a guy,” which shows a young man playing multiple different sports.
  • The Rhetoric of the Gettysburg Address Lincoln’s speech during the Civil War had a meaningful impact on listeners and helped people continue to fight for independence.
  • Rhetorical Analysis of Steve Jobs’ Speech Steve Jobs, the legendary innovator and founder of the Apple Corporation, spoke at Stanford University in 2005, and this was one of the businessman’s landmark speeches.
  • The Rhetoric of Condemnation in the Book of Job The Book of Job belongs to the Ketuvim (“Writings”) section of the Hebrew Bible and the Old Testament part of the Christian Bible.
  • A Rhetorical Defense of Leonard Peltier Leonard Peltier has been a prisoner for 28 years. This is due to crime that he did not commit. He was falsely accused to have murdered two FBI agents.
  • Margaret Fuller’s and Frederick Douglass’ Rhetorical Styles The rhetorical styles of M. Fuller and F. Douglass may have been unusual but they left an indelible mark in the literary field. The work they wrote is rich in folklore.
  • Rhetoric in Holland’s Endangered Pleasures: Travel The chapter “Travel: Getting There” of Barbara Holland’s Endangered Pleasures is a witty insight into the world of travel as most people know it today.
  • A Rhetorical Analysis of “Daddy Issues” by Sandra Tsing Loh In her essay “Daddy Issues”, Sandra Tsing Loh, a Chinese American, talks about the plight of people who are faced with caring for their elderly parents.
  • Discussion of Aristotle Rhetoric The reading discusses the idea of rhetoric as a means of persuasion because Aristotle argues effective persuasion depends on the successful use of ethos, logos, and pathos.
  • Rhetorical Strategies Comparison Using rhetorical devices helps the writer find arguments suitable for the given audience. Both Rodov’s and Rice’s speeches established credibility and aimed to evoke emotions.
  • Steve Jobs’ Commencement Speech Rhetorical Analysis Steve Jobs, one of the founders and shareholders of Apple, is famous for introducing unique strategies that tend to evoke general interest to his model of business.
  • Rhetorical Analysis: Google Analytics App The intended audience of the analysis is represented by the users of the Google Analytics app, which means the people who want to search, organize, and save data on some subjects.
  • Video Advertisement: The Efficiency of the Aristotle’s Rhetoric This essay examines the effectiveness of using Ethos, Pathos, and Logos as the persuasive tools in the “Jason Momoa Super Bowl Commercial 2020. Rocket Mortgage” advertisement.
  • Assisted Suicide: Critical Thinking and Rhetoric For assisted suicide to have positive consequences for people who yearn for such an early death, the practice must be published and not performed in secret.
  • Rhetorical Scheme in “Of Mice and Men” by John Steinbeck Just like any other novel this one utilizes three rhetorical schemes such as emotion, character, and logic. Yet upon closer examination the strongest is emotion or pathos.
  • The Power of Political Rhetoric: Article Review This paper analyzes Krebs and Jackson’s article, which examines the concept of rhetorical coercion and its influence on political outcomes worldwide.
  • The Use of Rhetoric in Advertisements Advertisements use a specific type of rhetoric that prioritizes creating an appealing image alongside an intriguing message that will affect the audience’s buying behavior.
  • Rhetoric: Different Types of Speeches Good speech builds support, which can be used to develop future interactions with the audience. Informative and persuasive speech types are aids in this endeavor.
  • Comparative Analysis of Rhetoric by Different Authors Rhetoric, the art of effectively persuading or impressing the audience using different techniques, is an ancient art of discourse.
  • Rhetoric Tactics in The King’s Speech Film The King’s Speech showcases the strategies used by the ascendant monarch of the British Empire to overcome his own fear of public speaking.
  • Joe Biden’s 2021 Speech: Rhetorical Analysis Joe Biden, the current President of the US, gave a speech on the coronavirus pandemic on March 11, 2021. The speaker deployed various rhetorical strategies and devices.
  • Obama’s and Clinton’s Speeches Rhetorical Analysis This article presents a rhetorical analysis of the speeches of the following historical figures: Barack Obama and Bill Clinton.
