famous speeches with rhetorical questions

My Favorite Speeches for Rhetorical Analysis: 10 Speeches for Middle School ELA and High School English

Teaching rhetorical analysis is one of my absolute favorite units to complete with my students. I love teaching my students about rhetorical strategies and devices, analyzing what makes an effective and persuasive argument, and reading critical speeches with my students. Here is a quick list of some of my favorite speeches for rhetorical analysis.

I absolutely LOVE teaching rhetorical analysis. I think it might be one of my favorite units to teach to my high school students. There are just so many different text options to choose from. Here is a list of some of my favorite speeches to include in my rhetorical analysis teaching unit.

10 Speeches for Teaching Rhetorical Analysis

1. the gettysburg address (abraham lincoln).

Some notable things to mention in this speech include allusion and parallel structure. To make your analysis more meaningful, point out these devices to students and explain how these devices enhance the meaning of the text.

Teaching Resource : The Gettysburg Address Rhetorical Analysis Activity Packet

2. Lou Gehrig’s Farewell Speech (Lou Gehrig)

This speech is one that many of my athletes love to analyze, and it is an excellent exemplar text to teach pathos. And like The Gettysburg Address, it is short. This is another speech that you can read, analyze, and even write about in one class period.

When I use this speech in my class, I have students look for examples of pathos. Mainly, I have them look at word choice, tone, and mood. How does Lou Gehrig’s choice of words affect his tone and the overall mood of the speech?

3. I Have a Dream (Martin Luther King,  Jr.)

In the classroom, it is important to point out the sermonic feel to the speech and also to have your students look for calls to action and pathos. Have your students look for tone, allusions, and word choice to help them notice these rhetoric expressions throughout it.

Teaching Resource : I Have a Dream Close Read and Rhetorical Analysis

4. Speech at the March on Washington (Josephine Baker)

This is another important speech that held a lot of importance for the changes that needed to be made in America. The speech is a shorter one, so in the classroom, it will not take as long to analyze it, and students can understand the significance of the use of rhetoric in a shorter amount of time than some other speeches.

When teaching this speech, I like to remind my students to search for devices that portray an excellent example of the pathos that is so present in this speech. Some of these devices could be mood, repetition, and diction.

5. Steve Jobs’ Commencement Speech (Steve Jobs)

In class, it is good to have your students annotate and analyze the speech just as they have done for the others. The organization of the speech will help them to notice the similarities and differences between each point Jobs makes.

6. Space Shuttle Challenger (Ronald Reagan)

This speech represents a strong sense of pathos as a movement to help the American people cope with loss after the deaths of the astronauts aboard the Challenger. It is another speech that is not too long, so it should not take a long time to both analyze and annotate the entire speech.

When teaching this speech in class, be sure to mention how pathos is the driving force behind the speech, through the tone and the diction. How does Reagan use emotion to focus on the astronauts as humans, rather than solely focusing on the tragedy?

7. The Perils of Indifference (Elie Wiesel)

This speech is a good one to teach because it both makes students question their own lives, but also how the world works. The speech relies on pathos, and a little ethos too, to get the audience to feel the full effect of the tragedy of the Holocaust and what the speaker went through. It is a long speech so it may take longer for the students to fully grasp all the details that make it such a persuasive speech.

When I teach this speech, I like to have students annotate every place they notice an example of pathos, and then have them explain why in their annotations this makes them feel an emotion. The same with the ethos, and then we can further analyze the rest together.

8. 9/11 Address to the Nation (George W. Bush)

This speech shows another example of the use of pathos in the midst of a tragedy. The President wanted to show the American people how much he was feeling for those lost in the tragedy of 9/11. It is not a long speech, but the amount of emotion within the words is significant for students to notice.

When teaching this speech, it is essential that students look very closely at each part of it, noticing each piece that reveals tone, mood, and other literary devices. How do the different devices add to the pathos of the speech?

FREE TEACHING ACTIVITY : September 11 Address to the Nation Sampler

Teaching Resource : September 11 Address to the Nation Rhetorical Analysis Unit

9. We are Virginia Tech (Nikki Giovanni)

This speech is probably the shortest speech on this list but provides one of the most emotional and pathos-filled rhetoric. This describes another tragedy that is spoken about with pathos to give the audience a safe feeling after such an emotional thing. Students can spend time analyzing the different devices that make the piece so strong in its emotion.

In the classroom, make sure your students make a note of the repetition, and what that does for the speech. Does it make the emotion more impactful? How does it make the audience feel like they are a part of something bigger?

10. Woman’s Right to the Suffrage (Susan B. Anthony)

This is another short speech that holds a lot of power within it. A lot of students will enjoy reading this to see how much the country has changed, and how this speech may have some part in influencing this change. It is a great speech to help teach logos in the classroom, and it will not take a long time to analyze.

Make sure your students notice, and they also understand, the use of allusions within the speech. These allusions help to establish the use of logos, as Anthony wants the use of American historical documents to show how logical her argument is.

Ready-For-You Rhetorical Analysis Teaching Unit

You might also be interested in my blog post about 15 rhetorical analysis questions to ask your students.

Teaching rhetorical analysis and speeches in the classroom is a great way to teach informational text reading standards.

Rhetorical Analysis Teaching Resources:

These resources follow reading standards for informational text and are ideal for secondary ELA teachers.

• Rhetorical Analysis Unit with Sticky Notes
• Ethos, Pathos, Logos: Understanding Rhetorical Appeals\
• Rhetorical Analysis Mini Flip Book

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25 Examples of Rhetorical Strategies in Famous Speeches

I’m not trying to be cheesy! An emotional response is a meaningful response, and that reaction stays with you long after the presentation is over. Whenever you think of that speaker or of that topic, your brain will bring back those feelings for you- whether they be of motivation, inspiration, sadness, empathy, or otherwise.

Rhetorical strategies use language to convey special meaning and/or to persuade someone. Basically, these strategies can be used to intentionally invoke feelings in others.

If your first reaction to all this is “Huh?” that’s okay- so was mine. Here’s how I understand it now: rhetorical strategies = emotional connection = memorability.

If you’ve ever considered becoming a master presenter (no judgement if you have), you need these tools in your repertoire ASAP. They’re just so effective!

Don’t believe me? All the cool kids are using (or used) them – I’m talking about thought leader Simon Sinek , technology guru Steve Jobs, past American president Barack Obama, civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr., and even good old William Shakespeare.

Unless you’re above any of these greatly respected people, I’m betting that you could benefit from a little rhetorical strategy in your next speech!

25 rhetorical strategies from the best minds

We’ve compiled 25 rhetorical strategies from the most memorable presentations on the planet so that your next presentation is undeniably memorable. Ready to begin?

1. Alliteration:

Two or more words in a row that start with the same sound.

“They are part of the finest fighting force that the world has ever known. They have served tour after tour of duty in distant, different, and difficult places.” – Barack Obama

2. Allusion:

A statement that hints at something instead of being direct about it.

“You must borrow me Gargantua’s mouth first. ‘Tis a word too great for any mouth of this age’s size” – Shakespeare

3. Anadiplosis:

Repeating the last word (or words) of a sentence at the beginning of the next sentence.

“Tonight, we are a country awakened to danger and called to defend freedom. Our grief has turned to anger, and anger to resolution.” – George W. Bush

4. Analogy:

A literal comparison of two things.

“A good speech should be like a woman’s skirt: long enough to cover the subject and short enough to create interest.” – Winston Churchill

5. Anaphora:

Using the same word (or words) to begin 2 or more sentences (or paragraphs) that follow each other.

“I trust Hillary to lead this country because I’ve seen her lifelong devotion to our nation’s children – not just her own daughter, who she has raised to perfection but every child who needs a champion: Kids who take the long way to school to avoid the gangs. Kids who wonder how they’ll ever afford college. Kids whose parents don’t speak a word of English but dream of a better life. Kids who look to us to determine who and what they can be.” – Michelle Obama

6. Anastrophe:

A reversal of the typical ordering of a sentence.

“This much we pledge, and more” – JF Kennedy

7. Antistrophe:

Repeating one (or more) words at the end of a sentence.

“It was a creed written into the founding documents that declared the destiny of a nation: Yes, we can. It was whispered by slaves and abolitionists as they blazed a trail towards freedom through the darkest of nights: Yes, we can. It was sung by immigrants as they struck out from distant shores and pioneers who pushed westward against an unforgiving wilderness: Yes, we can” – Barack Obama

8. Antithesis:

A contrast of thoughts.

“That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.” – Neil Armstrong

9. Asyndeton:

Leaving out conjunction words (as or and) from a sentence.

“…and that government of the people, by the people, for the people shall not perish from the earth.” – Abraham Lincoln

10. Assonance:

Repeating a vowel sound in a sentence.

“I feel the need, the need for speed” – Tom Cruise (from the movie Top Gun)

11. Chiasmus:

The reversal of the latter of two parallel sentences.

“And so, my fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country” – John F. Kennedy

12. Diacope/Tmesis:

Inserting a word (or more) between the components of a compound word.

“Free at last, free at last; thank God almighty, free at last!” – Martin Luther King

13. Epistrophe:

Another name for antistrophe (see above).

“…and that government of the people, by the people, for the people shall not perish from the earth” – Abraham Lincoln

14. Expletive:

Using a word or phrase only to fill out a sentence for grammar, rhythm or balance.

“… we shall never surrender, and even if, which I do not for a moment believe, this Island or a large part of it were subjugated and starving …” – Winston Churchill

15. Germinatio:

The repetition of a word within the sentence.

“That’s 58 songs every second of every minute of every hour of every day.” – Steve Jobs

16. Hyperbole:

Exaggerating a description for emphasis.

“Best version of Google Maps on the planet, widgets, and all with Edge and Wi-Fi networking.” – Steve Jobs

17. Hypophora:

Posing a question that you will answer yourself.

“When the enemy struck on that June day of 1950, what did America do? It did what it always has done in all its times of peril. It appealed to the heroism of its youth” – Dwight D. Eisenhower

18. Litotes:

An understatement that expresses an affirmative by negating its opposite.

“I am not unmindful that some of you have come here out of great trials and tribulations.” – Martin Luther King, Jr.

19. Meiosis:

A massive understatement.

“The situation has developed, not necessarily to our advantage” – Emperor Hirohito, announcing to the Japanese people that atomic bombs had been dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki

20. Metaphor:

Comparing two unlike objects to provide a clearer description.

“All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players.” – William Shakespeare

21. Parallelism:

using a sequence of identical constructions in writing

“Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I may remember. Involve me and I will learn.” – Benjamin Franklin

22. Scesis Onomaton:

Repeating two (or more) different words with identical or similar meaning within the same sentence.

“That is heart-breaking, it is wrong, and no one should be treated that way in the United States of America” – Barack Obama

23. Simile:

Comparing two unlike things using the words “like” or “as” with an example.

“We will not be satisfied until justice rolls down like waters, and righteousness like a mighty stream.” – Martin Luther King, Jr.

24. Symploce:

Repeating one (or more) words at the beginning and end of successive sentences.

“In the struggle for peace and justice, we cannot walk alone. In the struggle for opportunity and equality, we cannot walk alone. In the struggle to heal this nation and repair this world, we cannot walk alone” – Barack Obama

25. Tricolon:

A sentence with three clearly defined parts of equal length

Rhetorical strategies improve audience engagement

If you got a little lost amidst the English jargon, here are the 2 main takeaways you need to know:

• Repetition emphasizes meaning Repetition is perhaps the most common rhetorical strategy. Whether it be the repetition of a word, a phrase, or a specific sound, it is incredibly effective. Use this strategy to build meaning behind the essential points you need to get across.
• Comparisons facilitate understanding Comparisons are also an extremely popular strategy, likely because they make the subject matter more relatable. If your audience can identify with what you’re saying, that creates an opportunity for you to cultivate a connection with them.

In sum, the best designed presentations , a slick new outfit, or a commanding voice may impress an audience initially, and can be important to gain their attention, but they lack true substance for any long-term retention. Rhetorical strategies are the single greatest tool for memorability. If you recognized even one of these examples, you just proved that rhetoric strategies are memorable. Why not start using them to your advantage?

Incorporating rhetorical strategies is kind of like learning how to ride a bike – you’re going to think you look unsure the first few times you try and you’re probably going to walk away with some scrapes and bruises. But, once you gain confidence, you’ll be able to ride circles around everyone else.

See what I did there? Here’s to being memorable!

Note: All definitions have been adapted from Your Dictionary .

Looking for more presentation insights?

Check out our Top 30 Most Popular Presentations of All Time , 16 Strategies Used by Pitch Deck Designers , 10 Things to Never Do When Presenting , or read our Top 10 Presentation Tips .

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40 famous persuasive speeches you need to hear.

Written by Kai Xin Koh

Across eras of calamity and peace in our world’s history, a great many leaders, writers, politicians, theorists, scientists, activists and other revolutionaries have unveiled powerful rousing speeches in their bids for change. In reviewing the plethora of orators across tides of social, political and economic change, we found some truly rousing speeches that brought the world to their feet or to a startling, necessary halt. We’ve chosen 40 of the most impactful speeches we managed to find from agents of change all over the world – a diversity of political campaigns, genders, positionalities and periods of history. You’re sure to find at least a few speeches in this list which will capture you with the sheer power of their words and meaning!

1. I have a dream by MLK

“I have a dream that one day down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of interposition and nullification – one day right there in Alabama little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers. I have a dream today. I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, and every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight, and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together. This is our hope. This is the faith that I go back to the South with. With this faith we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day. This will be the day, this will be the day when all of God’s children will be able to sing with new meaning “My country ’tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing. Land where my father’s died, land of the Pilgrim’s pride, from every mountainside, let freedom ring!”

Unsurprisingly, Martin Luther King’s speech comes up top as the most inspiring speech of all time, especially given the harrowing conditions of African Americans in America at the time. In the post-abolition era when slavery was outlawed constitutionally, African Americans experienced an intense period of backlash from white supremacists who supported slavery where various institutional means were sought to subordinate African American people to positions similar to that of the slavery era. This later came to be known as the times of Jim Crow and segregation, which Martin Luther King powerfully voiced his vision for a day when racial discrimination would be a mere figment, where equality would reign.

2. Tilbury Speech by Queen Elizabeth I

“My loving people, We have been persuaded by some that are careful of our safety, to take heed how we commit our selves to armed multitudes, for fear of treachery; but I assure you I do not desire to live to distrust my faithful and loving people. Let tyrants fear. I have always so behaved myself that, under God, I have placed my chiefest strength and safeguard in the loyal hearts and good-will of my subjects; and therefore I am come amongst you, as you see, at this time, not for my recreation and disport, but being resolved, in the midst and heat of the battle, to live and die amongst you all; to lay down for my God, and for my kingdom, and my people, my honour and my blood, even in the dust. I know I have the body of a weak, feeble woman; but I have the heart and stomach of a king, and of a king of England too, and think foul scorn that Parma or Spain, or any prince of Europe, should dare to invade the borders of my realm; to which rather than any dishonour shall grow by me, I myself will take up arms, I myself will be your general, judge, and rewarder of every one of your virtues in the field. I know already, for your forwardness you have deserved rewards and crowns; and We do assure you on a word of a prince, they shall be duly paid. In the mean time, my lieutenant general shall be in my stead, than whom never prince commanded a more noble or worthy subject; not doubting but by your obedience to my general, by your concord in the camp, and your valour in the field, we shall shortly have a famous victory over these enemies of my God, of my kingdom, and of my people.”

While at war with Spain, Queen Elizabeth I was most renowned for her noble speech rallying the English troops against their comparatively formidable opponent. Using brilliant rhetorical devices like metonymy, meronymy, and other potent metaphors, she voiced her deeply-held commitment as a leader to the battle against the Spanish Armada – convincing the English army to keep holding their ground and upholding the sacrifice of war for the good of their people. Eventually against all odds, she led England to victory despite their underdog status in the conflict with her confident and masterful oratory.

