Student Question
How does the author's purpose affect their rhetorical choices?
Quick answer:
Purpose is a great lens through which to view word choice. Textual Evidence: The author's choice of words and phrases are very purposeful when viewed in the context of the text as a whole. How does this affect the style of his writing? What is STYLE? 4. Style: A way in which something is done, presented or done. Style is a very broad term that can be used to describe all sorts of things about language. However, for your purposes on this test, you need to think about style as it applies to writing. In short, it's all about how an author uses words (and other language choices) to achieve certain effects and make his or her argument in a piece of writing.
Rhetorical choices is another way of saying language choices, so what you're asking is how does that author's purpose impact the language in the text. One really great speech to illustrate this point is Jonathan Edwards' speech "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God." It's very easy to see from the very beginning that is purpose is to convince his audience that they are in grave and mortal danger because the sins they commit. His language choices are clear and very intentionally made: one image he gives to his listeners is that God's wrath is like a bow bent and ready to strike. He also explains to listeners how many people are already suffering in Hell for all eternity and that the only reason they themselves aren't already plunged into hell is by the hands of God - any angry God that they insult daily by their sins. These images...
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and language choices directly correlate to his purpose. He is trying to persuade, but not just any argument - one that (he believes) has a life or death implication.
Think about how his choices might be different if his purpose were just to inform. His language probably wouldn't be quite so fiery or his tone so urgent. An author's word choice is always purposeful and full of thought. When you identify his purpose, it's easy to pick out what he chose certain images or words in his writing.