RHETORICAL DEVICES
The Basics
Before diving into the speech, make sure your students are familiar with the three big rhetorical devices – ethos, pathos, and logos (you can throw in kairos too for good measure). Review the definitions of the terms and provide several examples of each through commercials or ads.
A little deeper
Once your students have mastered the art of these three, then it’s time to move on to some other devices. Some of these devices will be familiar to your students as they are often taught as literary devices while others may be completely foreign. The devices you choose to cover will depend on the focus of your unit and your anchor text(s). Commonly taught devices include:
- alliteration
- anaphora – repetition of a word or expression at the beginning of successive clauses (“… we cannot dedicate – we cannot consecrate – we cannot hallow – this ground.” The Gettysburg Address
- epistrophe – repetition of a word or expression at the end of successive clauses (“of the people, by the people, for the people” – The Gettysburg Address
- hyperbole – extravagant exaggeration
- metaphor
- oxymoron
- simile
- synecdoche – a figure of speech by which a part is put for the whole (creature for man)
Merriam-Webster has a list of the 31 most common rhetorical devices that can be found here.
Note: If you’re doing a full rhetorical analysis unit, then a review of these different terms would be helpful. If you’re focusing specifically on “I Have a Dream” rhetorical devices, then focus on the devices that are present in that speech.
"I HAVE A DREAM" RHETORICAL DEVICES
Once students have a grasp of the different types of rhetorical devices, it’s time to apply that knowledge to King’s speech. First, have the students annotate for the different devices. Depending on your students’ level, you can assign them specific devices to look for or turn them loose and see what they find. I personally like to color-code all of my annotations. Here’s what my master copy looks like:
This activity is perfect for visual learners as it allows them to see the frequency with which each rhetorical device is used. Once students have completed a first read, it’s time to dig in.
Rhetorical Devices Chart
The easiest way to collect and analyze the devices is a simple chart. Students can list the device in one column, the quote from the text in the second, and an explanation of the device’s effect in the third.
Rhetorical pyramid
The second way to analyze King’s use of devices is to create a rhetorical pyramid. For this activity, students simply draw a large triangle in the middle of their page and label each point with a different rhetorical device. I’ve used the tried and true ethos, pathos, and logos, but you can choose any three. Or, let the students choose and have them justify why they chose those three devices. From there, students provide examples of each of the devices. A rhetorical pyramid is especially helpful for visual students by helping them see connections between the devices.
Rhetorical Precis
A rhetorical precis is a type of writing that summarizes a text or speech. It includes not only the summary of the text or speech but also an analysis of its content and delivery. A rhetorical precis has four parts:
- 1st sentence – presents author’s name, title, and genre of work. Uses verbs such as “argue”, “claim”, or “assert”
- 2nd sentence – explains development and evidence of thesis. Done chronologically
- 3rd sentence – state author’s purpose and WHY the author composed the text
- 4th sentence – tell about intended audience
This is a perfect way to get in some quick writing and practice supporting claims with evidence.
SOAPSTone/SPACE CAT Analysis
The final option is for students to complete a SOAPSTone analysis of the speech. SOAPSTone stands for
- Speaker
- Occasion
- Audience
- Purpose
- Subject
- Tone
Examine the speech in light of these different areas.
An alternate to SOAPSTone would be SPACE CAT, which stands for:
- Speaker
- Purpose
- Audience
- Context
- Exigence
- Choices
- Appeals
- Tone
I tend to use SOAPStone with my regular students and push my Honors students to do more critical thinking with SPACE CAT.
So there you have it. Four ways to analyze “I Have a Dream” rhetorical devices. What’s your go-to rhetorical analysis strategy? Reply below.
Want to incorporate all these activities? Check out my “I Have a Dream” Rhetorical Devices Mini Flipbook.
Looking for more American lit teaching ideas? Check out 7 Units for a Complete American Literature Curriculum.