3. Woodrow Wilson, address to Congress (April 2, 1917)

“The world must be made safe for democracy. Its peace must be planted upon the tested foundations of political liberty. We have no selfish ends to serve. We desire no conquest, no dominion. We seek no indemnities for ourselves, no material compensation for the sacrifices we shall freely make. We are but one of the champions of the rights of mankind. We shall be satisfied when those rights have been made as secure as the faith and the freedom of nations can make them. Just because we fight without rancor and without selfish object, seeking nothing for ourselves but what we shall wish to share with all free peoples, we shall, I feel confident, conduct our operations as belligerents without passion and ourselves observe with proud punctilio the principles of right and of fair play we profess to be fighting for. … It will be all the easier for us to conduct ourselves as belligerents in a high spirit of right and fairness because we act without animus, not in enmity toward a people or with the desire to bring any injury or disadvantage upon them, but only in armed opposition to an irresponsible government which has thrown aside all considerations of humanity and of right and is running amuck. We are, let me say again, the sincere friends of the German people, and shall desire nothing so much as the early reestablishment of intimate relations of mutual advantage between us—however hard it may be for them, for the time being, to believe that this is spoken from our hearts. We have borne with their present government through all these bitter months because of that friendship—exercising a patience and forbearance which would otherwise have been impossible. We shall, happily, still have an opportunity to prove that friendship in our daily attitude and actions toward the millions of men and women of German birth and native sympathy who live among us and share our life, and we shall be proud to prove it toward all who are in fact loyal to their neighbors and to the government in the hour of test. They are, most of them, as true and loyal Americans as if they had never known any other fealty or allegiance. They will be prompt to stand with us in rebuking and restraining the few who may be of a different mind and purpose. If there should be disloyalty, it will be dealt with with a firm hand of stern repression; but, if it lifts its head at all, it will lift it only here and there and without countenance except from a lawless and malignant few. It is a distressing and oppressive duty, gentlemen of the Congress, which I have performed in thus addressing you. There are, it may be, many months of fiery trial and sacrifice ahead of us. It is a fearful thing to lead this great peaceful people into war, into the most terrible and disastrous of all wars, civilization itself seeming to be in the balance. But the right is more precious than peace, and we shall fight for the things which we have always carried nearest our hearts—for democracy, for the right of those who submit to authority to have a voice in their own governments, for the rights and liberties of small nations, for a universal dominion of right by such a concert of free peoples as shall bring peace and safety to all nations and make the world itself at last free. To such a task we can dedicate our lives and our fortunes, everything that we are and everything that we have, with the pride of those who know that the day has come when America is privileged to spend her blood and her might for the principles that gave her birth and happiness and the peace which she has treasured. God helping her, she can do no other.”

On April 2, 1917, President Woodrow Wilson of the USA delivered his address to Congress, calling for declaration of war against what was at the time, a belligerent and aggressive Germany in WWI. Despite his isolationism and anti-war position earlier in his tenure as president, he convinced Congress that America had a moral duty to the world to step out of their neutral observer status into an active role of world leadership and stewardship in order to liberate attacked nations from their German aggressors. The idealistic values he preached in his speech left an indelible imprint upon the American spirit and self-conception, forming the moral basis for the country’s people and aspirational visions to this very day.

4. Ain’t I A Woman by Sojourner Truth

“That man over there says that women need to be helped into carriages, and lifted over ditches, and to have the best place everywhere. Nobody ever helps me into carriages, or over mud-puddles, or gives me any best place! And ain’t I a woman? Look at me! Look at my arm! I have ploughed and planted, and gathered into barns, and no man could head me! And ain’t I a woman? I could work as much and eat as much as a man – when I could get it – and bear the lash as well! And ain’t I a woman? I have borne thirteen children, and seen most all sold off to slavery, and when I cried out with my mother’s grief, none but Jesus heard me! And ain’t I a woman? … If the first woman God ever made was strong enough to turn the world upside down all alone, these women together ought to be able to turn it back , and get it right side up again! And now they is asking to do it, the men better let them.”

Hailing from a background of slavery and oppression, Sojourner Truth was one of the most revolutionary advocates for women’s human rights in the 1800s. In spite of the New York Anti-Slavery Law of 1827, her slavemaster refused to free her. As such, she fled, became an itinerant preacher and leading figure in the anti-slavery movement. By the 1850s, she became involved in the women’s rights movement as well. At the 1851 Women’s Rights Convention held in Akron, Ohio, she delivered her illuminating, forceful speech against discrimination of women and African Americans in the post-Civil War era, entrenching her status as one of the most revolutionary abolitionists and women’s rights activists across history.

5. The Gettsyburg Address by Abraham Lincoln

“Fondly do we hope, fervently do we pray, that this mighty scourge of war may speedily pass away. Yet, if God wills that it continue until all the wealth piled by the bondsman’s two hundred and fifty years of unrequited toil shall be sunk, and until every drop of blood drawn with the lash shall be paid by another drawn with the sword, as was said three thousand years ago, so still it must be said “the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.” With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation’s wounds, to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan, to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations.”

President Abraham Lincoln had left the most lasting legacy upon American history for good reason, as one of the presidents with the moral courage to denounce slavery for the national atrocity it was. However, more difficult than standing up for the anti-slavery cause was the task of unifying the country post-abolition despite the looming shadows of a time when white Americans could own and subjugate slaves with impunity over the thousands of Americans who stood for liberation of African Americans from discrimination. He urged Americans to remember their common roots, heritage and the importance of “charity for all”, to ensure a “just and lasting peace” among within the country despite throes of racial division and self-determination.

6. Woman’s Rights to the Suffrage by Susan B Anthony

“For any State to make sex a qualification that must ever result in the disfranchisement of one entire half of the people is to pass a bill of attainder, or an ex post facto law, and is therefore a violation of the supreme law of the land. By it the blessings of liberty are for ever withheld from women and their female posterity. To them this government has no just powers derived from the consent of the governed. To them this government is not a democracy. It is not a republic. It is an odious aristocracy; a hateful oligarchy of sex; the most hateful aristocracy ever established on the face of the globe; an oligarchy of wealth, where the right govern the poor. An oligarchy of learning, where the educated govern the ignorant, or even an oligarchy of race, where the Saxon rules the African, might be endured; but this oligarchy of sex, which makes father, brothers, husband, sons, the oligarchs over the mother and sisters, the wife and daughters of every household–which ordains all men sovereigns, all women subjects, carries dissension, discord and rebellion into every home of the nation. Webster, Worcester and Bouvier all define a citizen to be a person in the United States, entitled to vote and hold office. The only question left to be settled now is: Are women persons? And I hardly believe any of our opponents will have the hardihood to say they are not. Being persons, then, women are citizens; and no State has a right to make any law, or to enforce any old law, that shall abridge their privileges or immunities. Hence, every discrimination against women in the constitutions and laws of the several States is today null and void, precisely as in every one against Negroes.”

Susan B. Anthony was a pivotal leader in the women’s suffrage movement who helped to found the National Woman Suffrage Association with Elizabeth Cady Stanton and fight for the constitutional right for women to vote. She courageously and relentlessly advocated for women’s rights, giving speeches all over the USA to convince people of women’s human rights to choice and the ballot. She is most well known for her act of righteous rebellion in 1872 when she voted in the presidential election illegally, for which she was arrested and tried unsuccessfully. She refused to pay the $100 fine in a bid to reject the demands of the American system she denounced as a ‘hateful oligarchy of sex’, sparking change with her righteous oratory and inspiring many others in the women’s suffrage movement within and beyond America.

7. Vladimir Lenin’s Speech at an International Meeting in Berne, February 8, 1916

“It may sound incredible, especially to Swiss comrades, but it is nevertheless true that in Russia, also, not only bloody tsarism, not only the capitalists, but also a section of the so-called or ex-Socialists say that Russia is fighting a “war of defence,” that Russia is only fighting against German invasion. The whole world knows, however, that for decades tsarism has been oppressing more than a hundred million people belonging to other nationalities in Russia; that for decades Russia has been pursuing a predatory policy towards China, Persia, Armenia and Galicia. Neither Russia, nor Germany, nor any other Great Power has the right to claim that it is waging a “war of defence”; all the Great Powers are waging an imperialist, capitalist war, a predatory war, a war for the oppression of small and foreign nations, a war for the sake of the profits of the capitalists, who are coining golden profits amounting to billions out of the appalling sufferings of the masses, out of the blood of the proletariat. … This again shows you, comrades, that in all countries of the world real preparations are being made to rally the forces of the working class. The horrors of war and the sufferings of the people are incredible. But we must not, and we have no reason whatever, to view the future with despair. The millions of victims who will fall in the war, and as a consequence of the war, will not fall in vain. The millions who are starving, the millions who are sacrificing their lives in the trenches, are not only suffering, they are also gathering strength, are pondering over the real cause of the war, are becoming more determined and are acquiring a clearer revolutionary understanding. Rising discontent of the masses, growing ferment, strikes, demonstrations, protests against the war—all this is taking place in all countries of the world. And this is the guarantee that the European War will be followed by the proletarian revolution against capitalism”

Vladimir Lenin remains to this day one of the most lauded communist revolutionaries in the world who brought the dangers of imperialism and capitalism to light with his rousing speeches condemning capitalist structures of power which inevitably enslave people to lives of misery and class stratification. In his genuine passion for the rights of the working class, he urged fellow comrades to turn the “imperialist war” into a “civil” or class war of the proletariat against the bourgeoisie. He encouraged the development of new revolutionary socialist organisations, solidarity across places in society so people could unite against their capitalist overlords, and criticised nationalism for its divisive effect on the socialist movement. In this speech especially, he lambasts “bloody Tsarism” for its oppression of millions of people of other nationalities in Russia, calling for the working class people to revolt against the Tsarist authority for the proletariat revolution to succeed and liberate them from class oppression.

8. I Have A Dream Speech by Mary Wollstonecraft

“If, I say, for I would not impress by declamation when Reason offers her sober light, if they be really capable of acting like rational creatures, let them not be treated like slaves; or, like the brutes who are dependent on the reason of man, when they associate with him; but cultivate their minds, give them the salutary, sublime curb of principle, and let them attain conscious dignity by feeling themselves only dependent on God. Teach them, in common with man, to submit to necessity, instead of giving, to render them more pleasing, a sex to morals. Further, should experience prove that they cannot attain the same degree of strength of mind, perseverance, and fortitude, let their virtues be the same in kind, though they may vainly struggle for the same degree; and the superiority of man will be equally clear, if not clearer; and truth, as it is a simple principle, which admits of no modification, would be common to both. Nay, the order of society as it is at present regulated would not be inverted, for woman would then only have the rank that reason assigned her, and arts could not be practised to bring the balance even, much less to turn it.”

In her vindication of the rights of women, Mary Wollstonecraft was one of the pioneers of the feminist movement back in 1792 who not only theorised and advocated revolutionarily, but gave speeches that voiced these challenges against a dominantly sexist society intent on classifying women as irrational less-than-human creatures to be enslaved as they were. In this landmark speech, she pronounces her ‘dream’ of a day when women would be treated as the rational, deserving humans they are, who are equal to man in strength and capability. With this speech setting an effective precedent for her call to equalize women before the law, she also went on to champion the provision of equal educational opportunities to women and girls, and persuasively argued against the patriarchal gender norms which prevented women from finding their own lot in life through their being locked into traditional institutions of marriage and motherhood against their will.

9. First Inaugural Speech by Franklin D Roosevelt

“So, first of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is…fear itself — nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance. In every dark hour of our national life a leadership of frankness and of vigor has met with that understanding and support of the people themselves which is essential to victory. And I am convinced that you will again give that support to leadership in these critical days. … More important, a host of unemployed citizens face the grim problem of existence, and an equally great number toil with little return. Only a foolish optimist can deny the dark realities of the moment. Our greatest primary task is to put people to work. This is no unsolvable problem if we face it wisely and courageously. There are many ways in which it can be helped, but it can never be helped merely by talking about it. We must act and act quickly. … I am prepared under my constitutional duty to recommend the measures that a stricken Nation in the midst of a stricken world may require. These measures, or such other measures as the Congress may build out of its experience and wisdom, I shall seek, within my constitutional authority, to bring to speedy adoption. But in the event that the Congress shall fail to take one of these two courses, and in the event that the national emergency is still critical, I shall not evade the clear course of duty that will then confront me. I shall ask the Congress for the one remaining instrument to meet the crisis — broad Executive power to wage a war against the emergency, as great as the power that would be given to me if we were in fact invaded by a foreign foe.”

Roosevelt’s famous inaugural speech was delivered in the midst of a period of immense tension and strain under the Great Depression, where he highlighted the need for ‘quick action’ by Congress to prepare for government expansion in his pursuit of reforms to lift the American people out of devastating poverty. In a landslide victory, he certainly consolidated the hopes and will of the American people through this compelling speech.

10. The Hypocrisy of American Slavery by Frederick Douglass

“What to the American slave is your Fourth of July? I answer, a day that reveals to him more than all other days of the year, the gross injustice and cruelty to which he is the constant victim. To him your celebration is a sham; your boasted liberty an unholy license; your national greatness, swelling vanity; your sounds of rejoicing are empty and heartless; your shouts of liberty and equality, hollow mock; your prayers and hymns, your sermons and thanksgivings, with all your religious parade and solemnity, are to him mere bombast, fraud, deception, impiety, and hypocrisy – a thin veil to cover up crimes which would disgrace a nation of savages. There is not a nation of the earth guilty of practices more shocking and bloody than are the people of these United States at this very hour. Go search where you will, roam through all the monarchies and despotisms of the Old World, travel through South America, search out every abuse and when you have found the last, lay your facts by the side of the everyday practices of this nation, and you will say with me that, for revolting barbarity and shameless hypocrisy, America reigns without a rival.”

On 4 July 1852, Frederick Douglass gave this speech in Rochester, New York, highlighting the hypocrisy of celebrating freedom while slavery continues. He exposed the ‘revolting barbarity and shameless hypocrisy’ of slavery which had gone unabolished amidst the comparatively obscene celebration of independence and liberty with his potent speech and passion for the anti-abolition cause. After escaping from slavery, he went on to become a national leader of the abolitionist movement in Massachusetts and New York with his oratory and incisive antislavery writings. To this day, his fierce activism and devotion to exposing virulent racism for what it was has left a lasting legacy upon pro-Black social movements and the overall sociopolitical landscape of America.

11. Still I Rise by Maya Angelou

“You may write me down in history With your bitter, twisted lies, You may trod me in the very dirt But still, like dust, I’ll rise. Does my sassiness upset you? Why are you beset with gloom? ’Cause I walk like I’ve got oil wells Pumping in my living room. Just like moons and like suns, With the certainty of tides, Just like hopes springing high, Still I’ll rise. Did you want to see me broken? Bowed head and lowered eyes? Shoulders falling down like teardrops, Weakened by my soulful cries? Does my haughtiness offend you? Don’t you take it awful hard ’Cause I laugh like I’ve got gold mines Diggin’ in my own backyard. You may shoot me with your words, You may cut me with your eyes, You may kill me with your hatefulness, But still, like air, I’ll rise. Does my sexiness upset you? Does it come as a surprise That I dance like I’ve got diamonds At the meeting of my thighs? Out of the huts of history’s shame I rise Up from a past that’s rooted in pain I rise I’m a black ocean, leaping and wide, Welling and swelling I bear in the tide. Leaving behind nights of terror and fear I rise Into a daybreak that’s wondrously clear I rise Bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave, I am the dream and the hope of the slave. I rise I rise I rise.”

With her iconic poem Still I Rise , Maya Angelou is well-known for uplifting fellow African American women through her empowering novels and poetry and her work as a civil rights activist. Every bit as lyrical on the page, her recitation of Still I Rise continues to give poetry audiences shivers all over the world, inspiring women of colour everywhere to keep the good faith in striving for equality and peace, while radically believing in and empowering themselves to be agents of change. A dramatic reading of the poem will easily showcase the self-belief, strength and punch that it packs in the last stanza on the power of resisting marginalization.

12. Their Finest Hour by Winston Churchill

“What General Weygand called the Battle of France is over. I expect that the Battle of Britain is about to begin. Upon this battle depends the survival of Christian civilization. Upon it depends our own British life, and the long continuity of our institutions and our Empire. The whole fury and might of the enemy must very soon be turned on us. Hitler knows that he will have to break us in this Island or lose the war. If we can stand up to him, all Europe may be free and the life of the world may move forward into broad, sunlit uplands. But if we fail, then the whole world, including the United States, including all that we have known and cared for, will sink into the abyss of a new Dark Age made more sinister, and perhaps more protracted, by the lights of perverted science. Let us therefore brace ourselves to our duties, and so bear ourselves that, if the British Empire and its Commonwealth last for a thousand years, men will still say, “This was their finest hour.””

In the darkest shadows cast by war, few leaders have been able to step up to the mantle and effectively unify millions of citizens for truly sacrificial causes. Winston Churchill was the extraordinary exception – lifting 1940 Britain out of the darkness with his hopeful, convicted rhetoric to galvanise the English amidst bleak, dreary days of war and loss. Through Britain’s standalone position in WWII against the Nazis, he left his legacy by unifying the nation under shared sacrifices of the army and commemorating their courage.

