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Understanding the Rhetorical Analysis Essay
Verified for the 2025 AP English Language examโขLast Updated on February 24, 2025
The Rhetorical Analysis essay is a 6-point task on the AP English Language and Composition exam that tests your ability to analyze how writers achieve their purposes. Rather than simply summarizing what a writer says, you'll need to explain how and why they make specific choices to connect with their audience.
Understanding the Task
When you receive a rhetorical analysis prompt, you'll:
- Read a passage (typically 600-800 words)
- Analyze the writer's rhetorical choices
- Write an essay explaining how these choices help achieve their purpose
A typical prompt will ask you to "analyze the rhetorical choices [the writer] makes to convey their message to [the audience]."
The Five Essential Components (6 Points Total)
- Thesis that analyzes rhetorical choices (1 point)
- Must identify specific strategies
- Must explain their effects
- Must connect to purpose
- Evidence selection (2 points)
- Choose relevant quotes and examples
- Identify specific patterns
- Select evidence that supports your reasoning
- Evidence explanation (2 points)
- Explain how choices work
- Analyze why they're effective
- Connect to the writer's purpose
- Understanding of rhetorical situation (Required for success)
- Writer's background and credibility
- Audience characteristics and expectations
- Context of the piece
- Writer's purpose
- Sophistication of thought (1 point)
- Complex understanding of the text
- Consideration of multiple perspectives
- Recognition of nuanced rhetorical choices
Example Analysis
To help explain how to properly analyze a text to find the rhetorical choices, hereโs an example prompt with an excerpt from Steve Jobsโ 2005 Stanford Commencement speech):
"Read the following excerpt from Steve Jobs' 2005 Stanford University commencement address carefully. Then write an essay analyzing the rhetorical choices Jobs makes to convey his message to the graduates.
In your response, you should do the following:
- Respond to the prompt with a thesis that analyzes the writerโs rhetorical choices
- Select and use evidence to support your line of reasoning
- Explain how the evidence supports your line of reasoning
- Demonstrate an understanding of the rhetorical situation Use appropriate grammar and punctuation in communicating your argument"
"I am honored to be with you today at your commencement from one of the finest universities in the world. I never graduated from college. Truth be told, this is the closest I've ever gotten to a college graduation. Today I want to tell you three stories from my life. That's it. No big deal. Just three stories.
The first story is about connecting the dots.
I dropped out of Reed College after the first 6 months, but then stayed around as a drop-in for another 18 months or so before I really quit. So why did I drop out?
It started before I was born. My biological mother was a young, unwed college graduate student, and she decided to put me up for adoption. She felt very strongly that I should be adopted by college graduates, so everything was all set for me to be adopted at birth by a lawyer and his wife. Except that when I popped out they decided at the last minute that they really wanted a girl. So my parents, who were on a waiting list, got a call in the middle of the night asking: "We have an unexpected baby boy; do you want him?" They said: "Of course." My biological mother later found out that my mother had never graduated from college and that my father had never graduated from high school. She refused to sign the final adoption papers. She only relented a few months later when my parents promised that I would someday go to college."
Summary vs. Analysis
โ Summary (What he says):
"Jobs tells the audience he didn't graduate from college."
โ Analysis (How and why he says it):
"Jobs opens with a strategic admission of his lack of credentials, using casual language ('Truth be told') and humility to transform what could be a credibility weakness into an asset. This choice immediately engages his audience's curiosity while establishing authenticity."
Types of Rhetorical Choices to Analyze
| Category | Components | Examples from Jobs' Speech | Effect on Audience |
|---|---|---|---|
| Language Choices | โข Diction (formal/informal) โข Tone (serious/humorous) โข Syntax (simple/complex) | "Truth be told, this is the closest I've ever gotten to a college graduation" | Creates intimacy through casual language while addressing potential credibility concerns |
| Structural Choices | โข Organization patterns โข Paragraph structure โข Transitions | "Today I want to tell you three stories from my life. That's it. No big deal." | Builds clarity and anticipation through simple, direct organization |
| Narrative Choices | โข Story selection โข Sequencing โข Detail inclusion/omission | Opening with adoption story and college dropout experience | Establishes vulnerability and authenticity while challenging assumptions about success |
| Argumentative Choices | โข Evidence types โข Logical progression โข Counter-arguments | Addressing his lack of college degree upfront | Transforms potential weakness into strength by confronting it directly |
Each of these choices works together to achieve Jobs' purpose of inspiring graduates while challenging their assumptions about success and failure. When analyzing a text, consider how the writer combines choices from different categories to create their overall effect.
Common Pitfalls to Avoid
Just summarizing the plot:
โ "Jobs describes his adoption story."
โ Analyze how he uses this story to achieve his purpose.
Stating a rhetorical device:
โ "This is an example of pathos."
โ Explain how emotional appeals serve the larger purpose.
Personally reacting to the text:
โ "I found this story inspiring."
โ Analyze how the writer crafts the text to inspire.
Writing a Strong Analysis
Here's a strong analytical paragraph:
"Jobs' decision to frame his message as 'just three stories' employs strategic understatement to disarm his audience. By presenting profound life lessons in this casual way, he avoids appearing preachy to his audience of graduates, who have likely experienced many formal lectures. This approach allows him to position himself as a mentor sharing wisdom rather than an authority figure delivering a traditional commencement address."
Key Takeaways
- Focus on HOW choices achieve the purpose, not just WHAT is said
- Always connect rhetorical choices to their effects on the audience
- Consider the full context of the piece
- Use specific evidence from the text
- Explain the significance of each choice thoroughly
Remember: Your goal is not to summarize what Jobs says, but to explain how his specific rhetorical choices help him connect with and influence his audience of Stanford graduates.
Looking Ahead
The next study guide will focus on crafting effective thesis statements for rhetorical analysis essays.