  • “The History and Theory of Rhetoric” Book by Herrick The book “The History and Theory of Rhetoric” by James Herrick revealed some of the hidden facts about rhetoric and its implications on language and communication.
  • The “Rhetoric in the Middle Ages” Book by Murphy The book “Rhetoric in the Middle Ages” by James J. Murphy, clarified how, why, and when classical rhetoric ceased, and medieval rhetoric began.
  • The Rhetoric and Public Affairs Journal Analysis Rhetoric and Public Affairs covers technology, subjects, and issues in Language and Linguistics, Communication, Sociology and Political Science, and Public Affairs.
  • A More Perfect Union: Rhetorical Précis Obama’s purpose is to discuss race in relation to his pastor’s words in order to make his own position stronger, advocate for change and support his political campaign.
  • Use of Rhetorical Devices in Advertisement The Girls’ Trip- Subaru commercial ad effectively employs the use of pathos in the advertisement for the Crosstrek 2021 model.
  • Rhetorical Analysis and Fallacies of Argumentation The rhetorical analysis involves analyzing the content in terms of three components: ethos, pathos, and logos. There exist fallacies in logical, emotional, and ethical arguments.
  • The Art of Rhetoric for an Effective Speech The art of rhetoric provides people with helpful recommendations on how they can effectively talk. In arguments, participants should use multiple techniques.
  • Visual Rhetoric of The Publicis Singapore Ad This work will explore visual rhetoric using the example of advertising from the Publicis Singapore created for Crisis Relief Singapore as an example of the degree of persuasion.
  • Importance of Rhetorical Features in Literature The rhetorical devices help people to understand the importance of communication. The former US president demonstrated what his policy emphasis would be.
  • Secularism and Buddhism: Rise of Violent Buddhist Rhetoric Since the dawn of civilization, the paradigm of religion has been one of the central narratives for a national community and its value system.
  • Rhetoric: “Why Women Still Can’t Have It All” by Slaughter This paper provides an analysis of how the article’s author manages to persuade the reader by employing a rhetorical strategy that relies on ethos and testimony evidence.
  • Antique Mobile Advertisement: Rhetorical Analysis Most successful businesses have created tactical and unique initiatives to build solid relationships with their client base.
  • Bill Clinton Presidency: Grand Strategy, Grand Rhetoric The late presidency of George Herbert Walker Bush was associated with the vast military success in the Gulf War and the associated increase in approval ratings.
  • Letter From Birmingham Jail: Rhetorical Devices Luther King wrote his “Letter from Birmingham Jail” with the aim to inform the clergy that he had a right to be in Birmingham and that his actions had moral and honorable reasons.
  • Rhetorical Analysis of Simpsons: Trash of the Titans The present analysis focuses on the comparison of the two speeches by Homer Simpson that were presented in the episode Trash of the Titans.
  • Rhetoric as Style Choice in American Literature American literature is broadly defined as English-language literature produced in what is today known as the United States.
  • Genre Analysis: Rhetoric and Social Movements The Civil Rights Movement of the 20th was characterized by the wide use of rhetoric to convey the idea of social justice, equality, and the need for change.
  • Mini-Series “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier”: Poster’s Rhetorical Analysis This paper explores the poster of the mini-series “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier” in terms of rhetorical analysis, including the assessments of the situation and strategies.
  • Rhetoric of Article “Want to Save Civilization?” by Malady In his article, published in 2013 in “The New York Times Magazine, ” Malady argues that the queue is one of the fundamental social constructs.
  • Paul McCartney: Rhetorical Analysis Paul McCartney’s example is constantly pushing me towards self-development and motivating me to become a better member of our society.
  • Thesis for Rhetorical Analysis Essay: That Sugar Film Directed by S.Dalton An Australian director and actor, Damon Gameau, decides to test whether sugar is harmful to the body: That Sugar Film directed by S.Dalton.
