Rhetorical Analysis Einstein Letter Answers Only answers OR

Rhetorical Analysis Einstein Letter Answers Only answers OR Review Slide + Answer

ONLY Answers

Speaker • Albert Einstein-physicist, “Nobel Prize in Physics in 1921” • Scientist (60 ish years old) responding to a letter from a girl (12 ish years old) • Speaker-Audience Relationship: The “old” share wisdom with the young • Reliable-she is asking for the opinion of a scientist, he is a scientist • Stance? • Gain?

Occasion • Einstein’s receipt of a letter from Phyllis Wright asking questions about science and religion

Audience • Phyllis herself • Larger audience • Einstein wrote it formally • He knew that more people than just a little girl would be interested in scientists’ religious beliefs • FYI: Einstein won the Nobel Prize in 1921, this letter was from 1936

Purpose • Basic Purpose: Respond to a sincere school girl’s question about science and religion • Complex Purpose: Expand her horizons a bit, help her understand that you don’t need to believe in only science or only religion

Subject • FAITH / RELIGION IN SCIENCE • If scientists pray • If they do, what they pray for

Genre • Letter

3 sentences on the front • Did Einstein accomplish what he intended to?

Review Slide + Answers

Knowing all of this S - Speaker about the speaker • Who is the writer/speaker/author? affects how • What are his credentials/his authority? you understand • What is his stance (position)? • Curious? the text, • Opinioned? whether • Passionate? you agree • Indifferent? or disagree • Something else? — take it seriously,

S-Speaker continued. (or author) • WHAT kind of relationship • • do they have with their audience? WHO is the speaker? WHAT is his/her background? Are they RELIABLE? WHAT can the speaker gain from “winning” the reader’s opinion? (aka: reader now agrees with the speaker)

Speaker • Albert Einstein-physicist, “Nobel Prize in Physics in 1921” • Scientist (60 ish years old) responding to a letter from a girl (12 ish years old) • Speaker-Audience Relationship: The “old” share wisdom with the young • Reliable-she is asking for the opinion of a scientist, he is a scientist • Stance? • Gain?

O - Occasion • When? • Where? • What caused the writing to happen? • What’s the broader issue, the big picture? • The immediate situation? • Atmosphere • Attitudes • Events

Occasion • Einstein’s receipt of a letter from Phyllis Wright asking questions about science and religion

A - Audience • Who is the intended audience? Might you run into • Are you a member of that group? ideas/assumpti • If not, you should plan toons/ look up philosophies unfamiliar terms/concepts that you DON’T agree with?

Audience • Phyllis herself • Larger audience • Einstein wrote it formally • He knew that more people than just a little girl would be interested in scientists’ religious beliefs • FYI: Einstein won the Nobel Prize in 1921, this letter was from 1936

P - Purpose • WHY does the text exist? • What is the writer’s goal? • What does he want to achieve? • Entertain? • Inform? • Persuade? • What does he want you to think or to do now? Why are YOU reading this

Purpose • Basic Purpose: Respond to a sincere school girl’s question about science and religion • Complex Purpose: Expand her horizons a bit, help her understand that you don’t need to believe in only science or only religion

S - Subject • What is the text about? • Specific / general? • Current / timeless?

Subject • FAITH / RELIGION IN SCIENCE • Whether scientists pray • If they do, what they pray for

Other Aspects to Consider…

G - Genre • What is the medium/genre the text is written in? • • • Speech? Essay? Letter? Book – fiction/nonfiction? Web? Ad? Publisher / Spons Date of publication Reputable? Credible?

Genre • Letter

Your Reaction to the Text What is your initial reaction? 1. Emotional 2. Intellectua l Why do you think you had this reaction? Ø Agree / disagree? Ø Personal experiences / background? Ø Personal beliefs / philosophies? As much as possible, don’t let your own opinions analysis of the situation. That’s why you have to opinions up front!

In Your Group Analyze the rhetorical situation in Einstein’s letter for SOAPS and G.

3 sentences on the front • Did Einstein accomplish what he intended to?