Rhetorical analysis is a form of criticism that employs the principles of rhetoric to examine the interactions between a text, an author, and an audience. For this essay, compose a rhetorical analysis of the book The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot.
Before you begin, review the book and examine the rhetorical strategies used. Consider how the book invites you to think about the various topics that are discussed, whether personal, medical, ethical or otherwise.
Questions and ideas that may help you compose your analysis:
Orient your reader to the text. What are the SOAPS? (Subject, Occasion, Audience, Purpose, and Speaker, not necessarily in that order.) This is critical to your introduction. Consider whether or not, through her use of rhetoric, the writer achieves her purpose.
Moving section by section (Life, Death, and Immortality), what are the dominant rhetorical strategies being used by the author? Focus on a minimum of 2-3 rhetorical strategies per section; it is okay if there is some overlap between the sections. Make sure to consider both appeals (ethos, pathos, and logos), as well as stylistic strategies (diction, syntax, imagery, tone, analogy, language, storytelling, etc).
Once you’ve identified the dominant strategies in a section, explain their significance. Why would the writer choose them? How do they help the author achieve her purpose? Why does the author choose strategies for the intended audience and occasion?
