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Rhetorical Context of Close-to-Home Issue

Introduce a close-to-home issue that you plan to write a speech on and provide a detailed analysis of the rhetorical context of this speech. (This assignment is adapted from the Check Your Understanding activity on page 150 of Springboard)

This of an issue close to home where you feel a change is warranted. This issue can be related to your school, community, city, state, or nation; so long as it is something that affects the teachings, priorities, experience, or beliefs of your and/or your family, it is close-to-home. Construct a plan for a speech that you would give to the appropriate audience to convey your strongest message. In your plan, be sure to include the following:

  • Your role as speaker in this piece (concerned citizen, student, immigrant, military child…)
  • The occasion that informs your writing (all of the circumstances that prompted this piece - what has happened to lead to this speech being given. DO NOT think of the assignment as context, but the situation in your life and society)
  • Your audience (who are you addressing? Why? Who is your direct and indirect audience?)
  • Your purpose (what goals/change do you want to accomplish?)
  • Your subject (the topic of your essay)
  • Your tone (your attitude toward the issue, the audience, and your opposition. These will be different! Explain why these tones are present.) How will your diction convey that attitude?

TO BE CLEAR: Your are NOT writing the speech itself. This is a multi-paragraph explanation of everything that surrounds the speech you will soon be developing.

Earlier Event: January 30
Speech to change class/school
Later Event: February 8
Draft of Close-To-Home Speech