13. A Room of One’s Own by Virginia Woolf

“Life for both sexes – and I looked at them (through a restaurant window while waiting for my lunch to be served), shouldering their way along the pavement – is arduous, difficult, a perpetual struggle. It calls for gigantic courage and strength. More than anything, perhaps, creatures of illusion as we are, it calls for confidence in oneself. Without self-confidence we are babes in the cradle. And how can we generate this imponderable quality, which is yet so invaluable, most quickly? By thinking that other people are inferior to oneself. By feeling that one has some innate superiority – it may be wealth, or rank, a straight nose, or the portrait of a grandfather by Romney – for there is no end to the pathetic devices of the human imagination – over other people. Hence the enormous importance to a patriarch who has to conquer, who has to rule, of feeling that great numbers of people, half the human race indeed, are by nature inferior to himself. It must indeed be one of the great sources of his power….Women have served all these centuries as looking-glasses possessing the magic and delicious power of reflecting the figure of man at twice its natural size. Without that power probably the earth would still be swamp and jungle. The glories of all our wars would be on the remains of mutton bones and bartering flints for sheepskins or whatever simple ornament took our unsophisticated taste. Supermen and Fingers of Destiny would never have existed. The Czar and the Kaiser would never have worn their crowns or lost them. Whatever may be their use in civilised societies, mirrors are essential to all violent and heroic action. That is why Napoleon and Mussolini both insist so emphatically upon the inferiority of women, for if they were not inferior, they would cease to enlarge. That serves to explain in part the necessity that women so often are to men. And it serves to explain how restless they are under her criticism; how impossible it is for her to say to them this book is bad, this picture is feeble, or whatever it may be, without giving far more pain and rousing far more anger than a man would do who gave the same criticism. For if she begins to tell the truth, the figure in the looking-glass shrinks; his fitness in life is diminished. How is he to go on giving judgment, civilising natives, making laws, writing books, dressing up and speechifying at banquets, unless he can see himself at breakfast and at dinner at least twice the size he really is?”

In this transformational speech , Virginia Woolf pronounces her vision that ‘a woman must have money and a room of her own if she is to write fiction’. She calls out the years in which women have been deprived of their own space for individual development through being chained to traditional arrangements or men’s prescriptions – demanding ‘gigantic courage’ and ‘confidence in oneself’ to brave through the onerous struggle of creating change for women’s rights. With her steadfast, stolid rhetoric and radical theorization, she paved the way for many women’s rights activists and writers to forge their own paths against patriarchal authority.

14. Inaugural Address by John F Kennedy

“In the long history of the world, only a few generations have been granted the role of defending freedom in its hour of maximum danger. I do not shrink from this responsibility–I welcome it. I do not believe that any of us would exchange places with any other people or any other generation. The energy, the faith, the devotion which we bring to this endeavor will light our country and all who serve it–and the glow from that fire can truly light the world. And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you–ask what you can do for your country. My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man. Finally, whether you are citizens of America or citizens of the world, ask of us here the same high standards of strength and sacrifice which we ask of you. With a good conscience our only sure reward, with history the final judge of our deeds, let us go forth to lead the land we love, asking His blessing and His help, but knowing that here on earth God’s work must truly be our own.”

For what is probably the most historically groundbreaking use of parallelism in speech across American history, President JFK placed the weighty task of ‘asking what one can do for their country’ onto the shoulders of each American citizen. Using an air of firmness in his rhetoric by declaring his commitment to his countrymen, he urges each American to do the same for the broader, noble ideal of freedom for all. With his crucial interrogation of a citizen’s moral duty to his nation, President JFK truly made history.

15. Atoms for Peace Speech by Dwight Eisenhower

“To pause there would be to confirm the hopeless finality of a belief that two atomic colossi are doomed malevolently to eye each other indefinitely across a trembling world. To stop there would be to accept helplessly the probability of civilization destroyed, the annihilation of the irreplaceable heritage of mankind handed down to us from generation to generation, and the condemnation of mankind to begin all over again the age-old struggle upward from savagery towards decency, and right, and justice. Surely no sane member of the human race could discover victory in such desolation. Could anyone wish his name to be coupled by history with such human degradation and destruction?Occasional pages of history do record the faces of the “great destroyers”, but the whole book of history reveals mankind’s never-ending quest for peace and mankind’s God-given capacity to build. It is with the book of history, and not with isolated pages, that the United States will ever wish to be identified. My country wants to be constructive,not destructive. It wants agreements, not wars, among nations. It wants itself to live in freedom and in the confidence that the peoples of every other nation enjoy equally the right of choosing their own way of life. So my country’s purpose is to help us to move out of the dark chamber of horrors into the light, to find a way by which the minds of men, the hopes of men, the souls of men everywhere, can move forward towards peace and happiness and well-being.”

On a possibility as frightful and tense as nuclear war, President Eisenhower managed to convey the gravity of the world’s plight in his measured and persuasive speech centred on the greater good of mankind. Using rhetorical devices such as the three-part paratactical syntax which most world leaders are fond of for ingraining their words in the minds of their audience, he centers the discourse of the atomic bomb on those affected by such a world-changing decision in ‘the minds, hopes and souls of men everywhere’ – effectively putting the vivid image of millions of people’s fates at stake in the minds of his audience. Being able to make a topic as heavy and fraught with moral conflict as this as eloquent as he did, Eisenhower definitely ranks among some of the most skilled orators to date.

16. The Transformation of Silence into Language and Action by Audre Lorde

“I was going to die, if not sooner then later, whether or not I had ever spoken myself. My silences had not protected me. Your silence will not protect you. But for every real word spoken, for every attempt I had ever made to speak those truths for which I am still seeking, I had made contact with other women while we examined the words to fit a world in which we all believed, bridging our differences. What are the words you do not have yet? What do you need to say? What are the tyrannies you swallow day by day and attempt to make your own, until you will sicken and die of them, still in silence? Perhaps for some of you here today, I am the face of one of your fears. Because I am a woman, because I am black, because I am myself, a black woman warrior poet doing my work, come to ask you, are you doing yours?”

Revolutionary writer, feminist and civil rights activist Audre Lorde first delivered this phenomenal speech at Lesbian and Literature panel of the Modern Language Association’s December 28, 1977 meeting, which went on to feature permanently in her writings for its sheer wisdom and truth. Her powerful writing and speech about living on the margins of society has enlightened millions of people discriminated across various intersections, confronting them with the reality that they must speak – since their ‘silence will not protect’ them from further marginalization. Through her illuminating words and oratory, she has reminded marginalized persons of the importance of their selfhood and the radical capacity for change they have in a world blighted by prejudice and division.

17. 1965 Cambridge Union Hall Speech by James Baldwin

“What is dangerous here is the turning away from – the turning away from – anything any white American says. The reason for the political hesitation, in spite of the Johnson landslide is that one has been betrayed by American politicians for so long. And I am a grown man and perhaps I can be reasoned with. I certainly hope I can be. But I don’t know, and neither does Martin Luther King, none of us know how to deal with those other people whom the white world has so long ignored, who don’t believe anything the white world says and don’t entirely believe anything I or Martin is saying. And one can’t blame them. You watch what has happened to them in less than twenty years.”

Baldwin’s invitation to the Cambridge Union Hall is best remembered for foregrounding the unflinching differences in white and African Americans’ ‘system of reality’ in everyday life. Raising uncomfortable truths about the insidious nature of racism post-civil war, he provides several nuggets of thought-provoking wisdom on the state of relations between the oppressed and their oppressors, and what is necessary to mediate such relations and destroy the exploitative thread of racist hatred. With great frankness, he admits to not having all the answers but provides hard-hitting wisdom on engagement to guide activists through confounding times nonetheless.

18. I Am Prepared to Die by Nelson Mandela

“Above all, My Lord, we want equal political rights, because without them our disabilities will be permanent. I know this sounds revolutionary to the whites in this country, because the majority of voters will be Africans. This makes the white man fear democracy. But this fear cannot be allowed to stand in the way of the only solution which will guarantee racial harmony and freedom for all. It is not true that the enfranchisement of all will result in racial domination. Political division, based on colour, is entirely artificial and, when it disappears, so will the domination of one colour group by another. The ANC has spent half a century fighting against racialism. When it triumphs as it certainly must, it will not change that policy. This then is what the ANC is fighting. Our struggle is a truly national one. It is a struggle of the African people, inspired by our own suffering and our own experience. It is a struggle for the right to live. During my lifetime I have dedicated my life to this struggle of the African people. I have fought against white domination, and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons will live together in harmony and with equal opportunities. It is an ideal for which I hope to live for and to see realised. But, My Lord, if it needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die.”

Apartheid is still considered one of these most devastating events of world history, and it would not have ended without the crucial effort and words of Nelson Mandela during his courageous political leadership. In this heartbreaking speech , he voices his utter devotion to the fight against institutionalised racism in African society – an ideal for which he was ‘prepared to die for’. Mandela continues to remind us today of his moral conviction in leading, wherein the world would likely to be a better place if all politicians had the same resolve and genuine commitment to human rights and the abolition of oppression as he did.

19. Critique on British Imperialism by General Aung San

“Do they form their observations by seeing the attendances at not very many cinemas and theatres of Rangoon? Do they judge this question of money circulation by paying a stray visit to a local bazaar? Do they know that cinemas and theatres are not true indicators, at least in Burma, of the people’s conditions? Do they know that there are many in this country who cannot think of going to these places by having to struggle for their bare existence from day to day? Do they know that those who nowadays patronise or frequent cinemas and theatres which exist only in Rangoon and a few big towns, belong generally to middle and upper classes and the very few of the many poor who can attend at all are doing so as a desperate form of relaxation just to make them forget their unsupportable existences for the while whatever may be the tomorrow that awaits them?”

Under British colonial rule, one of the most legendary nationalist leaders emerged from the ranks of the thousands of Burmese to boldly lead them towards independence, out of the exploitation and control under the British. General Aung San’s speech criticising British social, political and economic control of Burma continues to be scathing, articulate, and relevant – especially given his necessary goal of uniting the Burmese natives against their common oppressor. He successfully galvanised his people against the British, taking endless risks through nationalist speeches and demonstrations which gradually bore fruit in Burma’s independence.

20. Nobel Lecture by Mother Teresa

“I believe that we are not real social workers. We may be doing social work in the eyes of the people, but we are really contemplatives in the heart of the world. For we are touching the Body Of Christ 24 hours. We have 24 hours in this presence, and so you and I. You too try to bring that presence of God in your family, for the family that prays together stays together. And I think that we in our family don’t need bombs and guns, to destroy to bring peace–just get together, love one another, bring that peace, that joy, that strength of presence of each other in the home. And we will be able to overcome all the evil that is in the world. There is so much suffering, so much hatred, so much misery, and we with our prayer, with our sacrifice are beginning at home. Love begins at home, and it is not how much we do, but how much love we put in the action that we do. It is to God Almighty–how much we do it does not matter, because He is infinite, but how much love we put in that action. How much we do to Him in the person that we are serving.”

In contemporary culture, most people understand Mother Teresa to be the epitome of compassion and kindness. However, if one were to look closer at her speeches from the past, one would discover not merely her altruistic contributions, but her keen heart for social justice and the downtrodden. She wisely and gracefully remarks that ‘love begins at home’ from the individual actions of each person within their private lives, which accumulate into a life of goodness and charity. For this, her speeches served not just consolatory value or momentary relevance, as they still inform the present on how we can live lives worth living.

21. June 9 Speech to Martial Law Units by Deng Xiaoping

“This army still maintains the traditions of our old Red Army. What they crossed this time was in the true sense of the expression a political barrier, a threshold of life and death. This was not easy. This shows that the People’s Army is truly a great wall of iron and steel of the party and state. This shows that no matter how heavy our losses, the army, under the leadership of the party, will always remain the defender of the country, the defender of socialism, and the defender of the public interest. They are a most lovable people. At the same time, we should never forget how cruel our enemies are. We should have not one bit of forgiveness for them. The fact that this incident broke out as it did is very worthy of our pondering. It prompts us cool-headedly to consider the past and the future. Perhaps this bad thing will enable us to go ahead with reform and the open policy at a steadier and better — even a faster — pace, more speedily correct our mistakes, and better develop our strong points.”

Mere days before the 4 June 1989 Tiananmen Square uprising, Chinese Communist Party leader Deng Xiaoping sat with six party elders (senior officials) and the three remaining members of the Politburo Standing Committee, the paramount decision-making body in China’s government. The meeting was organised to discuss the best course of action for restoring social and political order to China, given the sweeping economic reforms that had taken place in the past decade that inevitably resulted in some social resistance from the populace. Deng then gave this astute and well-regarded speech, outlining the political complexities in shutting down student protests given the context of reforms encouraging economic liberalization already taking place, as aligned with the students’ desires. It may not be the most rousing or inflammatory of speeches, but it was certainly persuasive in voicing the importance of taking a strong stand for the economic reforms Deng was implementing to benefit Chinese citizens in the long run. Today, China is an economic superpower, far from its war-torn developing country status before Deng’s leadership – thanks to his foresight in ensuring political stability would allow China to enjoy the fruits of the massive changes they adapted to.

22. Freedom or Death by Emmeline Pankhurst

“You won your freedom in America when you had the revolution, by bloodshed, by sacrificing human life. You won the civil war by the sacrifice of human life when you decided to emancipate the negro. You have left it to women in your land, the men of all civilised countries have left it to women, to work out their own salvation. That is the way in which we women of England are doing. Human life for us is sacred, but we say if any life is to be sacrificed it shall be ours; we won’t do it ourselves, but we will put the enemy in the position where they will have to choose between giving us freedom or giving us death. Now whether you approve of us or whether you do not, you must see that we have brought the question of women’s suffrage into a position where it is of first rate importance, where it can be ignored no longer. Even the most hardened politician will hesitate to take upon himself directly the responsibility of sacrificing the lives of women of undoubted honour, of undoubted earnestness of purpose. That is the political situation as I lay it before you today.”

In 1913 after Suffragette Emily Davison stepped in front of King George V’s horse at the Epsom Derby and suffered fatal injuries, Emmeline Pankhurst delivered her speech to Connecticut as a call to action for people to support the suffragette movement. Her fortitude in delivering such a sobering speech on the state of women’s rights is worth remembering for its invaluable impact and contributions to the rights we enjoy in today’s world.

23. Quit India by Mahatma Gandhi

“We shall either free India or die in the attempt; we shall not live to see the perpetuation of our slavery. Every true Congressman or woman will join the struggle with an inflexible determination not to remain alive to see the country in bondage and slavery. Let that be your pledge. Keep jails out of your consideration. If the Government keep me free, I will not put on the Government the strain of maintaining a large number of prisoners at a time, when it is in trouble. Let every man and woman live every moment of his or her life hereafter in the consciousness that he or she eats or lives for achieving freedom and will die, if need be, to attain that goal. Take a pledge, with God and your own conscience as witness, that you will no longer rest till freedom is achieved and will be prepared to lay down your lives in the attempt to achieve it. He who loses his life will gain it; he who will seek to save it shall lose it. Freedom is not for the coward or the faint-hearted.”

Naturally, the revolutionary activist Gandhi had to appear in this list for his impassioned anti-colonial speeches which rallied Indians towards independence. Famous for leading non-violent demonstrations, his speeches were a key element in gathering Indians of all backgrounds together for the common cause of eliminating their colonial masters. His speeches were resolute, eloquent, and courageous, inspiring the hope and admiration of many not just within India, but around the world.

24. 1974 National Book Award Speech by Adrienne Rich, Alice Walker, Audre Lorde

“The statement I am going to read was prepared by three of the women nominated for the National Book Award for poetry, with the agreement that it would be read by whichever of us, if any, was chosen.We, Audre Lorde, Adrienne Rich, and Alice Walker, together accept this award in the name of all the women whose voices have gone and still go unheard in a patriarchal world, and in the name of those who, like us, have been tolerated as token women in this culture, often at great cost and in great pain. We believe that we can enrich ourselves more in supporting and giving to each other than by competing against each other; and that poetry—if it is poetry—exists in a realm beyond ranking and comparison. We symbolically join together here in refusing the terms of patriarchal competition and declaring that we will share this prize among us, to be used as best we can for women. We appreciate the good faith of the judges for this award, but none of us could accept this money for herself, nor could she let go unquestioned the terms on which poets are given or denied honor and livelihood in this world, especially when they are women. We dedicate this occasion to the struggle for self-determination of all women, of every color, identification, or derived class: the poet, the housewife, the lesbian, the mathematician, the mother, the dishwasher, the pregnant teen-ager, the teacher, the grandmother, the prostitute, the philosopher, the waitress, the women who will understand what we are doing here and those who will not understand yet; the silent women whose voices have been denied us, the articulate women who have given us strength to do our work.”

Adrienne Rich, Audre Lorde, and Alice Walker wrote this joint speech to be delivered by Adrienne Rich at the 1974 National Book Awards, based on their suspicions that the first few African American lesbian women to be nominated for the awards would be snubbed in favour of a white woman nominee. Their suspicions were confirmed, and Adrienne Rich delivered this socially significant speech in solidarity with her fellow nominees, upholding the voices of the ‘silent women whose voices have been denied’.

25. Speech to 20th Congress of the CPSU by Nikita Khruschev

“Considering the question of the cult of an individual, we must first of all show everyone what harm this caused to the interests of our Party. Vladimir Ilyich Lenin had always stressed the Party’s role and significance in the direction of the socialist government of workers and peasants; he saw in this the chief precondition for a successful building of socialism in our country. Pointing to the great responsibility of the Bolshevik Party, as ruling Party of the Soviet state, Lenin called for the most meticulous observance of all norms of Party life; he called for the realization of the principles of collegiality in the direction of the Party and the state. Collegiality of leadership flows from the very nature of our Party, a Party built on the principles of democratic centralism. “This means,” said Lenin, “that all Party matters are accomplished by all Party members – directly or through representatives – who, without any exceptions, are subject to the same rules; in addition, all administrative members, all directing collegia, all holders of Party positions are elective, they must account for their activities and are recallable.””

