A Letter to the Chairman of the Drake School Board – Rhetorical Analysis
Grading Rubric is under Additional Materials
Discussion 2 Visual Analysis Rubric
| Criteria | Levels of Achievement | |||
| Content 70% | Advanced | Proficient | Developing | Not present |
| Development:
Original Thread |
40 to 45 points
The argument’s means of persuasion, artistic elements, and purpose are considered to develop a strong visual analysis. Clear discussion of logos, pathos, and/or ethos is included. A clear assessment of the effectiveness of the visual is included. |
24 to 39 points
The argument’s means of persuasion, artistic elements, and purpose are considered to develop a strong visual analysis. Discussion of logos, pathos, and/or ethos is present; however, no clear assessment of the model elements and/or effectiveness of the visual is included. |
6 to 23 points
The argument’s means of persuasion, artistic elements, and purpose may be considered; however, these concepts are not developed into a strong visual analysis of the piece. Discussion of argument model may or may not be discussed. |
0 to 5 points
The post includes little to no discussion of the main points in the assignment instructions.
(If original thread is not present, 0 points are assigned.)
|
| Development:
Reply to Classmate |
21 to 25 points
A clear statement of agreement and/or disagreement is included with explanation of likes and dislikes as well as additional or alternative ideas. |
14 to 20 points
A clear statement of agreement and/or disagreement is included, but the post lacks explanation of likes and dislikes and/or additional or alternative ideas. |
6 to 13 points
Some attempt is made to address the classmate’s post, but lacks a clear statement of agreement and/or disagreement and elaboration of the original post. |
0 to 5 points
Statements such as, “I like what you said” or “I disagree with your comment,” are included with little or no response to the classmate’s post’s content. (If reply thread is not present, 0 points are assigned.) |
| Structure 30% | Advanced | Proficient | Developing | Not present |
| Instructions:
Submission Requirements |
10 points
The thread and reply meet the stated requirements, including length requirements. |
6 to 9 points
The thread and reply meet most of the stated requirements, but fails to meet at least 1. |
1 to 5 points
The thread and reply do not meet 2 or more of the stated requirements. |
0 points
The student fails to meet most of the stated requirements demonstrating insufficient effort to follow assignment instructions. |
| Format:
MLA/APA/Turabian |
10 points
Parenthetical and bibliographical source citations are used correctly and appropriately. |
6 to 9 points
Parenthetical and bibliographical source citations are included but have minor errors in documentation style usage. |
1 to 5 points
Parenthetical and bibliographical source citations are included but have major errors in documentation style usage.
|
0 points
Parenthetical and bibliographical source citations are not included.
|
| Style:
Grammar and Mechanics |
10 points
Posts are essentially error-free. |
6 to 9 points
Posts include minor errors that do not disrupt the flow of ideas or obscure the meaning of ideas. |
1 to 5 points
Posts include several glaring errors that interrupt the flow of ideas and obscure their meaning. |
0 points
Conventions of writing are not followed at all. |
ANSWER
Rhetorical Analysis
The letter to the drake school board by Kurt Vonnegut specifically addresses Mr McCarthy and attempts to address to express why it is wrong that his books are being burnt to save the students from evil readings.
The purpose of the letter is to explain to the board that his readings are not evil. He articulates that he did not mean any evil by writing his books and that the coarse words used in the books are not any worse than those used in real life. The audience of the letter is meant for the board members of the drake school.
Kurt Vonnegut appeals to logos when he explains that the words used in the books are not any different from the ones that are already used in real life. He also explains that it is not the coarse words that hurt the children but the lying deeds and the evil deeds (Vonnegut, 1981). He also plies pathos in his writing when he talks about his children and that he has raised them all and they have turned out right (Kay, 2020). The fact that he has adopted three children particularly appeals to pathos because kit humanizes him and shows that he is not evil, and neither are his books.
The letter also appeals to ethos. He talks about his work being some of the most used work in the American schools than any other American fiction writer (Wrobel, 2017). He also talks about his service to the country and that he has a purple heart, and therefore there is no way his books could be evil.
Applying all the rhetorical techniques works in this letter and therefore helps him make a good argument. He reveals that whatever is written in his books is nothing out of the ordinary and depicts real life.
References
Kay, E. (2020). Ethos, logos and pathos-the makings of a great research paper?.
Vonnegut, K. (1981). A Letter to Drake. Bill Rts J., 14, 15.
Wróbel, S. (2017). Logos, Ethos, Pathos or Politics of Errors. In Traces of Violence and Freedom of Thought (pp. 35-55). Palgrave Macmillan, London.
