Wondering how to write commentary for rhetorical analysis? When writing a rhetorical analysis essay, having well thought out and strong commentary will make a significant difference in your writing.
So, what exactly is commentary? And how can you deliver high-quality commentary in your rhetorical analysis?
Commentary is your analysis and interpretation of the passage. Commentary explains how the evidence you present in the body paragraph proves your thesis. For more information about what commentary is, click here.
Your body paragraphs in your rhetorical analysis will consist of a topic sentence, analysis, and commentary. Many students think evidence is the most important piece, and while evidence is certainly important, commentary is paramount because it is what contains your argument and analysis. You can think of your evidence as answering the “what” and commentary answering the “how” or “why.”
In order to effectively write commentary in your body paragraphs, you need to have an understanding of the rhetorical situation. The rhetorical situation includes the following elements: the writer or speaker, the audience, the (historical) context, the exigence (ie. what prompted the writer to write), the purpose, and the message or argument.
The rhetorical situation is key to your commentary because it is what you are analyzing. Your commentary should address why the rhetorical choice the author is making is important to the rhetorical situation. (You can learn more about the rhetorical situation by reading this blog.)
How to Develop Your Commentary
Many students don’t develop their commentary enough because they aren’t sure what to say, or they feel they are running out of time.
When writing a rhetorical analysis essay, be sure to include precise verbs to convey what the writer is “doing.”
Here’s a list of rhetorically accurate verbs:
- Acknowledges
- Asserts
- Argues
- Claims
- Clarifies
- Contests
- Implies
- Implores
- Justifies
- Notes
- References
- Rejects
- Suggests
Once you’ve made a claim about what the writing is “doing” (the rhetorical choice they are making,) then you need to explain the significance of that choice. Why is the writer “doing” that? This is commentary.
Here are some verbs that can help you generate commentary:
- conveys
- demonstrates
- emphasizes
- highlights
- illustrates
- implies
- portrays
- reveals
- suggests
- underscores
The step to knowing how to write commentary for rhetorical analysis is knowing the right kinds of questions to ask. When you are addressing the rhetorical situation, you want to do more than scratch the surface level. Let’s look at examining the writer or speaker, for example. You may ask some of the following questions to help you create commentary about the rhetorical choice you are analyzing:
- What are the speaker’s qualifications?
- What does the choice reveal about the speaker’s beliefs/values/needs?
- What do the choices reveal about the speaker’s relationship with the audience?
If you want more questions to guide you on analyzing the rhetorical situation, check out this blog.
How do I write a body paragraph with commentary?
Now that you know the parts that make up the commentary, and you understand how to examine the rhetorical situation, let’s put it all together. Let’s look at an excerpt of a body paragraph, and notice how commentary is used.
Albright references recent political examples in which countries could have settled but chose the more arduous path instead. By noting that America “must choose to turn inward” or “seize opportunities,” Albright suggests the value of making challenging, sometimes “trailblazing” decisions as opposed to selecting the easier, more isolating path. While this comment also serves as affirmation of President Clinton’s leadership and thus a subtle reminder of Albright’s credentials as Secretary of State, the contrast between “turning inward” and “seizing opportunities” introduces Albright’s message of perseverance.
In just this small excerpt, you can see how different elements (underlined) of the rhetorical situation are being addressed. When you are writing your own body paragraphs, it may be helpful to color-code the different elements of the rhetorical situation and identify them in your writing. This will help you check to make sure most of the elements are present.
How do you fix limited commentary?
If you find yourself writing with cliches, idioms, vague wording, or sentences that don’t directly address the rhetorical situation, you are likely writing limited commentary. You want each sentence to address your specific passage, so aim to create specific, clear analysis.
Here is what your writing may look like if you have limited commentary:
- You use phrases like “the author uses diction”
- You use cliches like “opens the reader’s eyes”
- You use idioms like “touches the audience’s heart”
This type of writing is common and also fixable. Once you’ve identified these mistakes in your writing, you want to work on changing them.
First, you can fix phrases such as “the author uses” by strengthening your word choice. You want to add a descriptor or adjective in front of the item you are referring to, such as diction. This might mean changing “diction” to “patriotic diction.” Then, analyze why the author uses this rhetorical choice.
Second, you want to avoid cliches. Try rewording the cliche. Instead of “opens the reader’s eyes” try “forces the reader to consider.” This makes our language more precise and helps you expand your commentary.
Lastly, you want to stay away from idioms. These prepackaged expressions don’t tell the reader the why and the how behind the author’s writing choices. Instead of saying “touches the audience’s heart” try to identify what the writer is doing to evoke that emotional response. Specify which emotion the audience is experiencing and why the writer wants to elicit such an emotion.
Now that you know how to write commentary for rhetorical analysis, go rock your next AP® Lang essay!
DISCLAIMER: I am not affiliated with The College Board. The advice and opinions expressed in this blog post are my own.