This speech is possibly the most famed Russian speech for its status as a ‘secret’ speech delivered only to the CPSU at the time, which was eventually revealed to the public. Given the unchallenged political legacy and cult of personality which Stalin left in the Soviet Union, Nikita Khruschev’s speech condemning the authoritarian means Stalin had resorted to to consolidate power as un-socialist was an important mark in Russian history.

26. The Struggle for Human Rights by Eleanor Roosevelt

“It is my belief, and I am sure it is also yours, that the struggle for democracy and freedom is a critical struggle, for their preservation is essential to the great objective of the United Nations to maintain international peace and security. Among free men the end cannot justify the means. We know the patterns of totalitarianism — the single political party, the control of schools, press, radio, the arts, the sciences, and the church to support autocratic authority; these are the age-old patterns against which men have struggled for three thousand years. These are the signs of reaction, retreat, and retrogression. The United Nations must hold fast to the heritage of freedom won by the struggle of its people; it must help us to pass it on to generations to come. The development of the ideal of freedom and its translation into the everyday life of the people in great areas of the earth is the product of the efforts of many peoples. It is the fruit of a long tradition of vigorous thinking and courageous action. No one race and on one people can claim to have done all the work to achieve greater dignity for human beings and great freedom to develop human personality. In each generation and in each country there must be a continuation of the struggle and new steps forward must be taken since this is preeminently a field in which to stand still is to retreat.”

Eleanor Roosevelt has been among the most well-loved First Ladies for good reason – her eloquence and gravitas in delivering every speech convinced everyone of her suitability for the oval office. In this determined and articulate speech , she outlines the fundamental values that form the bedrock of democracy, urging the rest of the world to uphold human rights regardless of national ideology and interests.

27. The Ballot or The Bullet by Malcolm X

“And in this manner, the organizations will increase in number and in quantity and in quality, and by August, it is then our intention to have a black nationalist convention which will consist of delegates from all over the country who are interested in the political, economic and social philosophy of black nationalism. After these delegates convene, we will hold a seminar; we will hold discussions; we will listen to everyone. We want to hear new ideas and new solutions and new answers. And at that time, if we see fit then to form a black nationalist party, we’ll form a black nationalist party. If it’s necessary to form a black nationalist army, we’ll form a black nationalist army. It’ll be the ballot or the bullet. It’ll be liberty or it’ll be death.”

Inarguably, the revolutionary impact Malcolm X’s fearless oratory had was substantial in his time as a radical anti-racist civil rights activist. His speeches’ emancipatory potential put forth his ‘theory of rhetorical action’ where he urges Black Americans to employ both the ballot and the bullet, strategically without being dependent on the other should the conditions of oppression change. A crucial leader in the fight for civil rights, he opened the eyes of thousands of Black Americans, politicising and convincing them of the necessity of fighting for their democratic rights against white supremacists.

28. Living the Revolution by Gloria Steinem

“The challenge to all of us, and to you men and women who are graduating today, is to live a revolution, not to die for one. There has been too much killing, and the weapons are now far too terrible. This revolution has to change consciousness, to upset the injustice of our current hierarchy by refusing to honor it, and to live a life that enforces a new social justice. Because the truth is none of us can be liberated if other groups are not.”

In an unexpected commencement speech delivered at Vassar College in 1970, Gloria Steinem boldly makes a call to action on behalf of marginalized groups in need of liberation to newly graduated students. She proclaimed it the year of Women’s Liberation and forcefully highlighted the need for a social revolution to ‘upset the injustice of the current hierarchy’ in favour of human rights – echoing the hard-hitting motto on social justice, ‘until all of us are free, none of us are free’.

29. The Last Words of Harvey Milk by Harvey Milk

“I cannot prevent some people from feeling angry and frustrated and mad in response to my death, but I hope they will take the frustration and madness and instead of demonstrating or anything of that type, I would hope that they would take the power and I would hope that five, ten, one hundred, a thousand would rise. I would like to see every gay lawyer, every gay architect come out, stand up and let the world know. That would do more to end prejudice overnight than anybody could imagine. I urge them to do that, urge them to come out. Only that way will we start to achieve our rights. … All I ask is for the movement to continue, and if a bullet should enter my brain, let that bullet destroy every closet door…”

As the first openly gay elected official in the history of California, Harvey Milk’s entire political candidature was in itself a radical statement against the homophobic status quo at the time. Given the dangerous times he was in as an openly gay man, he anticipated that he would be assassinated eventually in his political career. As such, these are some of his last words which show the utter devotion he had to campaigning against homophobia while representing the American people, voicing his heartbreaking wish for the bullet that would eventually kill him to ‘destroy every closet door’.

30. Black Power Address at UC Berkeley by Stokely Carmichael

“Now we are now engaged in a psychological struggle in this country, and that is whether or not black people will have the right to use the words they want to use without white people giving their sanction to it; and that we maintain, whether they like it or not, we gonna use the word “Black Power” — and let them address themselves to that; but that we are not going to wait for white people to sanction Black Power. We’re tired waiting; every time black people move in this country, they’re forced to defend their position before they move. It’s time that the people who are supposed to be defending their position do that. That’s white people. They ought to start defending themselves as to why they have oppressed and exploited us.”

A forceful and impressive orator, Stokely Carmichael was among those at the forefront of the civil rights movement, who was a vigorous socialist organizer as well. He led the Black Power movement wherein he gave this urgent, influential speech that propelled Black Americans forward in their fight for constitutional rights in the 1960s.

31. Speech on Vietnam by Lyndon Johnson

“The true peace-keepers are those men who stand out there on the DMZ at this very hour, taking the worst that the enemy can give. The true peace-keepers are the soldiers who are breaking the terrorist’s grip around the villages of Vietnam—the civilians who are bringing medical care and food and education to people who have already suffered a generation of war. And so I report to you that we are going to continue to press forward. Two things we must do. Two things we shall do. First, we must not mislead the enemy. Let him not think that debate and dissent will produce wavering and withdrawal. For I can assure you they won’t. Let him not think that protests will produce surrender. Because they won’t. Let him not think that he will wait us out. For he won’t. Second, we will provide all that our brave men require to do the job that must be done. And that job is going to be done. These gallant men have our prayers-have our thanks—have our heart-felt praise—and our deepest gratitude. Let the world know that the keepers of peace will endure through every trial—and that with the full backing of their countrymen, they are going to prevail.”

During some of the most harrowing periods of human history, the Vietnam War, American soldiers were getting soundly defeated by the Vietnamese in guerrilla warfare. President Lyndon Johnson then issued this dignified, consolatory speech to encourage patriotism and support for the soldiers putting their lives on the line for the nation.

32. A Whisper of AIDS by Mary Fisher

“We may take refuge in our stereotypes, but we cannot hide there long, because HIV asks only one thing of those it attacks. Are you human? And this is the right question. Are you human? Because people with HIV have not entered some alien state of being. They are human. They have not earned cruelty, and they do not deserve meanness. They don’t benefit from being isolated or treated as outcasts. Each of them is exactly what God made: a person; not evil, deserving of our judgment; not victims, longing for our pity ­­ people, ready for  support and worthy of compassion. We must be consistent if we are to be believed. We cannot love justice and ignore prejudice, love our children and fear to teach them. Whatever our role as parent or policymaker, we must act as eloquently as we speak ­­ else we have no integrity. My call to the nation is a plea for awareness. If you believe you are safe, you are in danger. Because I was not hemophiliac, I was not at risk. Because I was not gay, I was not at risk. Because I did not inject drugs, I was not at risk. The lesson history teaches is this: If you believe you are safe, you are at risk. If you do not see this killer stalking your children, look again. There is no family or community, no race or religion, no place left in America that is safe. Until we genuinely embrace this message, we are a nation at risk.”

Back when AIDS research was still undeveloped, the stigma of contracting HIV was even more immense than it is today. A celebrated artist, author and speaker, Mary Fisher became an outspoken activist for those with HIV/AIDS, persuading people to extend compassion to the population with HIV instead of stigmatizing them – as injustice has a way of coming around to people eventually. Her bold act of speaking out for the community regardless of the way they contracted the disease, their sexual orientation or social group, was an influential move in advancing the human rights of those with HIV and spreading awareness on the discrimination they face.

33. Freedom from Fear by Aung San Suu Kyi

“The quintessential revolution is that of the spirit, born of an intellectual conviction of the need for change in those mental attitudes and values which shape the course of a nation’s development. A revolution which aims merely at changing official policies and institutions with a view to an improvement in material conditions has little chance of genuine success. Without a revolution of the spirit, the forces which produced the iniquities of the old order would continue to be operative, posing a constant threat to the process of reform and regeneration. It is not enough merely to call for freedom, democracy and human rights. There has to be a united determination to persevere in the struggle, to make sacrifices in the name of enduring truths, to resist the corrupting influences of desire, ill will, ignorance and fear. Saints, it has been said, are the sinners who go on trying. So free men are the oppressed who go on trying and who in the process make themselves fit to bear the responsibilities and to uphold the disciplines which will maintain a free society. Among the basic freedoms to which men aspire that their lives might be full and uncramped, freedom from fear stands out as both a means and an end. A people who would build a nation in which strong, democratic institutions are firmly established as a guarantee against state-induced power must first learn to liberate their own minds from apathy and fear.”

Famous for her resoluteness and fortitude in campaigning for democracy in Burma despite being put under house arrest by the military government, Aung San Suu Kyi’s speeches have been widely touted as inspirational. In this renowned speech of hers, she delivers a potent message to Burmese to ‘liberate their minds from apathy and fear’ in the struggle for freedom and human rights in the country. To this day, she continues to tirelessly champion the welfare and freedom of Burmese in a state still overcome by vestiges of authoritarian rule.

34. This Is Water by David Foster Wallace

“Our own present culture has harnessed these forces in ways that have yielded extraordinary wealth and comfort and personal freedom. The freedom all to be lords of our tiny skull-sized kingdoms, alone at the centre of all creation. This kind of freedom has much to recommend it. But of course there are all different kinds of freedom, and the kind that is most precious you will not hear much talk about much in the great outside world of wanting and achieving…. The really important kind of freedom involves attention and awareness and discipline, and being able truly to care about other people and to sacrifice for them over and over in myriad petty, unsexy ways every day. That is real freedom. That is being educated, and understanding how to think. The alternative is unconsciousness, the default setting, the rat race, the constant gnawing sense of having had, and lost, some infinite thing.”

Esteemed writer David Foster Wallace gave a remarkably casual yet wise commencement speech at Kenyon College in 2005 on the importance of learning to think beyond attaining a formal education. He encouraged hundreds of students to develop freedom of thought, a heart of sacrificial care for those in need of justice, and a consciousness that would serve them in discerning the right choices to make within a status quo that is easy to fall in line with. His captivating speech on what it meant to truly be ‘educated’ tugged at the hearts of many young and critical minds striving to achieve their dreams and change the world.

35. Questioning the Universe by Stephen Hawking

“This brings me to the last of the big questions: the future of the human race. If we are the only intelligent beings in the galaxy, we should make sure we survive and continue. But we are entering an increasingly dangerous period of our history. Our population and our use of the finite resources of planet Earth are growing exponentially, along with our technical ability to change the environment for good or ill. But our genetic code still carries the selfish and aggressive instincts that were of survival advantage in the past. It will be difficult enough to avoid disaster in the next hundred years, let alone the next thousand or million. Our only chance of long-term survival is not to remain inward-looking on planet Earth, but to spread out into space. The answers to these big questions show that we have made remarkable progress in the last hundred years. But if we want to continue beyond the next hundred years, our future is in space. That is why I am in favor of manned — or should I say, personned — space flight.”

Extraordinary theoretical physicist, cosmologist, and author Stephen Hawking was a considerable influence upon modern physics and scientific research at large, inspiring people regardless of physical ability to aspire towards expanding knowledge in the world. In his speech on Questioning the Universe, he speaks of the emerging currents and issues in the scientific world like that of outer space, raising and answering big questions that have stumped great thinkers for years.

36. 2008 Democratic National Convention Speech by Michelle Obama

“I stand here today at the crosscurrents of that history — knowing that my piece of the American dream is a blessing hard won by those who came before me. All of them driven by the same conviction that drove my dad to get up an hour early each day to painstakingly dress himself for work. The same conviction that drives the men and women I’ve met all across this country: People who work the day shift, kiss their kids goodnight, and head out for the night shift — without disappointment, without regret — that goodnight kiss a reminder of everything they’re working for. The military families who say grace each night with an empty seat at the table. The servicemen and women who love this country so much, they leave those they love most to defend it. The young people across America serving our communities — teaching children, cleaning up neighborhoods, caring for the least among us each and every day. People like Hillary Clinton, who put those 18 million cracks in the glass ceiling, so that our daughters — and sons — can dream a little bigger and aim a little higher. People like Joe Biden, who’s never forgotten where he came from and never stopped fighting for folks who work long hours and face long odds and need someone on their side again. All of us driven by a simple belief that the world as it is just won’t do — that we have an obligation to fight for the world as it should be. That is the thread that connects our hearts. That is the thread that runs through my journey and Barack’s journey and so many other improbable journeys that have brought us here tonight, where the current of history meets this new tide of hope. That is why I love this country.”

Ever the favourite modern First Lady of America, Michelle Obama has delivered an abundance of iconic speeches in her political capacity, never forgetting to foreground the indomitable human spirit embodied in American citizens’ everyday lives and efforts towards a better world. The Obamas might just have been the most articulate couple of rhetoricians of their time, making waves as the first African American president and First Lady while introducing important policies in their period of governance.

37. The Audacity of Hope by Barack Obama

“I’m not talking about blind optimism here — the almost willful ignorance that thinks unemployment will go away if we just don’t think about it, or the health care crisis will solve itself if we just ignore it. That’s not what I’m talking about. I’m talking about something more substantial. It’s the hope of slaves sitting around a fire singing freedom songs; the hope of immigrants setting out for distant shores; the hope of a young naval lieutenant bravely patrolling the Mekong Delta; the hope of a millworker’s son who dares to defy the odds; the hope of a skinny kid with a funny name who believes that America has a place for him, too. Hope — Hope in the face of difficulty. Hope in the face of uncertainty. The audacity of hope! In the end, that is God’s greatest gift to us, the bedrock of this nation. A belief in things not seen. A belief that there are better days ahead.”

Now published into a book, Barack Obama’s heart-capturing personal story of transformational hope was first delivered as a speech on the merits of patriotic optimism and determination put to the mission of concrete change. He has come to be known as one of the most favoured and inspiring presidents in American history, and arguably the most skilled orators ever.

38. “Be Your Own Story” by Toni Morrison

“But I’m not going to talk anymore about the future because I’m hesitant to describe or predict because I’m not even certain that it exists. That is to say, I’m not certain that somehow, perhaps, a burgeoning ménage a trois of political interests, corporate interests and military interests will not prevail and literally annihilate an inhabitable, humane future. Because I don’t think we can any longer rely on separation of powers, free speech, religious tolerance or unchallengeable civil liberties as a matter of course. That is, not while finite humans in the flux of time make decisions of infinite damage. Not while finite humans make infinite claims of virtue and unassailable power that are beyond their competence, if not their reach. So, no happy talk about the future. … Because the past is already in debt to the mismanaged present. And besides, contrary to what you may have heard or learned, the past is not done and it is not over, it’s still in process, which is another way of saying that when it’s critiqued, analyzed, it yields new information about itself. The past is already changing as it is being reexamined, as it is being listened to for deeper resonances. Actually it can be more liberating than any imagined future if you are willing to identify its evasions, its distortions, its lies, and are willing to unleash its secrets.”

Venerated author and professor Toni Morrison delivered an impressively articulate speech at Wellesley College in 2004 to new graduates, bucking the trend by discussing the importance of the past in informing current and future ways of living. With her brilliance and eloquence, she blew the crowd away and renewed in them the capacity for reflection upon using the past as a talisman to guide oneself along the journey of life.

39. Nobel Speech by Malala Yousafzai

“Dear brothers and sisters, the so-called world of adults may understand it, but we children don’t. Why is it that countries which we call “strong” are so powerful in creating wars but so weak in bringing peace? Why is it that giving guns is so easy but giving books is so hard? Why is it that making tanks is so easy, but building schools is so difficult? As we are living in the modern age, the 21st century and we all believe that nothing is impossible. We can reach the moon and maybe soon will land on Mars. Then, in this, the 21st century, we must be determined that our dream of quality education for all will also come true. So let us bring equality, justice and peace for all. Not just the politicians and the world leaders, we all need to contribute. Me. You. It is our duty. So we must work … and not wait. I call upon my fellow children to stand up around the world. Dear sisters and brothers, let us become the first generation to decide to be the last. The empty classrooms, the lost childhoods, wasted potential-let these things end with us.”

