Short Assignment #1 - Rhetorical Analysis

So far in this course, we've established a working understanding of rhetoric, the rhetorical situation, and how our purpose in writing is affected by situational contexts, audiences, and goals. We've also begun to critically examine the nature of food, its framing as a rhetorical situation, and read a few different pieces talking about food in different rhetorical situations. In your first assignment, you'll be asked to apply this knowledge towards a rhetorical analysis. 

In this short paper, you will do a rhetorical analysis of either the Mishan piece, Mei piece, or episode one of Ugly Delicious, focusing on the rhetorical situation, claims, assumptions, types of arguments, and rhetorical appeals. Think back to the work we did in class together on for a model of rhetorical analysis.

This paper will help us understand how arguments are made about food as a cultural artifact, our relationship with food and cooking, and how food transcends cultural boundaries as a fluid form of innovation and tradition. Here’s a way to approach the assignment:

1. Reread/rewatch the piece closely, noting particularly strong, interesting, confusing, or troubling moments.

2. What’s going on in the moments you noted above? (Are there rhetorical appeals? Emotional, logical, ethical?)

3. What is the text’s audience and purpose?

4. What is the rhetorical situation of the text?

5. What is the text’s central claim or claims about food and our relationship with food?

6. What are the assumptions underlying these claims?

7. What type of argument might your author be making?

8. What does the text’s argument leave out?

Next, consider all this brainstorming. What does all this analysis tell you about persuasion? Your claim should address how persuasion works in the text - how it works rhetorically. Finally, why does this matter? What are the stakes of your claim? Again, consider what the author’s argument accomplishes, or perhaps what it omits.

The goal is focused around Outcome 1: To compose strategically for a variety of audiences and contexts, specifically focused on:

• recognizing how different elements of a rhetorical situation matter for the task at hand
• coordinating and experimenting with various aspects of composing-such as genre, content, and conventions-for rhetorical effects tailored to a given audience

Format

• 2-3 pages
• 12pt. Times New Roman
• MLA format
• Submitted as a PDF or Word Doc