READING STRATEGY--SOAPSTRA
(Speaker, Occasion, Audience, Purpose, Subject, Tone, Rhetorical Analysis)
Who is the Speaker?
The speaker is the voice that tells the story, not necessarily the author. The speaker helps establish the
ETHOS or credibility and authority of the piece. Identifying the speaker is more than simply stating
who the author is. Analyzing the speaker is understanding what the speaker contributes to the piece, the
background, credentials, personality as well as age and gender of the speaker, as all of those aspects
contribute to the rhetorical effect of the piece of literature being read.
What is the Occasion?
The OCCASION refers to the time and the place of the piece, the context that prompted the writing.
Writing does not occur in a vacuum. All writers are influenced by the larger occasion: an environment
of ideas, attitudes, and emotions that swirl around a broad issue. Two aspects of occasion must be considered: The immediate occasion—an event or situation in which the piece is being delivered (i.e. presidential election speech); and the larger occasion --an event or situation that catches the writer’s attention and triggers a response (i.e. presidential election speech that focuses on global warming). The occasion might help establish any one of the three appeals.
Who is the Audience?
Who is the group of readers to whom this piece is directed. The audience can be determined according
to the topic/subject addressed and purpose. The audience may be one person or a specific group. The
language and style used as well as can help to establish the audience. The main question to ask to determine audience is: Who would be most interested or affected by the subject and purpose of the piece?
What is the Purpose?
The purpose is the writer’s intent for an outcome or action. The basic purpose is essentially a mode of
writing (explain, persuade, inform, etc.), but the true purpose is why the speaker is explaining, etc. “in
order to...” accomplish something. The main question to as is: “What does the speaker of the text want
the audience to think or do as a result of reading/hearing/viewing the piece?”
What is the Subject?
The subject is literally what the topic or issue being discussed is, which is different than the purpose.
The subject might be texting while driving, but the purpose of discussing texting while driving would
be to create a law against this issue. The subject goes along with the Occasion. This step helps them to
focus on the intended task throughout the writing process.
What is the Tone?
Tone is the attitude of the author, which may shift throughout the piece of text. The spoken word can
convey the speaker’s attitude and thus help to impart meaning through tone of voice. With the written
word, the tone is what extends meaning beyond the literal, and writers convey this tone in their diction
(choice of words), syntax (sentence construction), and imagery (metaphors, similes, and other types of
figurative language), and other stylistic devices (repetition, questions, etc). The ability to analyze tone
accurately is one of the best indicators of a sophisticated reader.
Rhetorical Analysis
Once the reader comprehends what is being argued or what the purpose and subject is, the reader then
should look at HOW, the speaker achieves his or her purpose.
The main questions to answer are:
1.What is the main claim?
2.What supporting claims are given?
3.What evidence is given to back up (supporting text)
When analyzing and evaluating articles for your research paper, also answer:
4. What relevance does this article have to my topic?
5.How might I sue this source in my paper?
Then: HOW does author address this particular subject and audience on this particular occasion to
achieve the purpose?
Rhetorical analysis moves beyond merely listing the devices or appeals used or stating how the purpose
is crafted. Analysis moves into connecting strategies to purpose, occasion, audience, subject, and/or
tone. Analysis involves reflecting on how the argument would be different if the certain strategies identified were not used, and moves to discussion of how and why the strategy builds the argument.
To determine the strategies used consider where the main claim is made (structure) and the development of the supporting claims. Considered why a particular example and bit of evidence is effective
toward that particular subject, audience, occasion, and/or purpose. Consider if the speaker is drawing
on emotions or logic or credibility or all of them in what order (rather than giving a lesson on Ethos,
logos, pathos).