At a mere 16 years of age, Malala Yousafzai gave a speech on the severity of the state of human rights across the world, and wowed the world with her passion for justice at her tender age. She displayed tenacity and fearlessness speaking about her survival of an assassination attempt for her activism for gender equality in the field of education. A model of courage to us all, her speech remains an essential one in the fight for human rights in the 21st century.

40. Final Commencement Speech by Michelle Obama

“If you are a person of faith, know that religious diversity is a great American tradition, too. In fact, that’s why people first came to this country — to worship freely. And whether you are Muslim, Christian, Jewish, Hindu, Sikh — these religions are teaching our young people about justice, and compassion, and honesty. So I want our young people to continue to learn and practice those values with pride. You see, our glorious diversity — our diversities of faiths and colors and creeds — that is not a threat to who we are, it makes us who we are. So the young people here and the young people out there: Do not ever let anyone make you feel like you don’t matter, or like you don’t have a place in our American story — because you do. And you have a right to be exactly who you are. But I also want to be very clear: This right isn’t just handed to you. No, this right has to be earned every single day. You cannot take your freedoms for granted. Just like generations who have come before you, you have to do your part to preserve and protect those freedoms. … It is our fundamental belief in the power of hope that has allowed us to rise above the voices of doubt and division, of anger and fear that we have faced in our own lives and in the life of this country. Our hope that if we work hard enough and believe in ourselves, then we can be whatever we dream, regardless of the limitations that others may place on us. The hope that when people see us for who we truly are, maybe, just maybe they, too, will be inspired to rise to their best possible selves.”

Finally, we have yet another speech by Michelle Obama given in her final remarks as First Lady – a tear-inducing event for many Americans and even people around the world. In this emotional end to her political tenure, she gives an empowering, hopeful, expressive speech to young Americans, exhorting them to take hold of its future in all their diversity and work hard at being their best possible selves.

Amidst the bleak era of our current time with Trump as president of the USA, not only Michelle Obama, but all 40 of these amazing speeches can serve as sources of inspiration and hope to everyone – regardless of their identity or ambitions. After hearing these speeches, which one’s your favorite? Let us know in the comments below!

Article Written By: Kai Xin Koh

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137 leading scholars of American public address were asked to recommend speeches on the basis of social and political impact, and rhetorical artistry. See this news release about the top 100 speeches list for more information.

See also the Oxford University Press anthology by Lucas and Medhurst: Words of a Century: The Top 100 American Speeches, 1900-1999 .

• Rhetorical Question

Rhetorical Question Definition

What is a rhetorical question? Here’s a quick and simple definition:

A rhetorical question is a figure of speech in which a question is asked for a reason other than to get an answer—most commonly, it's asked to make a persuasive point. For example, if a person asks, "How many times do I have to tell you not to eat my dessert?" he or she does not want to know the exact number of times the request will need to be repeated. Rather, the speaker's goal is to emphasize his or her growing frustration and—ideally—change the dessert-thief's behavior.

Some additional key details about rhetorical questions:

• Rhetorical questions are also sometimes called erotema.
• Rhetorical questions are a type of figurative language —they are questions that have another layer of meaning on top of their literal meaning.
• Because rhetorical questions challenge the listener, raise doubt, and help emphasize ideas, they appear often in songs and speeches, as well as in literature.

How to Pronounce Rhetorical Question

Here's how to pronounce rhetorical question: reh- tor -ih-kuhl kwes -chun

Rhetorical Questions and Punctuation

A question is rhetorical if and only if its goal is to produce an effect on the listener, rather than to obtain information. In other words, a rhetorical question is not what we might call a "true" question in search of an answer. For this reason, many sources argue that rhetorical questions do not need to end in a traditional question mark. In the late 1500's, English printer Henry Denham actually designed a special question mark for rhetorical questions, which he referred to as a "percontation point." It looked like this: ⸮ (Here's a wikipedia article about Denham's percontation point and other forms of "irony punctuation.")

Though the percontation point has fallen out of use, modern writers do sometimes substitute a traditional question mark with a period or exclamation point after a rhetorical question. There is a lively debate as to whether this alternative punctuation is grammatically correct. Here are some guidelines to follow:

• In general, rhetorical questions do require a question mark.
• When a question is a request in disguise, you may use a period. For instance, it is ok to write: "Will you please turn your attention to the speaker." or "Can you please go to the back of the line."
• When a question is an exclamation in disguise, you may use an exclamation point. For instance, it is okay to write: "Were they ever surprised!"
• When asking a question emotionally, you may use an exclamation point. For instance, " Who could blame him!" and "How do you know that!" are both correct.

Rhetorical Questions vs. Hypophora

Rhetorical questions are easy to confuse with hypophora , a similar but fundamentally different figure of speech in which a speaker poses a question and then immediately answers it. Hypophora is frequently used in persuasive speaking because the speaker can pose and answer a question that the audience is likely to be wondering about, thereby making the thought processes of the speaker and the audience seem more aligned. For example, here is an example of hypophora used in a speech by Dwight Eisenhower:

When the enemy struck on that June day of 1950, what did America do? It did what it always has done in all its times of peril. It appealed to the heroism of its youth.

While Eisenhower asked this question without expecting an answer from his audience, this is an example of hypophora because he answered his own question. In a rhetorical question, by contrast, the answer would be implied in the question—to pose a rhetorical question, Eisenhower might have said instead, "When the enemy struck, who in their right mind would have done nothing to retaliate?"

Rhetorical Questions vs. Aporia

Rhetorical questions are also related to a figure of speech called aporia . Aporia is an expression of doubt that may be real, or which may be feigned for rhetorical effect. These expressions of doubt may or may not be made through the form of a question. When they are made through the form of a question, those questions are sometimes rhetorical.

Aporia and Rhetorical Questions

When someone is pretending doubt for rhetorical effect, and uses a question as part of that expression of doubt, then the question is rhetorical. For example, consider this quotation from an oration by the ancient Greek orator Demosthenes:

I am at no loss for information about you and your family; but I am at a loss where to begin. Shall I relate how your father Tromes was a slave in the house of Elpias, who kept an elementary school near the Temple of Theseus, and how he wore shackles on his legs and a timber collar round his neck? Or how your mother practised daylight nuptials in an outhouse next door to Heros the bone-setter, and so brought you up to act in tableaux vivants and to excel in minor parts on the stage?

The questions Demosthenes poses are examples of both aporia and rhetorical question, because Demosthenes is feigning doubt (by posing rhetorical questions) in order to cast insulting aspersions on the character of the person he's addressing.

Aporia Without Rhetorical Questions

If the expression of doubt is earnest, however, then the question is not rhetorical. An example of aporia that is not also a rhetorical question comes from the most famous excerpt of Shakespeare's Hamlet:

To be or not to be—that is the question. Whether ‘tis nobler in the mind to suffer The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, And by opposing end them?

While Hamlet asks this question without expecting an answer (he's alone when he asks it), he's not asking in order to persuade or make a point. It's a legitimate expression of doubt, which leads Hamlet into a philosophical debate about whether one should face the expected miseries of life or kill oneself and face the possible unknown terrors of death. It's therefore not a rhetorical question, because Hamlet asks the question as an opening to actually seek an answer to the question he is obsessing over.

Rhetorical Question Examples

Rhetorical question examples in literature.

Rhetorical questions are particularly common in plays, appearing frequently in both spoken dialogue between characters, and in monologues or soliloquies, where they allow the playwright to reveal a character's inner life.

Rhetorical Questions in Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice :

In his speech from Act 3, Scene 1 of Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice , Shylock uses rhetorical questions to point out the indisputable similarities between Jews and Christians, in such a way that any listener would find him impossible to contradict:

I am a Jew. Hath not a Jew eyes? Hath not a Jew hands, organs, dimensions, senses, affections, passions? fed with the same food, hurt with the same weapons, subject to the same diseases, healed by the same means, warmed and cooled by the same winter and summer, as a Christian is? If you prick us, do we not bleed? if you tickle us, do we not laugh? if you poison us, do we not die? and if you wrong us, shall we not revenge? If we are like you in the rest, we will resemble you in that. If a Jew wrong a Christian, what is his humility? Revenge. If a Christian wrong a Jew, what should his sufferance be by Christian example? Why, revenge. The villainy you teach me, I will execute, and it shall go hard but I will better the instruction.

Rhetorical questions in Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet :

In this soliloquy from Act 2, Scene 2 of Romeo and Juliet , Juliet poses a series of rhetorical questions as she struggles to grasp the difficult truth—that her beloved Romeo is a member of the Montague family:

Thou art thyself, though not a Montague. What's Montague? it is nor hand, nor foot, Nor arm, nor face, nor any other part Belonging to a man. O, be some other name! What's in a name? that which we call a rose By any other name would smell as sweet; So Romeo would, were he not Romeo call'd Retain that dear perfection which he owes Without that title. Romeo, doff thy name, And for that name which is no part of thee Take all myself.

Rhetorical Question Examples in Political Speeches

Rhetorical questions often "challenge" the listener to contradict what the speaker is saying. If the speaker frames the rhetorical question well, it gives the impression that his or her view is true and that it would be foolish, or even impossible, to contradict the speaker's argument. In other words, rhetorical questions are great for speeches.

Rhetorical Questions in Ronald Reagan's 1980 Republican National Convention Acceptance Address:

In this speech, Reagan uses a series of rhetorical questions—referred to as "stacked" rhetorical questions—to criticize the presidency of his predecessor and running opponent, Jimmy Carter:

Can anyone look at the record of this Administration and say, "Well done"? Can anyone compare the state of our economy when the Carter Administration took office with where we are today and say, "Keep up the good work"? Can anyone look at our reduced standing in the world today say, "Let's have four more years of this"?

Rhetorical Questions in Hillary Clinton's 2016 Democratic National Convention Speech:

In this portion of her speech, Clinton argues that her opponent Donald Trump is not temperamentally fit to become president:

A president should respect the men and women who risk their lives to serve our country—including Captain Khan and the sons of Tim Kaine and Mike Pence, both Marines. So just ask yourself: Do you really think Donald Trump has the temperament to be commander-in-chief?

Rhetorical Question Examples in Song Lyrics

Love has left even the best musicians of our time feeling lost, searching for meaning, and—as you might expect—full of rhetorical questions. Musicians such as Tina Turner, Jean Knight, and Stevie Wonder have all released hits structured around rhetorical questions, which allow them to powerfully express the joy, the pain, and the mystery of L-O-V-E.

Rhetorical Questions in "What's Love Got to do with It" by Tina Turner

What's love got to do, got to do with it What's love but a second hand emotion What's love got to do, got to do with it Who needs a heart when a heart can be broken

Rhetorical Questions in "Mr. Big Stuff" by Jean Knight

Now because you wear all those fancy clothes (oh yeah) And have a big fine car, oh yes you do now Do you think I can afford to give you my love (oh yeah) You think you're higher than every star above

Mr. Big Stuff Who do you think you are Mr. Big Stuff You're never gonna get my love

Rhetorical Questions in "Isn't She Lovely" by Stevie Wonder

Isn't she lovely Isn't she wonderful Isn't she precious Less than one minute old I never thought through love we'd be Making one as lovely as she But isn't she lovely made from love

Stevie Wonder wrote "Isn't She Lovely" to celebrate the birth of his daughter, Aisha. The title is a perfect example of a rhetorical question, because Wonder isn't seeking a second opinion here. Instead, the question is meant to convey the love and amazement he feels towards his daughter.

Why Do Writers Use Rhetorical Questions?

Authors, playwrights, speech writers and musicians use rhetorical questions for a variety of reasons:

• To challenge the listener
• To emphasize an idea
• To raise doubt
• To demonstrate that a previously asked question was obvious

The examples included in this guide to rhetorical questions have largely pointed to the persuasive power of rhetorical questions, and covered the way that they are used in arguments, both real and fictional. However, poets also frequently use rhetorical questions for their lyrical, expressive qualities. Take the poem below, "Danse Russe (Russian Dance)" by William Carlos Williams:

If when my wife is sleeping and the baby and Kathleen are sleeping and the sun is a flame-white disc in silken mists above shining trees,— if I in my north room dance naked, grotesquely before my mirror waving my shirt round my head and singing softly to myself: "I am lonely, lonely. I was born to be lonely. I am best so!" If I admire my arms, my face, my shoulders, flanks, buttocks against the yellow drawn shades,— Who shall say I am not the happy genius of my household?

The rhetorical question that concludes this poem has the effect of challenging the reader to doubt Williams' happiness—daring the listener to question this intimate, eccentric portrait of the poet's private world. By ending the poem in this way, Williams maintains a delicate balance. Throughout the poem, he draws the reader in and confides secrets of his interior life, but the question at the end is an almost defiant statement that he does not require the reader's approval. Rather, the reader—like the mirror—is simply there to witness his happy solitude.

Other Helpful Rhetorical Question Resources

• The Wikipedia Page on Rhetorical Questions: A general explanation with a variety of examples, as well as links to specific resources with punctuation rules.
• The Dictionary Definition of Rhetorical Question: A basic definition with some historical information.
• A detailed explanation of rhetorical questions , along with related figures of speech that involve questions.
• A video of Ronald Reagan's 1980 Republican National Convention Speech, in which he asks stacked rhetorical questions.
• An article listing the greatest rhetorical questions in the history of pop music.

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Literary Devices

Literary devices, terms, and elements, rhetorical question, definition of rhetorical question.

A rhetorical question is a question that is asked not to get an answer, but instead to emphasize a point. The word “rhetorical” signifies that the question is meant as a figure of speech. Though no answer is necessary for rhetorical questions, they are often used to elicit thought and understanding on the part of the listener or reader.

Rhetorical questions can work in several different ways, though the definition of rhetorical question remains the same. A rhetorical question may be intended as a challenge for which there is no answer or for which the answer is very difficult to come across. On the other hand, some rhetorical questions have such obvious answers that they are meant to emphasize how obvious the answer to a previous questions was. For example, if person A asked person B, “Are you going to John’s party?” and person B was definitely going, he might respond “Is rain wet?” Rhetorical questions can also raise doubt, such as in, “All was calm. Or was it?”

Common Examples of Rhetorical Question

There are many examples of rhetorical questions in famous speeches. Orators often use rhetorical questions to emphasize an important point or to prompt listeners to imagine the answer. One of the most famous examples of this strategy is from Sojourner Truth’s speech “Ain’t I a woman?”:

That man over there says that women need to be helped into carriages, and lifted over ditches, and to have the best place everywhere. Nobody ever helps me into carriages, or over mud-puddles, or gives me any best place! And ain’t I a woman? Look at me! Look at my arm! I have ploughed and planted, and gathered into barns, and no man could head me! And ain’t I a woman? I could work as much and eat as much as a man – when I could get it – and bear the lash as well! And ain’t I a woman? I have borne thirteen children, and seen most all sold off to slavery, and when I cried out with my mother’s grief, none but Jesus heard me! And ain’t I a woman?

–Sojourner Truth, speech delivered at 1851 Women’s Convention in Akron, Ohio

Rhetorical questions can also be used humorously. The character of Chandler on the TV show Friends often used rhetorical questions as his main source of humor:

Rachel: Guess what, guess what? Chandler: Let’s see, the fifth dentist caved, now they all recommend trident?

Joey (making fun of Chandler): I’m Chandler. Could I BE wearing any more clothes?

We also use rhetorical questions in common speech, such as the following statements:

• Sure, why not?
• Does it look like I care?
• Are you kidding me?
• Do birds fly?
• Is the sky blue?

Significance of Rhetorical Question in Literature

When used in literature, rhetorical questions may signify that a character is having a dialogue with himself or herself, and considering different options. In the famous speech from Shakespeare’s Hamlet , Hamlet begins “To be or not to be – that is the question.” In this case, Hamlet is sincerely weighing the benefits and costs of staying alive. (Note that not all rhetorical questions end with a question mark, as in this case). Rhetorical questions may also prompt the reader to further consider different theoretical possibilities, such as in Example #4 below.

Examples of Rhetorical Question in Literature

JULIET: Tis but thy name that is my enemy; Thou art thyself, though not a Montague. What’s Montague? it is nor hand, nor foot, Nor arm, nor face, nor any other part Belonging to a man. O, be some other name! What’s in a name? that which we call a rose By any other name would smell as sweet… ( Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare)

Shakespeare used many rhetorical questions in his plays and poems. In these rhetorical question examples, Juliet wonders aloud the meaning of a name. She is not asking for an answer, but instead emphasizing the frustration she has that it is only a name that separates her from her greatest love.

Yossarian attended the education sessions because he wanted to find out why so many people were working so hard to kill him. A handful of other men were also interested, and the questions were many and good when Clevinger and the subversive corporal finished and made the mistake of asking if there were any. “Who is Spain?” “Why is Hitler?” “When is right?”

( Catch-22 by Joseph Heller)

This example of rhetorical question is meant to highlight the absurdity of war. The character of Clevinger asks if there are any questions, and the soldiers in Yossarian’s troop ask questions for which there are no answers. They do this to irritate the men who are higher in command, but also to bring attention to the fact that nothing ever really makes sense during wartime, and the reality of their lives is just as absurd as their questions.