  • The Problem of Finding a Job for College Graduates: Rhetoric Analysis The discussion of the issues in finding a job for college graduates is efficiently presented by Alina Tugend, who used numerous rhetorical devices for this purpose.
  • The Principles of Rhetoric in Media This review will discuss all of the principles of rhetoric in regard to a specific example and cite appropriate evidence when needed.
  • Analysis of Thomas Paine’s Rhetoric The paper analysis Paine rhetoric which contributed to the success of the American Revolution by motivating the masses to rebel against Britain.
  • Rhetorical Strategies of FIFA Franchise The website central to this review provides its viewers with reasons for either pre-ordering or waiting on the newest instalment in the FIFA franchise, FIFA 22.
  • The Rhetoric Approaches to Conveying Messages The paper analyzes the rhetoric approaches to conveying messages. It has become evident why Ohio residents expressed respect for Dr. Acton.
  • Brittany Maynard’s Testimony through Lenses of Aristotelian Rhetorical Theory This essay seeks to analyze which aspects of Brittany Maynard’s speech in support of PAS determined the successful communication of her ideas to the audience.
  • Racialized Rhetoric: Domestic Violence and Muslim Community The work analyzes the rhetoric in the news article, which discusses forced marriage and compares it to the existing research regarding violence against women and racialization in the media.
  • Rhetorical Appeals Analysis The analyzed article is to persuade; the specific purpose is to state that a strict ban on guns is impossible, and some propositions on gun control are irrelevant and useless.
  • Rhetoric in Moore’s “Idiot Nation” and Gatto’s “Against School” Two of the essays that discuss the problems of the modern education establishments are “Idiot Nation” written by Moore and “Against School” written by Gatto.
  • Siren et al.’s Study on Red Wines: Rhetorical Analysis The article “Evaluation of organic and inorganic compounds levels of red wines processed from Pinot Noir grapes” by Siren et al. studies the compounds in red wines.
  • Women in Classical Rhetorical Theory during Ancient Times Despite there were many restrictions on women’s rights in ancient times, they also have used the classical rhetorical theory to share their wisdom and were teachers of rhetoric.
  • Rhetorical Qualities of the 1969 Marijuana PSA This mini-essay will assess the anti-marijuana PSA from 1969. Due to the presence of several logical fallacies in it, presently produces the exact opposite effect of the intended one.
  • Brooks’ “Reading Too Much Political News…” Rhetorical Analysis The current paper contains a rhetorical analysis of the article “Reading too much political news is bad for your well-being” by A. C. Brooks.
  • Rhetorical Analysis Through Lyrics: “The Times They Are A-Changing” and “The Wind of Change” This paper examined “The Times They Are A-Changing” and “The Wind of Change” as examples of songs that highlight important social issues.
  • Roiphe’s Confessions of a Female Chauvinist Sow: Rhetorical Analysis In this work, I am going to analyze Confessions of a Female Chauvinist Sow, written by Anne Roiphe. The main readers of Roiphe’s work are mainly women.
  • Rhetorical Appeals as a Means of Convincing the Audience The purpose of this article is to explore rhetorical appeals as a means of persuading audiences, using the example of Judge Pauley’s decision and Abdo and Toomey’s article.
  • Rhetorical Devices in Debates: Biden, Harris, and the Issue of Women and Race In the 2019 conversation between Biden, Harris, and Booker, the active use of idiom as a rhetorical device reinforced the arguments made by Booker.
  • Rhetorical Analysis: Capitalism and Socialism Both systems have their flaws, but capitalism is more practical and efficient in bringing prosperity and reducing scarcity, which means that it is better.
  • Rhetorical Appeals: The Benefits of Using Rhetoric Instruments Rhetorical appeals make an individual’s speech more appealing and effective as the speaker can achieve the established goals.
  • The Art of Rhetoric This paper seeks to determine the arguments of Plato and Aristotle on rhetoric, make a comparison of them and then make an application of rhetoric in speech.
  • Creating Stereotypes: Rhetoric and Stereotypes Stereotyped perceptions on many professions, but in a number, these perceptions are proved to be wrong in many cases.
