The Ways We Lie - Rhetorical Analysis

What is the author's intention?

• Ericsson wants to explain the ways we lie and warn the audience about the dangers.

• Ericsson wants to make fun of people who lie and explain that what they do is bad.

• Ericsson wants to tell the audience her personal story about how she has lied in her life.

• Ericsson wants to look at different events in history where people have lied.

What values does the audience hold that the author seeks to appeal to?

• Ericsson appeals to the value that all people dislike historical individuals that lie.

• Ericsson thinks the audience values humor and satire.

• Ericsson plays on the idea that we would not want to be lied to and that we might regret the lies we tell others.

• Ericsson plays with the value of choice and our ability to lie.

What is the audiences' relation to the subject of the text?

• People who read the text can relate to the subject.

• Everyone lies and can easily connect with this topic.

• The audience can connect with humor.

• The audience can connect with disliking people in history.

What is the central idea of the text?

• Ericsson has lied to people and she is sad that she lies to them.

• Many philosophers have theorized over lying and why we do it.

• People have lied throughout history and will keep lying. We have to watch our politicians.

• Even though we know people lie, we have to be careful and understand the dangers of lying.

How does the author appeal to emotion?

• Ericsson appeals to the audiences' hatred for corrupt individuals.

• Ericsson appeals to the way the audience feels about history.

• Ericsson uses sad stories that make the audience feel bad for her.

• Ericsson uses humor to draw the audience in and keep them reading.

How does the author present themself?

• Ericsson presents herself as an average person who lies like everyone else.

• Ericsson presents herself as someone who is smarter than the average reader.

• Ericsson presents herself as a historian who has studied lying.

• Ericsson presents herself as as inspiring individual who will lead the way to a world without lying.

How does the author establish credibility?

• Ericsson establishes credibility through her hatred for corrupt historical figures.

• Ericsson shows the audience that she has studied the topic and is capable of presenting the information.

• Ericsson creates credibility through her humor and self deprecating jokes.

• Ericsson is not a credible author.

How might the author's professional affiliations affect the argument she is making?

• Ericsson is a published writer and has had the chance to hone her research and writing skills.

• Ericsson does not have professional affiliations.

• Ericsson is a historian who is able to track the history of lying.

• Ericsson is a politician who has had the chance to meet corrupt individuals.

At what points does the author shift their tone?

• Ericsson shifts to an aggravated tone when she talks about politicians she despises.

• Ericsson does not have any specific tone in her piece.

• Ericsson shifts her tone when she is discussing serious topics such as the section "Ignoring the Plain Facts."

• Ericsson keeps the same humors tone in every section in the text.

What is the effect of the tone at the beginning of the text?

• The evasive tone gives Ericsson the ability to hide her true feelings on the topic.

• Ericsson uses an ambivalent tone to show she does not care about the topic.

• The confused tone shows the reader that the author is just as confused as the audience.

• Ericsson's humorous story draws the audience in and gets them to keep reading.