`Take some more tea,’ the March Hare said to Alice, very earnestly. `I’ve had nothing yet,’ Alice replied in an offended tone, `so I can’t take more.’ `You mean you can’t take  less ,’ said the Hatter: `it’s very easy to take  more  than nothing.’ `Nobody asked  your  opinion,’ said Alice. `Who’s making personal remarks now?’ the Hatter asked triumphantly.

( Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll)

Lewis Carroll used many rhetorical devices in Alice in Wonderland , especially when Alice encounters the Mad Hatter. In this rhetorical question example, the Mad Hatter says “Who’s making personal remarks now?” to insinuate that Alice is being the rude one of the group.

What happens to a dream deferred?   Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun? Or fester like a sore— And then run? Does it stink like rotten meat? Or crust and sugar over— like a syrupy sweet?   Maybe it just sags like a heavy load.   Or does it explode?

(“Harlem” by Langston Hughes)

The many rhetorical questions in Langston Hughes’s poem “Harlem” ultimately ask the reader to consider the possible implications of the primary question—“what happens to a dream deferred?” The reader may consider dreams deferred in his or her own life and compare the different metaphors with their own experiences.

That spring, in the bustle of grooming and riding and shoeing, I remember I let him go to a neighbor I thought was a friend, and the following   fall she sold him down the river. Oh Jack, tethered in what rough stall alone did you remember that one good winter?

(“Jack” by Maxine Kumin)

Maxine Kumin’s poem “Jack” concerns a horse she once owned. The poem describes a winter in which Jack, the horse, had everything he could want—warm stables, plenty of food. The final line of the poem in which Kumin asks, “did you remember that one good winter?” is tragic in that it shows her grief and remorse for letting him go. She is asking this question only to try to bring comfort to herself.

Test Your Knowledge of Rhetorical Question

1. Which of the following statements is the best rhetorical question definition? A. A figure of speech for which no answer is necessary. B. A falsehood meant to confuse the reader or listener. C. A question for which there are numerous answers.

What is the function of the following rhetorical question from Shakespeare’s “ Sonnet 18”?

Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day? Thou art more lovely and more temperate.

A. Shakespeare wasn’t sure if a summer’s day was an appropriate comparison , and wanted validation that it would be a good metaphor . B. This first line of the sonnet proposes a possible metaphor for the author’s beloved, and the rest of the sonnet carries out the implications of this possibility. C. The lover described in the poem is so clearly the opposite of a summer day that the comparison is laughable.

3. Which of the questions in this dialogue from Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland is a rhetorical question?

What did they draw?’ said Alice, quite forgetting her promise. `Treacle,’ said the Dormouse, without considering at all this time. Alice did not wish to offend the Dormouse again, so she began very cautiously: `But I don’t understand. Where did they draw the treacle from?’ `You can draw water out of a water-well,’ said the Hatter; `so I should think you could draw treacle out of a treacle-well—eh, stupid?’

A. “What did they draw?” B. “Where did they draw the treacle from?” C. “Eh, stupid?”

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How to use Rhetorical Questions in your Speech, with Examples

April 5, 2018 - Gini Beqiri

Rhetorical questions can be used as an effective communication tool during a speech. These questions provide you with a way of controlling the speech and thoughts of the audience.

They are especially useful in engaging the audience and  persuading them  to agree with you. In this article we discuss how to use rhetorical questions in a speech or presentation.

What is a rhetorical question?

A rhetorical question can be “an effective persuasive device, subtly influencing the kind of response one wants to get from an audience” – (Edward P.J. Corbett)

A rhetorical question is a question that’s asked for effect with no answer expected. The answer may be immediately provided by the questioner or obvious.

• The question may have an obvious answer
• The question may not have an answer
• The question may be answered immediately by the questioner

Examples of rhetorical questions

General examples.

Rhetorical questions with obvious answers are asked about well-known facts, or the answer is suggested based on the question’s context. They are used to emphasises an idea or point:

• Are you kidding me?
• Can birds fly?
• Is the Pope catholic?

Rhetorical questions which have no answers:

• What’s the meaning of life?
• How many times do I have to tell you not to…?

Examples from Obama and Shakespeare

President Obama’s immigration address

Ever since the  5th century BC , orators have put their points across by asking rhetorical questions whose implied answers clearly support their point. This rhetorical passage comes from Obama’s immigration speech:

“Are we a nation that tolerates the hypocrisy of a system where workers who pick our fruit and make our beds never have a chance to get right with the law? Are we a nation that accepts the cruelty of ripping children from their parents’ arms? Or are we a nation that values families, and works to keep them together?” –  Obama’s Immigration Address

William Shakespeare

Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day? – Sonnet 18

If you prick us, do we not bleed? If you tickle us, do we not laugh? If you poison us, do we not die? And if you wrong us, shall we not revenge? – The Merchant of Venice

Mighty Caesar! Dost thou lie so low? Are all thy conquests, glories, triumphs, spoils, shrunk to this little measure? – Julius Caesar

Benefits of rhetorical questions

Rhetorical questions are not a necessity but they can be valuable. They can be used in many different ways to:

• Engage the audience
• Increase the variety of your presentation
• Influence and persuade the audience
• Subtly draw attention and emphasise specific points
• Introduce topics/ideas
• Make the listeners think about certain topics

How to use rhetorical questions in a speech

1. engage the audience.

Ask a rhetorical question to engage the audience and pause to allow them to think of an answer. This gets the audience to  actively participate  rather than passively listen as they create hypotheses or resolutions.

For example: asking “Why is practicing mindfulness beneficial for reducing anxiety?” would be more effective than saying “Practicing mindfulness exercises can reduce anxiety levels because…”

Speakers may start presentations with rhetorical questions to increase the likelihood of the audience staying engaged.

2. Personalise your questions

Make the audience feel as though you are speaking to each member individually by using “you” and “your.”

For example: asking “Do you want to lose weight without feeling hungry?” would be more effective than asking “Does anyone here want to lost weight without feeling hungry?”

3. Persuade the audience

To get your audience to agree with you, ask a rhetorical question where the answer is clearly a “yes”. Once the audience begins agreeing with you they are more likely to continue agreeing. You will be familiar with this type of persuasion in casual conversation, for example, “Nice weather today, isn’t it?”

Another way to get the audience to agree with you is to show them that you’re similar. Show your listeners that you have shared experiences and that you understand their problems.

For example, “We’ve all experienced being so stressed at work that we come home and don’t feel like doing anything, haven’t we?”

4. Evoke emotions

Make the audience feel the same way you do about something by asking questions that trigger emotional reactions.

For example, rather than saying “X has never helped our community” ask “What has X ever done for our community?” This will trigger a strong  emotional response  because the audience will come to that conclusion that “X haven’t done anything.”

5. Emphasise a statement

After a statement has been made use a rhetorical question to get the audience to think about that statement.

For example, “The amount of plastic in the ocean is rising at a considerable rate. How much damage will it take for you to help reduce this?”

6. Predict the audiences questions

Think about your topic and audience when planning your speech. Try to predict what the audience may want to ask. In your speech use the predictions as rhetorical questions and answer them.

For example, “As a dog owner you may think ‘What should I be focusing on to keep my dog healthy?’ The answer is providing your dog with the correct nutrition and therefore food.”

You could also introduce one or more rhetorical questions at the  start of your speech  and explain that you will answer them during your speech. For example: “In the next 20 minutes let’s explore the answers to these questions.” Asking these difficult questions and promising you will provide the answers will increase interest and attention.

7. Answer questions with questions

Answer a question, either an audience member’s or your own, using another rhetorical question. Generally both the questions have the same answer.

For example: “Have we met the targets again this year? Is the Pope Catholic?”

Try to make the second question unique and relatable to the audience because common examples can sound cheesy.

8. Consecutive rhetorical questions

– Increase the impact of your argument

Ask multiple rhetorical questions consecutively – each one more specific or more powerful than the previous. This way your content will have a greater impact on the listeners.

For example: “Isn’t their skin lovely? Don’t you think it looks really clear? Can you see any blemishes? Wouldn’t you like to have skin like that?”

– Show conflicting opinions

Use rhetorical questions consecutively to highlight the complexity of a topic by asking questions in which the answers provide conflicting viewpoints.

For example: “How can we reduce the crime rate in the UK? Should we rehabilitate offenders? Should criminals be punished with longer sentences? Should we create initiatives targeting at-risk children?” etc

If you start your speech with this technique, you can  structure your speech  or presentation around it, with each section addressing a different viewpoint.

– Show supporting opinions

You can also consecutively ask questions in which the answers provide similar viewpoints. This is similar to repetition which is used to continually highlight an important point.

For example: “Which company achieves over 90% in customer satisfaction? Which company provides one of the best employee benefits programs in the country? Which company scores highest in employee happiness and fulfilment? Of course, our company does!”

Rhetorical questions are an effective way to gain the support of the audience but ensure that you do your research beforehand. This means finding out  who your audience are , such as, their general views, attitudes, age etc. With this information you can plan rhetorical questions that will be appropriate and tailored to your listeners.

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What are Rhetorical Questions? A Deep Dive into Their Meaning and Significance. This article provides readers with a comprehensive toolkit for creating questions that resonate with an audience, leaving a lasting impact and influencing their perception.

Rhetorical questions are like special questions in how we talk and write. They don’t need answers, but they make you think or underline a point. You see them a lot in everyday talk, big speeches, ads, and in books. They’re like bridges that connect the person talking or writing with the people listening.

So, what are rhetorical questions? Why are they important? Well, they’re everywhere, so that shows they matter. They help share ideas, whether you’re talking to a big audience or just chatting with friends.

Rhetorical questions are like tools for talking and writing. They make sure people really understand the message. They’re not just for one kind of talk; you can use them in school, at work, or in regular conversations.

Rhetorical questions are like magic because they make you think. They get your brain going and help you understand things better. So, next time you hear one, know it’s not just a question – it’s a way to keep our conversations and thoughts moving.

Table of Contents

What are rhetorical questions and their characteristics?

What are rhetorical questions? Rhetorical questions are like a special type of question. Unlike regular questions that expect answers, rhetorical questions are more like statements in disguise. They’re here to get you thinking, not to hear your response. These questions don’t follow the typical question rules; instead, they’re like a secret weapon for writers and speakers to pack a punch with their ideas.

Rhetorical questions have some special features that make them stand out. They’re like little brain teasers, making you ponder and sparking your thoughts. They often use fancy language tricks like metaphors, exaggeration, or wordplay to make a big impact. For example, when someone asks, “Is the sky blue?” to point out the obvious, they’re using a rhetorical question.

History and origin: What are rhetorical questions?

Rhetorical questions have been around for ages, all the way back to ancient Greece. In those days, people really admired the skill of convincing and public speaking. Wise folks like Aristotle and Plato, famous Greek philosophers, used rhetorical questions in their talks. These questions helped them catch the attention of their listeners and make their arguments strong.

But rhetorical questions didn’t stop there. They found their way into all sorts of communication. They were used in religious sermons, political speeches, and even in the writings of famous authors like William Shakespeare. The fact that they’ve been around for so long shows just how powerful and persuasive they can be.

What are the rhetorical questions’ variations and forms?

Rhetorical questions come in all sorts of variations and forms. They can be sly or right out in the open, serious or funny, and sometimes they really make you think. What are rhetorical questions? Here are a few common types:

1. Hypophora:

2. rhetorical exclamatory questions:, 3. rhetorical tag questions:.

This is when a question is asked, and then the answer is given right away. It’s like a question and a follow-up response all in one. For example, “How can we overcome adversity? The answer lies in our resilience and determination.”

These questions are a mix of rhetorical questions and exclamations. They often express strong feelings or amazement. For instance, “Could you believe the incredible beauty of the sunset?”

These questions are used to seek agreement or confirmation, but the person asking them doesn’t expect a direct answer. For example, “It’s a beautiful day, isn’t it?”

These different flavors of rhetorical questions give communicators a whole toolbox to work with. They help connect with the audience in various ways, making communication more effective and engaging.

What are rhetorical questions’ functions?

Rhetorical questions play a unique role in our conversations and writing. By understanding their role, you can become a more effective communicator in a wide range of contexts. What are rhetorical questions? Here are the various functions of rhetorical questions:

• Engaging the audience:
• Stating a point:
• Challenging assumptions:
• Creating a sense of agreement:
• Capturing attention:
• Aiding recall:
• Stirring emotions:
• Enhancing engagement:
• Repetition:
• Antithesis:

A. Persuasion and argumentation

Rhetorical questions serve as powerful tools for persuasion and argumentation. When used strategically, they can influence the beliefs, opinions, and decisions of an audience. Here’s how:

1. Engaging the audience:

Rhetorical questions invite the audience to actively think about a topic. For example, “Can we afford to ignore the urgent need for change?” This question prompts the audience to consider the consequences of inaction, making them more receptive to the speaker’s viewpoint.

2. Stating a point:

Rhetorical questions can be a subtle way to make a point without coming across as confrontational. For instance, “Is it wise to continue down this unsustainable path?” The question implies that the current path is unwise, without directly stating it.

3. Challenging assumptions:

By posing rhetorical questions, speakers or writers can challenge the audience’s assumptions. For example, “Are we really as secure as we believe?” This question prompts the audience to reevaluate their sense of security, opening them to a new perspective.

4. Creating a sense of agreement:

Rhetorical questions can be used to seek agreement from the audience. When a speaker asks, “Don’t we all want a better future?” They are rallying the audience around a shared ideal.

In persuasive contexts, rhetorical questions can sway opinions, inspire action, and strengthen arguments.  They do this by encouraging the audience to see things from the speaker’s viewpoint.

B. Emphasis and engagement

Rhetorical questions are masters of emphasis and engagement, often used to grab attention and hold it. Here’s how they achieve this:

1. Capturing attention:

Rhetorical questions pique the audience’s interest. They disrupt the ordinary flow of information and encourage the audience to focus on the question, preparing them for what comes next.

2. Aiding recall:

Because rhetorical questions prompt the audience to think actively, the information presented following the question is more likely to be remembered. This aids in the retention of key messages.

3. Stirring emotions:

Rhetorical questions can evoke strong emotional responses. They can make the audience feel a sense of urgency, wonder, or empathy. For example, “What if you had the power to change someone’s life?” This question tugs at the heartstrings, creating an emotional connection.

4. Enhancing engagement:

Rhetorical questions engage the audience as active participants in the communication process. This is especially valuable in education, encouraging critical thinking and participation.

In sum, rhetorical questions are essential for holding the audience’s attention. They evoke emotions and emphasize key points, making them a valuable tool in various forms of communication.

C. Rhetorical devices and figures of speech

What are rhetorical questions? Rhetorical questions are intertwined with various rhetorical devices and figures of speech. These devices add depth and artistry to the use of rhetorical questions. Let’s explore a few key examples:

1. Metaphor:

Rhetorical questions often employ metaphors to convey complex ideas. “Is life but a fleeting moment in the grand tapestry of time?” This question uses the metaphor of life as a moment and time as a tapestry to provoke contemplation.

2. Repetition:

Repeated rhetorical questions can have a powerful effect. “Can we change? Can we improve? Can we make a difference?” This repetition reinforces the message and emphasizes the importance of change.

3. Antithesis:

Antithesis involves presenting contrasting ideas. Rhetorical questions can be used to set up antithesis, like, “Do we choose to stand still, or do we dare to move forward?” This contrast encourages the audience to consider both sides of the argument.

4. Hyperbole:

Rhetorical questions sometimes employ exaggeration for effect. “Could that be any more obvious?” This hyperbolic question makes a point by emphasizing the blatant nature of the situation.

Examples: What are rhetorical questions?

You might be wondering, “What are these rhetorical questions all about?” Well, they’re questions that don’t need real answers. They’re used to make a point or get you thinking. Let’s see how they work in real life, from famous speeches to everyday talk.

• Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” Speech:
• Shakespeare’s Hamlet:
• Patrick Henry’s “Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death” Speech:
• When expressing surprise:
• When offering compliments:
• When seeking agreement:
• In parenting:
• Bounty Paper Towels:

A. From famous speeches and literature

Rhetorical questions have made their mark in famous speeches and literature throughout history. Here, we explore how renowned figures have harnessed the power of rhetorical questions to engage, persuade, and inspire:

1. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” Speech:

In his 1963 speech, Dr. King asked rhetorical questions challenging the status quo and envisioning a fairer society.” Is the American dream an elusive fantasy for some and a harsh reality for others?” These questions highlighted African-American injustices and envisioned a more inclusive future.

2. Shakespeare’s Hamlet:

Shakespeare often used rhetorical questions to explore his characters’ inner thoughts. In “Hamlet,” the titular character muses, “To be or not to be, that is the question.” This profound question encapsulates Hamlet’s contemplation of life, death, and the human condition.