  • Subject-Informal Logic: Rhetoric & Stereotypes The fundamental learning process indicates that stereotyped examples will always remain. Evaluating people based on stereotyping is unfair and a flawed method.
  • Rhetoric and Stereotypes in Society Stereotyping has been used as a tool in persuading others to embrace a certain cause. Different individuals will be viewed differently in society.
  • Rhetorical Writing Analysis of Jenna Berko’s Essay Rhetorical writing is a special kind of activity that involves the ability to analyze the plot of the object under consideration.
  • The Analysis of the Rhetoric in Film “Henry V” The rhetoric is the scientific discipline studying the laws of origination, the transfer and the perception of good speech and the qualitative text.
  • What Is the Role of Rhetoric in Public Relations Practice? In public relations, rhetoric helps PR managers and administrators to appeal to the emotions of the target audience and their internal feelings.
  • Rhetoric. Should the State Know Your HIV Status? by Alfieri In her article “Should the State Know Your HIV Status?”, Rosemarie Gionta Alfieri sets a case against the proposals to make the practice of HIV testing mandatory.
  • Blogs on Euthanasia: Rhetorical Analysis Euthanasia is the act or practice of deliberately ending the life of an individual who could either be suffering from a terminal illness or be in an incurable condition.
  • Anti-Communist and Anti-Islam Rhetoric One of the bright examples of such manipulation is the cultivation of the irrational fear of communism during the Cold War by Senator Joseph McCarthy.
  • Racism in “Get Out” Movie: Rhetorical Discussion The “Get Out” film’s primary medium is the modern illustration of a slave plantation, where the owners are represented as Caucasian people.
  • Rhetoric of Ali Siddiq’s ‘Prison Riot’ Standup Using various rhetorical tactics allows achieving a level of both belief and awe in listeners, as may be seen in Ali Siddiq’s “Prison Riot” standup.
  • Rhetoric: “The Oxford Encyclopedia of Latinos and Latinas in the United States” by Oboler & Deena According to Oboler and González, the US continues to celebrate itself as “a nation of immigrants,” the increasing inflow of migrants represents an important problem.
  • John Fitzgerald Kennedy’s Effective Rhetoric John Frederick Kennedy’s inaugural address is one of the most rhetorically effective speeches performed by a United States president.
  • Anti-Smoking Persuasion: Rhetorical Situation Analysis This paper narrates a rhetorical moment in which I had an argument with my brother on his smoking behavior while he was in high school.
  • Proficient Writing: Rhetorical Analysis Proficient writing is a skill developed through regular practice and response to issues raised by readers. It is a two-pronged approach reflecting on one’s writing style and responding to readers’ feedback.
  • Rhetoric in “Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass” Just like all other slave narratives, Frederick Douglass analyzes the tensions between slaves and slave owners resulting from the conflict between the two entities.
  • “Representation as Colonial Rhetoric” by Poulter and “Molinari and the Science of Color and Line” by Welsh “Representation as a colonial rhetoric” by Poulter talks social impact of art on the natives. “Molinari and the Science of Colour and Line” by Welsh focuses on Molinari’s art.
  • Visual Rhetoric in L’Oreal EverCrème Advertisement The objective of this study is to try to identify the use of propaganda and weasel words in the advertisement, “L’Oreal Ever Crème”, which is about hair products.
  • Rhetoric in “Pop Can: Popular Culture in Canada” The way words are presented has a huge influence on the manner readers will get the intended message while interpreting aspects such as logic, emotions, etc.
  • Rhetoric in African-American History Articles In the sphere of African-American history, authors seem to wield the information perfectly, which makes it a distinct community of discourse.
  • Fears of Public Speaking – Rhetoric It is important to note that fear of public speaking is an interesting topic for discussion. The numerous factors affect an ability of an individual to communicate with others.
  • Rhetorical Aspects of a Visual Document In this paper we will analyze trade mark Michelin, its new product and will talk about the effectiveness of the advertising campaign.
