Rhetoric vs. Propaganda

Rhetoric vs. Propaganda:

The Influence of Language

8th Grade English: Holocaust Literature Unit

Days 6-7

Open Ended

Imagine you must convince your parent/guardian(s) to let you attend a basketball game with friends. What words or phrases would you use? What kind of evidence would you use to support your request?

1: What is Rhetoric?

• Strategically designing language to motivate or persuade the audience

• Writing and speaking effectively to achieve a goal

• Strategies: emotions, credibility, logic, hyperboles, connotations, symbols

What is Rhetoric?

Credibility

• Based on ethics/trust

• Can we trust the author?

• Is the author qualified?

Emotions

• Appealing to feelings

• Ex. Commercials showing abandoned pets

Logic

• Based on facts/evidence

• Ex. Using statistics as support

Hyperbole

• EXTREME exaggeration to emphasize a point

• Ex. "I could eat a whole cow!"

Symbols

• Represents another idea, person, thing, etc.

• Ex. Wedding rings symbolic of marriage, love, commitment, etc.

Connotation

• Word choice that can alter the meaning

• Ex. Confident vs. Cocky

2: Examples of Rhetoric

Multiple Select

What rhetorical strategies does this advertisement use?

• Emotion

• Credibility

• Hyperbole

• Symbol

Multiple Choice

If I am trying to speak about a character named Emma in a positive way, which sentence achieves my purpose?

• Emma is so nosy!

• Emma is so curious!

Match

Emma: Positive or Negative Connotations? Match the following:

• Example: Positive Connotation

• Example: Negative Connotation

• Connotation

Emma is so curious!

Emma is so nosy!

Word choice that can alter the meaning of a sentence

• Emma is so curious!

• Emma is so nosy!

• Word choice that can alter the meaning of a sentence

3: What is Propaganda?

Share with neighbors!

What do you already know about propaganda?

​What is Propaganda?

• Biased message intended to influence large groups of people

• Aim for people to accept an idea or cause

• Presenting the message in specific way

• Seen throughout history

  • Examples in WWII and the Holocaust

Bias

• Single-sided reasoning/evidence

• Ex. Mein Kampf - one view only

Authority

• Committed by people with influence/power

• Ex. Ministry of Propaganda (Hitler)

Fear

• Threatens/intimidates audience

• Ex. Must take specific action for nation to survive

Stereotypes

• Used to alienate group of people

• Ex. Labeling Jewish people "greedy" as a whole

Symbols

• Represents another idea, person, thing, etc.

• Ex. Eagle = America

Scapegoats

• Wrongfully but intentionally assigning blame

• Ex. Nazi Party blaming Jewish people for WWII losses

4: Examples of Propaganda

• 1916 American poster

• Purpose = recruit young men into joining US army during war

• Sense of urgency

• Patriotic propaganda

I Do: "Uncle Sam"

• 1940 Nazi Propaganda film

• Purpose = spread anti-semitism

• How does this cover portray Jewish people negatively?

• Which images accomplish this goal?

​

We Do: "The Eternal Jew"

5: Gallery Walk

"You Do"

​Questions During Gallery Walk:

• What is the author/illustrator's purpose? Goal?

• Which rhetorical strategies does the author/illustrator use?

• Which specific images/words indicate the author's bias or perspective?

Open Ended

After completing the Gallery Walk activity with your group, answer the following questions individually:

1. What role did propaganda play during the Holocaust?

2. How do these messages relate to your individual novel?