3. Patrick Henry’s “Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death” Speech:

Delivered in 1775, Henry’s speech was a rallying cry for American independence. He asked, “Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery?” These questions challenged the audience to consider the true cost of submission to British rule.

B. In everyday conversation

Rhetorical questions aren’t just for fancy speeches. We use them in everyday talk to show surprise, give compliments, ask for agreement, or teach.

1. When expressing surprise:

“Could it be any colder today?” This question shows we’re shocked by the freezing weather.

2. When offering compliments:

“Is there anything you can’t do?” This is a way of saying someone is super talented.

3. When seeking agreement:

“Don’t we all want a better life?” This question brings people together by talking about shared goals.

4. In parenting:

Parents use rhetorical questions to teach. “What happens when you don’t finish your homework on time?” It makes kids think about the consequences.

C. In advertising and marketing

Have you ever seen a catchy ad or slogan that made you think? Well, that’s the magic of rhetorical questions in marketing.

Nike’s famous slogan, “Just do it,” is a rhetorical question. It challenges consumers to question their own hesitations and inspires them to take action.

“Think Different.” This tagline poses a rhetorical question, prompting consumers to ponder the benefits of Apple products. It also encourages them to think about individuality and creativity.

3. Bounty Paper Towels:

“Why use ordinary paper towels when you can have the quicker picker-upper?” This question emphasizes Bounty’s paper towels’ benefits, making consumers ponder their superior qualities.

These questions make us curious and get us thinking about the product.

The psychology of rhetorical questions

What are rhetorical questions? Ever wonder why these questions grab our attention? It’s because they work with how our brains think. Let’s explore why they’re so powerful.

• Engaging critical thinking:
• Highlighting key points:
• Retaining information:
• Guiding the audience:
• Creating empathy:
• Eliciting emotional responses:
• Fostering engagement:
• Encouraging critical thinking:
• Stimulating class participation:
• Enhancing memory:
• Improving communication:

A. Cognitive processes and impact on the audience

Rhetorical questions are not just linguistic tools; they have a profound impact on the way our minds work. Let’s learn cognitive processes and how rhetorical questions influence the audience’s thinking:

1. Engaging critical thinking:

Rhetorical questions make us think. When we hear one, our brains look for answers, which helps us think critically.

2. Highlighting key points:

These questions point out important stuff. For example, “What are the consequences of climate change?” makes us focus on how serious climate change is.

3. Retaining information:

When we hear a rhetorical question, we remember the info that comes after it better. This is useful for learning new things.

4. Guiding the audience:

Rhetorical questions guide our thoughts. For instance, “Can we afford to ignore the urgent need for change?” helps us think about how important it is to make a change.

B. Emotional appeal and connection

Rhetorical questions can evoke emotions and establish connections with the audience. Here’s how they accomplish this:

1. Creating empathy:

Rhetorical questions get us involved in the conversation. For example, “Have you ever experienced the feeling of loss?” makes us feel the speaker understands us.

2. Eliciting emotional responses:

By their very nature, rhetorical questions can prompt strong emotional reactions. They can be used to spark feelings of empathy, sadness, wonder, or even anger.  However, it depends on the context and content of the question.

3. Fostering engagement:

Rhetorical questions don’t just make us think. They also make us feel. This gets us more interested in the message, and we’re more likely to remember it.

C. Rhetorical questions in education and learning

Rhetorical questions aren’t just for speeches and ads. They’re also used in classrooms to help students learn better.

1. Encouraging critical thinking:

Teachers use rhetorical questions to make students think and analyze things. For example, “What do you think will happen if we change this variable in the experiment?”

2. Stimulating class participation:

Rhetorical questions can make learning fun. When a teacher asks one, it gets students talking and learning together.

3. Enhancing memory:

Rhetorical questions help us remember stuff. This is super helpful for students because they can remember what they learn.

4. Improving communication:

Learning how to use rhetorical questions helps students talk and write better. It’s not just for school; it helps in other parts of life, too!

The psychology behind rhetorical questions shows us how they make us think, feel, and learn in different ways. Whether it’s a big speech, a classroom, or an ad, these questions make a big impact.

Common misconceptions: What are rhetorical questions?

There are some things people get mixed up about rhetorical questions. Let’s clear these up so you can understand them better.

• Response expectation:
• Interrogative structure:
• Loss of impact:
• Insincerity:
• Context matters:
• Cultural differences:
• Linguistic nuances:
• Translation challenges:

A. Rhetorical questions vs. literal questions

People sometimes mix up rhetorical questions with regular ones. Let’s see how they’re different:

1. Purpose:

Regular questions are meant to get answers. Rhetorical questions aren’t looking for answers; they’re making a point or getting us thinking.

2. Response expectation:

When someone asks a regular question like “What time is it?” They want a real answer, like “It’s 3:30.” But with a rhetorical question like “Is this the best you can do?” they don’t want an answer; they’re showing something could be better.

3. Interrogative structure:

Regular questions follow the usual rules, like using question words (who, what, where, when, why). Rhetorical questions often break those rules.

Understanding this difference helps us communicate better. Mixing up rhetorical questions with real ones can cause confusion.

B. Effectiveness and overuse

Rhetorical questions are great, but they lose their power if we use them too much.

1. Loss of impact:

When we use these questions too often, they become less exciting. Imagine if a whole speech was just one question after another. It would get boring, right?

2. Insincerity:

If we use too many rhetorical questions, it might seem like we’re not being honest or we’re trying to trick someone. We don’t want that!

3. Context matters:

Rhetorical questions work best when they fit the situation. In some cases, a simple statement might be better than a question. We should use these questions thoughtfully.

C. Cultural and linguistic variations

The use and understanding of rhetorical questions can vary across cultures and languages. It’s important to recognize this. Common misconceptions in this regard include:

1. Cultural differences:

What is considered persuasive or engaging in one culture might not be so in another? The way rhetorical questions are received and their cultural appropriateness can vary significantly.

2. Linguistic nuances:

Different languages may have their own nuances when it comes to rhetorical questions. Some languages use it more, while others prefer direct expression.

3. Translation challenges:

Translating unanswerable questions between languages can be challenging. This happens because the question might not have the same effect in another language due to language and cultural differences.

It’s important to understand and respect these differences. In a world where we communicate with many cultures and languages, it’s a reminder that good communication is about more than just words. You need to get the culture and language context right to communicate well.

How to use rhetorical questions effectively?

What are rhetorical questions? Are you looking to employ rhetorical questions to enhance your communication skills? In this section, we’ll provide practical guidance on using rhetorical questions effectively.

• Know your purpose:
• Clarity and simplicity:
• Consider your audience:
• Use varied forms:
• Timing matters:
• Visual and auditory impact:
• Prior knowledge:
• Interests and values:
• Age and education level:
• Cultural sensitivity:
• Metaphor and Simile:
• Parallelism:

A. Tips for writers and speakers

Follow these tips for writers and speakers to wield rhetorical questions effectively.

1. Know your purpose:

Clearly define the purpose of your rhetorical question. Are you aiming to engage, persuade, or emphasize a point? Your intent should guide the crafting of the question.

2. Clarity and simplicity:

Keep your rhetorical questions clear and simple. Complex questions can confuse the audience and dilute the impact. Choose words and structures that are easily understood.

3. Consider your audience:

Tailor your questions to your audience’s knowledge, interests, and expectations. Avoid questions that might alienate or confuse them.

4. Use varied forms:

Experiment with different forms of rhetorical questions. Consider hypophora (posing a question and then answering it), rhetorical tag questions (inviting agreement), and exclamatory questions (conveying strong emotions).

5. Timing matters:

Think about the timing of your rhetorical questions. Place them strategically within your speech or text to maximize their effect. A well-timed question can captivate the audience’s attention.

6. Visual and auditory impact:

Use vocal and physical cues to accentuate your rhetorical questions. Adjust your tone, volume, and body language to draw attention to the question.

B. Tailoring rhetorical questions to the audience

Adapting your rhetorical questions is crucial for effective communication. Here’s how to do it:

1. Prior knowledge:

Consider what your audience already knows about the topic. Align questions with your audience’s understanding and guide them to more complex ideas.

2. Interests and values:

Reflect on the interests and values of your audience. Craft questions that resonate with their concerns and priorities. This demonstrates that you understand and empathize with their perspective.

3. Age and education level:

Adjust question complexity based on your audience’s age and education. Use straightforward language for a general audience and intricate questions for experts.

4. Cultural sensitivity:

Be aware of cultural nuances. Certain cultural contexts may require more sensitivity in topic and question choice.. Respect and adapt to these variations.

C. Balancing rhetorical questions with other rhetorical techniques

Rhetorical questions, when combined with other techniques, boost their persuasive power.

1. Anaphora:

Anaphora repeats a word or phrase at the start of sentences. Combining rhetorical questions with anaphora can create a rhythmic and persuasive effect. For instance, “What can we do? What can we change? What can we achieve?”

2. Metaphor and Simile:

Use metaphors and similes alongside rhetorical questions to illustrate your point. For example, “Just as a ship needs a strong captain, do we not need a strong leader in our journey forward?”

3. Parallelism:

Employ parallel sentence structures with rhetorical questions for symmetry and impact. “Are we ready to act? Are we ready to commit? Are we ready to make a difference?”

4. Allusion:

Balancing rhetorical questions with other techniques creates a well-rounded, persuasive message. Each technique enhances engagement and impact, making your message more effective.

Ethical considerations: What are rhetorical questions?

While rhetorical questions can be a valuable tool for communication, there are ethical considerations to keep in mind. Not all situations are suitable for their use, and understanding these considerations is crucial to using rhetorical questions responsibly.

• Transparency:
• Balanced presentation:
• Respect for diverse perspectives:
• Fact-checking:
• Personal integrity:
• Honesty in intention:
• Ethical boundaries:
• Advertising and marketing:
• Public speaking and politics:
• Media and journalism:

A. Avoiding manipulation and deceit

In rhetoric and persuasion, using rhetorical questions effectively balances impact and manipulation. Here’s how to avoid crossing that line:

1. Transparency:

Be transparent about your intentions when using rhetorical questions. If your question is meant to persuade, inform your audience of your perspective. Avoid posing questions solely to manipulate their emotions or opinions.

2. Balanced presentation:

Present a balanced view of the topic at hand. Also, avoid simplifying complex topics with rhetorical questions. Moreover, you should not manipulate the narrative to serve your agenda.

3. Respect for diverse perspectives:

Acknowledge that there may be multiple valid viewpoints on a subject. Avoid using rhetorical questions to belittle or dismiss opposing opinions. Foster respectful and open dialogue instead.

4. Fact-checking:

Make sure your rhetorical questions rely on accurate info. Misrepresenting facts or using false premises can lead to deceit.

B. Maintaining authenticity and honesty

Authenticity and honesty should underpin the use of rhetorical questions:

1. Personal integrity:

Use rhetorical questions that align with your values and beliefs. Avoid employing questions that compromise your personal integrity or authenticity.

2. Honesty in intention:

Reflect on the actual purpose of your rhetorical questions. Do they provoke real thought or just deceive? Ensure your intent is honest.

3. Ethical boundaries:

Recognize the ethical boundaries in various contexts. Consider consequences and prioritize honesty and authenticity in interactions.

C. Ethical guidelines for using rhetorical questions in various contexts

Different contexts may require different ethical considerations when using rhetorical questions:

1. Education:

In educational settings, rhetorical questions can be used to stimulate critical thinking. However, educators must ask unbiased questions. These questions should encourage open discussion, not impose a specific viewpoint.

2. Advertising and marketing:

Ethical advertising and marketing aim to inform and persuade consumers honestly. Rhetorical questions engage but should not deceive. Adhering to advertising standards and being transparent about product claims is essential.

3. Public speaking and politics:

In public discourse, rhetorical questions often appear in speeches and politics. Public figures should use them sincerely, avoiding deception or emotional exploitation.

4. Media and journalism:

Journalists must use rhetorical questions responsibly in news reporting. These questions should make readers think but not manipulate the news.

No matter where you use them, you need to be ethical. Ethical use of rhetorical questions involves open, honest, and respectful discussions.

Following these ethical guidelines allows communicators to use rhetorical questions while maintaining integrity.

Whether you’re a student learning rhetoric or a professional enhancing persuasive skills, understanding ‘what is a rhetorical question’ boosts your language and discourse proficiency.

These questions influence, engage, evoke emotions, encourage critical thinking, and simplify complex ideas. Mastering rhetorical questions shape narratives, inspires action, and leaves a lasting impact.

Study famous speeches, literature, or ads to see how they use rhetorical questions. Practice crafting your own, adapting them to contexts and audiences, and refine your technique.

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Analyzing Famous Speeches as Arguments

• Resources & Preparation
• Instructional Plan
• Related Resources

Traditionally, teachers have encouraged students to engage with and interpret literature—novels, poems, short stories, and plays. Too often, however, the spoken word is left unanalyzed, even though the spoken word has the potential to alter our space just as much than the written. After gaining skill through analyzing a historic and contemporary speech as a class, students will select a famous speech from a list compiled from several resources and write an essay that identifies and explains the rhetorical strategies that the author deliberately chose while crafting the text to make an effective argument. Their analysis will consider questions such as What makes the speech an argument?, How did the author's rhetoric evoke a response from the audience?, and Why are the words still venerated today?

Featured Resources

From theory to practice.

Nearly everything we read and hear is an argument. Speeches are special kinds of arguments and should be analyzed as such. Listeners should keep in mind the context of the situation involving the delivery and the audience-but a keen observer should also pay close attention to the elements of argument within the text. This assignment requires students to look for those elements.

"Since rhetoric is the art of effective communication, its principles can be applied to many facets of everyday life" (Lamb 109). It's through this lesson that students are allowed to see how politicians and leaders manipulate and influence their audiences using specific rhetorical devices in a manner that's so effective that the speeches are revered even today. It's important that we keep showing our students how powerful language can be when it's carefully crafted and arranged.

Further Reading

Common Core Standards

This resource has been aligned to the Common Core State Standards for states in which they have been adopted. If a state does not appear in the drop-down, CCSS alignments are forthcoming.

State Standards

This lesson has been aligned to standards in the following states. If a state does not appear in the drop-down, standard alignments are not currently available for that state.

NCTE/IRA National Standards for the English Language Arts

• 3. Students apply a wide range of strategies to comprehend, interpret, evaluate, and appreciate texts. They draw on their prior experience, their interactions with other readers and writers, their knowledge of word meaning and of other texts, their word identification strategies, and their understanding of textual features (e.g., sound-letter correspondence, sentence structure, context, graphics).
• 4. Students adjust their use of spoken, written, and visual language (e.g., conventions, style, vocabulary) to communicate effectively with a variety of audiences and for different purposes.
• 5. Students employ a wide range of strategies as they write and use different writing process elements appropriately to communicate with different audiences for a variety of purposes.
• 7. Students conduct research on issues and interests by generating ideas and questions, and by posing problems. They gather, evaluate, and synthesize data from a variety of sources (e.g., print and nonprint texts, artifacts, people) to communicate their discoveries in ways that suit their purpose and audience.

Materials and Technology

• ReadWriteThink Notetaker
• Teacher Background and Information Sheet
• Student Assignment Sheet
• List of Speeches for Students
• Queen Elizabeth I’s Speech with Related Questions
• Historical Speech Research Questions
• Peer Response Handout
• Essay Rubric

This website contains audio of the Top 100 speeches of all time.

Included on this site is audio of famous speeches of the 20th century, as well as information about the speeches and background information on the writers.

The "Great Speeches Collection" from The History Place are available here in print and in audio.

This website includes information on finding and documenting sources in the MLA format.

Preparation

• Review the background and information sheet for teachers to familiarize yourself with the assignment and expectations.  Consider your students' background with necessary rhetorical terms such as claims, warrants, the appeals (logos, pathos, ethos), and fallacies; and rhetorical devices such as tone, diction, figurative language, repetition, hyperbole, and understatement. The lesson provides some guidance for direct instruction on these terms, but there are multiple opportunities for building or activating student knowledge through modeling on the two speeches done as a class.
• Check the links to the online resources (in Websites section) make sure that they are still working prior to giving out this assignment.
• Decide whether you want to allow more than one student to analyze and write about the same speech in each class.
• Look over the  List of Speeches for Students to decide if there are any that you would like to add.
• Look over the suggested Essay Rubric and determine the weights you would like to assign to each category.  For example, you might tell students that Support and Research may be worth three times the value of Style. Customize the Essay Rubric to meet the learning goals for your students.
• Reserve the library for Session Three so the students can do research on their speeches.
• President Obama’s Inauguration Speech.
• Former President Bush’s Defends War in Iraq Speech.
• Former President Bush’s 9/11 Speech.
• Former President Clinton’s “I Have Sinned” Speech.

Student Objectives

Students will

• analyze a speech for rhetorical devices and their purpose.
• identify an author’s purposeful manipulation of language.
• identify elements of argument within a speech.
• write an analysis of a speech with in-text documentation.