  • Rhetoric and Stereotypes: Feminists, Tattooed Persons, Politicians, and Senior Citizens Stereotyping takes place in people’s lives at one point of their lives concerning people who they view as outsiders.
  • Rhetoric, Propaganda and Animal Farm
  • Crisis Management Through Rhetoric
  • Popular Editorials and the Rhetoric That Drives Them
  • Rhetoric Theory Development and Richard Nixon
  • Contemporary World and the Role of Classical Rhetoric
  • Advertising and Women: Visual Rhetoric of the Post War Era
  • Eminent Rhetoric: Language, Gender, and Cultural Tropes
  • Rhetoric and Group Stereotyping Issues
  • Persuasive Rhetoric: The Death Penalty Should Be Abolished
  • Agricultural Trade and Policy Reform: Rhetoric and Reality
  • Bias, Fallacies, and Rhetoric in Citizen Kane Speech
  • Political Rhetoric During the American Revolution
  • The Poisonous Rhetoric and Toxic Conversational Tone Surrounding the European Union
  • Rhetoric and Its Effect on Society
  • Visual Rhetoric and the Case of Intellectual Capital
  • The Connection Between Psychology, Philosophy, Rhetoric, and Religion
  • Rhetoric and Its Impact on Politics
  • General Information About Greek Oratory and Rhetoric
  • The Difference Between Classical and Modern Rhetoric
  • Contrastive Rhetoric Between Arabic and English Languages
  • The Rhetoric Techniquesnd Literary Devices Used in King’s Letter From a Birmingham Jail
  • Rhetoric: Creating Community Through Public Speaking
  • The Gap Between Rhetoric and Reality
  • Classical and New Rhetoric: Importance and Relevance
  • Australi Rhetoric, Reality and the Road Ahead
  • Rhetoric and Spirit Detecting Devices
  • The Loss Function Has Been Mislaid: The Rhetoric of Significance Tests
  • Anti Communist Rhetoric and American Patriotism
  • The Importance of Rhetoric and Persuasive Speech
  • Guns Don’t Kill People, People Kill People, and Other Nonsensical Rhetoric
  • The Importance of Rhetoric in the Event Campaign
  • Rhetoric With the Political and Public Affairs Arena
  • Rhetoric and the Safety of the Participant and Confidentiality
  • Differentiate Between Epideictic and Deliberative Rhetoric
  • Rhetoric and the Political Theory of Ideologies
  • Visual Rhetoric and Its Effects on Today’s Society
  • Solving Social Conflicts Through Rhetoric
  • Rhetoric and Conceptual Problems in Economics: The Case of General Equilibrium Theory
  • Rhetoric Challenges the Virtue of Society and Individuals
  • Aristotle’s Rhetoric and the Ethics of Modern Advertising
  • How Does External Perception Affect Occupational Rhetoric
  • WWII Rhetoric Among East and West Leaders
  • The Direct and Indirect Impact of Rhetoric in the Movie the Color Purple
  • Argumentation Pragmatics, Text Analysis, and Contrastive Rhetoric
  • The Relationship Between Rhetoric and Social Conflict
  • Rhetoric and Organizational Method Works
  • The Rhetoric and the Discourse of Poverty Condition
  • Rhetoric and Morality According to Classical Authorities
  • Is Using Rhetoric Instead of Physical Play Effective?
  • What Are Rhetorical Patterns for Argumentative Writing?
  • How Does Machiavelli Use Persuasive Rhetoric?
  • What Is the Relationship between the Rhetoric of Aristotle and the Ethics of Modern Advertising?
  • How Does Rhetoric Affect Our Life?
  • What Is Missile Anti-American Rhetoric?
  • What Are the Differences between Epideictic and Deliberative Rhetoric?
  • How Does External Perception Affect Occupational Rhetoric?
  • What Are the Rhetorical Devices?
  • What Is the Relationship between Rhetoric and Social Conflict?
  • Will Rhetoric Ever Become Reality?
  • What Is the Rhetoric of World War II Among Eastern and Western Leaders?
  • How Did the Context of Rome Influence the Role of Rhetoric during Roman?
  • What’s the Gap between Rhetoric and Reality?
  • How Is Character Revealed through the Use of Rhetoric in William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar?
  • What Is the Contemporary World and the Role of Classical Rhetoric?
  • Should the Engineers Apply Rhetoric Strategy to Popularized Technology?
  • What Does the Term Rhetoric Mean?
  • How Does Barack Obama Use the Language of Rhetoric?
  • What Is the Philosophy and Rhetoric of the Auditor Independence Concepts?
  • How Does Visual Rhetoric Influence Contemporary Society?
  • What Are Rhetoric, Discourse, and Phronesis?
  • How Has Rhetoric Influenced the Modern Electronic Age?
  • What Is the Relationship between Psychology, Philosophy, Rhetoric, and Religion?
  • What Is Warren Buffett’s Two-Faced Rhetoric?

Cite this post

  • Chicago (N-B)
  • Chicago (A-D)

StudyCorgi. (2021, November 12). 215 Rhetoric Essay Topics. https://studycorgi.com/ideas/rhetoric-essay-topics/

"215 Rhetoric Essay Topics." StudyCorgi , 12 Nov. 2021, studycorgi.com/ideas/rhetoric-essay-topics/.

StudyCorgi . (2021) '215 Rhetoric Essay Topics'. 12 November.

1. StudyCorgi . "215 Rhetoric Essay Topics." November 12, 2021. https://studycorgi.com/ideas/rhetoric-essay-topics/.

Bibliography

StudyCorgi . "215 Rhetoric Essay Topics." November 12, 2021. https://studycorgi.com/ideas/rhetoric-essay-topics/.

StudyCorgi . 2021. "215 Rhetoric Essay Topics." November 12, 2021. https://studycorgi.com/ideas/rhetoric-essay-topics/.

These essay examples and topics on Rhetoric were carefully selected by the StudyCorgi editorial team. They meet our highest standards in terms of grammar, punctuation, style, and fact accuracy. Please ensure you properly reference the materials if you’re using them to write your assignment.

This essay topic collection was updated on January 9, 2024 .

IMAGES

  1. How to Write a Rhetorical Analysis Essay: Step by Step Guide

    good topics for a rhetorical essay

  2. How To Write Rhetorical Analysis Essay: 20 Strategies, Steps, And Topics

    good topics for a rhetorical essay

  3. TOP 100 Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topics in 2020

    good topics for a rhetorical essay

  4. Learn How to Write a Rhetorical Analysis Essay on Trust My Paper

    good topics for a rhetorical essay

  5. Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topics: 20 Best Examples to Use

    good topics for a rhetorical essay

  6. 200+ Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topics & Ideas for Students

    good topics for a rhetorical essay

VIDEO

  1. Rhetorical essay

  2. Rhetorical Analysis Essay Tutorial

  3. Essay: Your Rhetorical Self

  4. ENGL 101 Rhetorical Analysis PT 1

  5. 1302 Rhetorical situation

  6. The Rhetorical Analysis Essay

COMMENTS

  1. 120+ Interesting Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topics (2024)

    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.

  2. 200 Engaging Rhetorical Analysis Topics For Your Paper

    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 ...

  3. Top 210 Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topics [with Tips]

    Visual Rhetorical Essay Topics. ... Luckily, there are 210 essay topics to select from here, so there is no shortage of good rhetorical analysis topics to explore. From the speeches of world leaders to advertisements, you'll develop a deeper appreciation for the art of persuasion. Furthermore, you learn how to use rhetorical devices to ...

  4. 122 Interesting Rhetorical Analysis Topics For Students

    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.

  5. 70 Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topics

    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 ...

  6. 40 Unique Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topics

    Choosing your rhetorical analysis topic can be a real nail biter. To help you choose the best topic, explore these 40 unique rhetorical analysis essay topics covering media, movies, speeches, and literature.

  7. How to Write a Rhetorical Analysis

    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. A rhetorical analysis is structured similarly to other essays: an introduction presenting ...

  8. How to Write a Rhetorical Analysis Essay-Examples & Template

    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 ...

  9. 100 Amazing Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topics

    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 ...

  10. How to Write a Great Rhetorical Analysis Essay: With Examples

    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.

  11. 100 Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topics That'll Inspire You

    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.

  12. How to Write a Rhetorical Analysis Essay

    2. Introducing Your Essay Topic. Introduce your essay by providing some context about the text you're analyzing. Give a brief overview of the author, intended audience, and purpose of the writing. You should also clearly state your thesis, which is your main point or argument about how and why the author uses rhetorical strategies.

  13. 100+ Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topics for Students In 2022

    Here are good topics for rhetorical analysis in this category. David Grann's arguments in The Mark of a Masterpiece. People versus nature in Tim Zimmerman's The Killer in the Pool. The double life of a thief in Art of the Steal by Joshua Bearman. Persuasive devices in John Buntin's Mississippi's Connections Reform.

  14. 120 Rhetoric Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

    To help you get started, here are 120 rhetoric essay topic ideas and examples to inspire your next assignment: The role of rhetoric in political speeches. Analysis of Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech. The use of ethos, pathos, and logos in advertising. How social media has changed rhetoric in modern society.

  15. 200+ Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topics & Ideas for Students

    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.

  16. How to Write a Rhetorical Analysis Essay in 6 Steps

    How to Write a Rhetorical Analysis Essay in 6 Steps. Written by MasterClass. Last updated: Sep 2, 2021 • 3 min read. In a rhetorical analysis essay, a writer will examine the rhetoric and style of another author's work. If you want to write your own rhetorical analysis essay, we've developed a step-by-step guide to lead you through the ...

  17. Top 80 Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topics for Students

    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 ...

  18. 227 Rhetoric Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

    The Power and Effect of Rhetoric in King's Speech "I Have a Dream". King's 1963 speech at Lincoln Memorial portrays the significance and power of rhetoric in persuading the audience."I Have a Dream" symbolizes the perfect utilization of rhetorical strategies and devices to influence the masses.

  19. How to Write a Rhetorical Analysis: 6 Steps and an Outline for Your

    5. State your thesis. Now that you've completed your analysis of the material, try to summarize it into one clear, concise thesis statement that will form the foundation of your essay. Your thesis statement should summarize: 1) the argument or purpose of the speaker; 2) the methods the speaker uses; and 3) the effectiveness of those methods ...

  20. 160 Rhetorical Essay Topics

    Some good examples of rhetorical essay thesis statements include: "The author uses emotional appeal to gain the reader's trust to sell them a product.". "Although the author's use of logos is effective, their overuse of pathos creates a sense of doubt in the reader's mind.".

  21. PDF How to Write a RHETORICAL ANALYSIS ESSAY Step 1: Full Comprehension of

    Follow this process to prepare for any timed rhetorical analysis essay. Some of this is redundant, but this portion has more to do with the actual process of writing an essay, whereas the previous questions are part of simply gaining full comprehension of the text. Main ideas - read to determine what points the speaker makes

  22. 215 Rhetoric Essay Topics & Research Titles at StudyCorgi

    This essay is aimed at a rhetorical analysis of the two proposed ads in order to identify the means of Pathos, Ethos, and Logos. Steve Job's Speech at Stanford: Rhetorical Analysis Steve Jobs' 2005 Stanford university commencement address illustrates how rhetorical components should be utilized while giving a discourse.

  23. Rhetorical analysis essay tips (how I got a 5!)

    The AP rubric lists three ways you can earn the sophistication point: "Explaining the significance or relevance of the writer's rhetorical choices (given the rhetorical situation).". "Explaining a purpose or function of the passage's complexities or tensions.". "Employing a style that is consistently vivid and persuasive.".