Session One

• Begin the lesson by asking students what needs to be present in order for a speech to occur. Though the question may seem puzzling—too hard, or too simple—at first, students will eventually identify, as Aristotle did, the need for a speaker, a message, and an audience.
• The class should discuss audience and the importance of identifying the audience for speeches, since they occur in particular moments in time and are delivered to specific audiences. This is a good time to discuss the Rhetorical Triangle (Aristotelian Triad) or discuss a chapter on audience from an argumentative textbook. You may wish to share information from the ReadWriteThink.org lesson Persuasive Techniques in Advertising and  The Rhetorical Triangle from The University of Oklahoma.
• Next distribute Queen Elizabeth’s speech to the troops at Tilbury and use the speech and its historical context as a model for the processes students will use on the speech they select. Provide a bit of background information on the moment in history.
• Then, as a class, go over  Queen Elizabeth’s speech and discuss the rhetorical devices in the speech and the purpose for each one. Adjust the level of guidance you provide, depending on your students' experiences with this type of analysis. The questions provide a place to start, but there are many other stylistic devices to discuss in this selection.

Discuss the audience and the author’s manipulation of the audience. Consider posing questions such as

• This is a successful speech.  Why?
• Elizabeth uses all of the appeals – logos, pathos, and ethos – to convince all of her listeners to fight for her from the loyal follower to the greedy mercenary.  How?
• The tone shifts throughout the selection.  Where?  But more importantly, why?

Martin Luther King, Jr. uses an appeal to pathos in his “I Have a Dream” speech through his historical allusion to Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation: “Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today, signed the Emancipation Proclamation. This momentous decree came as a great beacon light of hope to millions of Negro slaves who had been seared in the flames of withering injustice. It came as a joyous daybreak to end the long night of their captivity.” This is particularly effective for his audience of people sympathetic to the cause of African American men and women who would have been especially moved by this particular reference since it had such a significant impact on the lives of African Americans.

Session Two

• Continue the work from the previous session by distributing the  Analyzing Famous Speeches as Arguments handout and discussing the assignment and what it requires. See the  background and information sheet for teachers for more details.
• Tell students they will be getting additional practice with analyzing a speech as an argument by showing a short  10-minute clip of a presidential speech . Ask students to think about how the particular moment in history and the national audience contribute to the rhetorical choices made by the speaker.
• Lead a discussion of the speech as an argument with regard to purpose and intent. Work with students to identify warrants, claims, and appeals.
• Ask students to consider how the author manipulates the audience using tone, diction, and stylistic devices. What rhetorical devices aided the author’s manipulation of his audience? Discuss a particular rhetorical device that the President used and the purpose it served.
• Share the Essay Rubric and explain to students the expectations for success on this assignment.
• Allow students to select a speech from the List of Speeches for Students . If they wish to preview any of the speeches, they can type the speaker's name and the title of the speech into a search engine and should have little difficulty finding it.

Session Three

• Take the students to the library and allow them to research their speeches. They should locate their speech and print a copy for them to begin annotating for argumentative structure and rhetorical devices.
• What was the speaker up against?  What is the occasion for the speech?
• What did the author have to keep in mind when composing the text?  
• What were his or her goals?  
• What was his or her ultimate purpose?  
• What was his or her intent?
• Remind students that the writer of the speech is sometimes not the person who delivered the speech, for example, and this will surprise some students. Many people assume that the speaker (president, senator, etc.) is always the writer, and that’s not always the case, so ask your students to check to see who wrote the speech. (They might be surprised at the answer. There’s always a story behind the composition of the speech.)
• Help students find the author of the speech because this will challenge some students. Oftentimes, students assume the speaker is the author, and that’s sometimes not the case. Once the speechwriter is identified, it is easier to find information on the speech. Help students find the history behind the speech without getting too bogged down in the details. They need to understand the climate, but they do not need to be complete experts on the historical details in order to understand the elements of the speech.
• If they wish, students can use the ReadThinkWrite Interactive Notetaker to help them track their notes for their essays. Remind them that their work cannot be saved on this tool and should be printed by the end of the session so they can use it in future work.
• For Session Four, students must bring a thesis, an outline, and all of their research materials to class for a workday. Remind them to refer to the Analyzing Famous Speeches as Arguments , the Essay Rubric , and any notes they may have taken during the first two sessions as they begin their work.
• The thesis statement should answer the following question: What makes this speech an effective argument and worthy of making this list?

Session Four

• Set up students in heterogeneous groups of four. Ask students to share their outlines and thesis statements.
• Go around to check and to monitor as students share their ideas and progress. The students will discuss their speeches and their research thus far.
• Have students discuss the elements of an argument that they plan on addressing.
• Finally, have students work on writing their papers by writing their introductions with an enticing “grab” or “hook.” If time permits, have students share their work. 
• For Session Five, students should bring in their papers. This session would happen in about a week.

Session Five

• In this session, students will respond each other's drafts using the Peer Response Handout .
• Determine and discuss the final due date with your students. Direct students to Diana Hacker’s MLA site for assistance with their citations if necessary. 
• Remind students that their work will be evaluate using the essay rubric .  They should use the criteria along with the comments from their peer to revise and polish their work.
• During the process of analyzing  Queen Elizabeth I’s Speech , consider showing the related scene from the film Elizabeth: The Golden Age . Though the text of the speech is drastically cut and altered, seeing one filmmaker's vision for the scene may help reinforce the notion of historical context and the importance of audience.
• Allow students to read and/or perform parts of the speeches out loud. Then, they can share some of their thinking about the argumentative structure and rhetorical devices used to make the speech effective. This activity could happen as part of the prewriting process or after essays have been completed.
• Require students to write a graduation speech or a speech on another topic. They can peruse print or online news sources to select a current event that interests them.  Have them choose an audience to whom they would deliver an argumentative speech.

Student Assessment / Reflections

• After peer response has taken place, use the essay rubric to provide feedback on student work. You may change the values of the different categories/requirements to better suit the learning goals for your classroom.
• Calendar Activities
• Lesson Plans
• Student Interactives
• Strategy Guides

Students explore the ways that powerful and passionate words communicate the concepts of freedom, justice, discrimination, and the American Dream in Martin Luther King, Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech.

While drafting a literary analysis essay (or another type of argument) of their own, students work in pairs to investigate advice for writing conclusions and to analyze conclusions of sample essays. They then draft two conclusions for their essay, select one, and reflect on what they have learned through the process.

Useful for a wide variety of reading and writing activities, this outlining tool allows students to organize up to five levels of information.

This strategy guide clarifies the difference between persuasion and argumentation, stressing the connection between close reading of text to gather evidence and formation of a strong argumentative claim about text.

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• Kindergarten K

Analyze Famous Speeches for Rhetorical Structures and Devices (English I Reading)

Introduction, speaker, audience, and purpose, aristotle's appeals, rhetorical structures and devices, persuasion – from beginning to end.

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A Guide to Using Rhetorical Questions in Public Speaking

Hrideep barot.

• Public Speaking

Asking a rhetorical question is difficult, right? Think about it, isn’t it confusing? Asking a question but not expecting an answer. What is the point of it if we don’t receive an answer? Did the above lines make you think? If yes, great! If not, read them again before moving forward from here. In the first two lines there are three examples of rhetorical questions. The first two questions require the listener (in this case, the reader: YOU!) to think and either agree or disagree with what is being spoken. It unconsciously makes the listeners create a connection with you and piques their interest in your topic.

Let’s move on to the third question: “What is the point of it if we don’t receive an answer?”

This one is a little different from the first two; here we do not expect the listener to make a decision about whether they agree with us or not, we induce them to think about the topic and form their own opinions.

Rhetorical Questions are mainly used to engage the audience in thought and indirectly make them connect their point of view to the audience. In Public Speaking, rhetorical questions are a tool which helps take a speech to the next level and build an individual’s skills.

While asking questions which make the listeners think, take a pause to let them process their thoughts and form an opinion before you move on. Make sure that you pause long enough for them to ponder about it, but not very long as it may seem that you are waiting for a verbal answer.

Usually, a 2-3 second pause works best, while not zeroing down on your audience with eye contact and/or an expectant look. 

Here is a TedEd video on Rhetorical Questions: How to use Rhetoric to get what you want – Camille A. Langston

Pro Tip: You can decide the length of the pause by delivering your speech by yourself and judging the appropriate length or you can even ask a friend to listen and help you figure out the length and timing.

So, what is the point of rhetorical questions, you ask?

Long story short, a good rhetorical question will make the audience realize or think about something that they weren’t aware of or hadn’t thought about, it could be a different point of view or a whole new topic or maybe even something else. It will make them think, gain some insight, and form their own opinion.

How does it help me?

1. adding variety:.

While delivering your speech, a chance of pace is always refreshing and welcome. While all the facts or jokes you are going to be spewing out is going to make it interesting, breaking away from it and instead making your audience think for you is a great way to get them invested. You can do it right from the beginning or as and when you find points you want to emphasize on.  This brings us to our next point:

2. Drawing attention or emphasizing on specific points.

No one can remember a speech they heard completely. Even if they really paid attention to it. What they are going to remember is the essence or the crux of it and maybe a few quotes here and there. To make sure that your audience takes back the points you want to highlight, adding rhetorical questions to make them think forces them to relate their thought with that point. This creates an experience and a rhetorical question is a great way to make it one they won’t forget.

3. Make them think:

A cliff-hanger, however annoying it may be, leaves us thinking. Use it to your advantage. A rhetorical question is a great way to end your speech and leave the audience to think about that topic. By thinking about what you said and what they think, their experience remains positively engaging because in the end, they were called upon to answer your question. It can be something as simple as “Think about it” or you may even add in a hint of mystery by using something like: “0.99 is not exactly equal to 1.00. Or. Is it?” 

4. Engaging the audience:  

Forming your own opinion gets you invested in the topic, a simple agreement/disagreement will do the job as well (not a déjà vu, we talked about this earlier.) But (there always is one, isn’t it?) To get the right reaction from your audience, you need to factor in the timing, your tone, and the phrasing of the question. A poorly constructed rhetorical question can have the opposite effect, may even put off your audience or they might not even notice that there was a question. All of it ends in you not creating an impact. That is not what we want, is it?

How to frame a rhetorical question:

  The easiest way through this hurdle is to not write it at all. Before you begin your downward spiral into this paradox, hear me out.

When people speak, they unknowingly often use multiple rhetorical questions in daily conversation. So, the next time when you sit down to write your speech, go about it as an informative and formal or informal conversation (based on your requirements) with the audience. 

Once you have a good chunk of content with you, review it. Oftentimes, unknowingly, a rhetorical question creeps into the text and simply enhances the effect of that point.

Additional Benefit:

Another perk of writing with this method is that your questions won’t seem forced or out of place in the sea of information you will be putting out but if delivered correctly, it will leave a lasting impact and may even hold the power to hit that beautiful sweet spot, right between informative and interactive.

When aiming to make an impact, it is imperative to make sure you modulate your voice and use the right tone.

Simple, monotonous tunes and sounds tend to make us drowsy no matter if the topic is about rocket science or the latest gossip about your recent ship. Changing your voice according to what you feel about that particular segment and what you want to highlight will go a long way.

Pro Tip: A good way to practice and understand voice modulation is to stress on different words of the same sentence. For example: “She didn’t say she killed him.” Try repeating this sentence and each time stress on a different word.

For the purpose of introducing the topic of voice modulation and tones, this is all I have to say. However, if you are interested in taking your skills to the next level or building on it or maybe even simply exploring the topic, we have written an article covering explicitly that topic you can find it here: 8 Essential Tips on Voice Modulation and Tonality

But what if you haven’t framed any rhetorical questions during your caffeine induced writing spree?

Don’t worry, you didn’t stick with us so far because we did not help, did you? What we need you to do is: 1. Fish out your speech and give it a read. 2. Find out and highlight all those points you want to emphasise on or make sure people remember. (Do this after you have already skimmed through it once.) 3. Frame a question for those points and write those points as an answer after the question. (Tip: Make sure to keep the question direct and not a loose end, you need to lead the train of thought in the right direction.)

Here is an example:

I want to make sure that the audience takes a moment to step back and realise that they might be becoming a corporate slave and at the same time, I intend to break the illusion of success being tied to money or their job title.

What I have written:

Working 12-15 hours a day for the next 50 years of your life is not success. True success means having the freedom to go out on a ride if the weather feels nice. Yet, most of us waste away our lives as corporate slaves.

Point I want to highlight:

Work is not your life, just a part of it.

How I will use it in my speech:

It was the perfect weather to go out for a ride, but here I was, making my way to work, another day, same mundane routine. These are the instances that make you wonder, is it really worth it? Is it worth letting the ink on your bucket list fade? Is it worth the time and effort you put into drafting one email or making one presentation? Tell me, is it worth it? (Pause for effect) I don’t think so. Climbing the ladder of success shouldn’t mean that if I get off it, even for a moment, I have to begin from the first rung. Success is not just the money and the job title, is it?

In the above example, there are multiple questions that have been used and each question can lead you into a different line of thought. It is up to you to decide where you want to lead the audience and build from there. 

How do you take them there?

Here are a few points to help you get a more clear picture with some specific motives and direction you may have.

1. Making them feel an emotion:

You can use rhetorical questions to motivate, empower, anger, calm, frighten and even sadden the audience. Usually, they may have a mixture of feelings together. A good example would be: Original: They have done nothing for us. Instead: What have they even done for us?

2. Emphasize on your point:

You can use rhetorical questions to force the audience to think about your point. Example: Original: 1 in 4 people have been subjected to a form of sexual assault. Instead: 1 in 4 people have been subjected to a form of sexual assault. When are we going to do something about it? (Please note that the above sentence is an example and not a researched fact.)

3. Prove something wrong:

Using a rhetorical question is a great way to contradict or prove something wrong or not applicable to your current audience. Example: Original: The phases of the moon do not determine the size of a T-Shirt. Instead: The phases of the moon are helpful in tracking time, but do they determine the size of a T-Shirt? No. No, they do not.

4. Answering a predictable question:

Answering a question the audience may have by using it as a rhetorical question is a great way to be ahead of things and even pique their interest. Example: Original: Here is what you can do as a beginner in water coloring. Instead: As a beginner, you might have this thought: Where do I even begin? Well here is something that may work for you…

5. Answering an actual question:

A great way to answer a question, be it one that you have raised, or one that is coming from your audience, is to respond with a rhetorical question. Keep in mind that it is effective only when both the questions (the one you were asked, and the one you responded with) have the same answer. Usually it is a yes or no question.  Example: Original: Q: Is this article written by someone awesome? A: Yes, it is! Instead: Q: Is this article written by someone awesome? A: Is the sky blue?                               (OR)              Q: Is this article written by someone awesome? A: Is the reader an awesome person?

To help you gauge the areas where you can add rhetorical questions in your speech, here are a few examples from literature and other famous speeches: (P. S. There are multiple examples of rhetorical questions throughout this article as well; you can give it another read and it might help you to understand where and how to use rhetorical questions in different contexts and topics.)

“Can anyone look at the record of this Administration and say, “Well done”? Can anyone compare the state of our economy when the Carter Administration took office with where we are today and say, “Keep up the good work”? Can anyone look at our reduced standing in the world today and say, “Let’s have four more years of this”?” Ronald Reagan

“Look at me! Look at my arm! I have ploughed and planted, and gathered into barns, and no man could head me! And ain’t I a woman? I could work as much and eat as much as a man – when I could get it – and bear the lash as well! And ain’t I a woman? I have borne thirteen children, and seen most all sold off to slavery, and when I cried out with my mother’s grief, none but Jesus heard me! And ain’t I a woman?” Sojourner Truth

“Are we a nation that tolerates the hypocrisy of a system where workers who pick our fruit and make our beds never have a chance to get right with the law? Are we a nation that accepts the cruelty of ripping children from their parents’ arms? Or are we a nation that values families, and works to keep them together?” Barack Obama

Mighty Caesar! dost thou lie so low? Are all thy conquests, glories, triumphs, spoils, Shrunk to this little measure? Julius Caesar By William Shakespeare

If you prick us, do we not bleed? If you tickle us, do we not laugh? If you poison us, do we not die? And if you wrong us, shall we not revenge? The Merchant of Venice By William Shakespeare

6. Starting with a Rhetorical Question:

Starting your speech with a rhetorical question acts as a great conversation starter and gets the audience engaged immediately. It helps the audience connect with your topic and gets them thinking about it.

Example: Original: The Climate Change Crisis is well known to everyone but no one is doing anything about it. Instead: We all know about the Climate Change Crisis, but what are we doing about it?

Now that you know how to go about giving a great speech and leaving the audience invested and engaged. Here are a three things which may help you take it to the next level: 1. Don’t overdo it. 2. A hint of sarcasm used correctly gives the perfect dose of humour.  3. Make it seem effortless and natural. 

At the end of the day, your aim is to deliver a great speech, be it for a TedTalk or for your school debate club. Keep in mind that the most important thing is to be true to what you speak about and yourself. Deliver the speech in the manner which feels right to you and use all the tools at your disposal wherever you feel it fits, including rhetorical questions. An extra pair of ears never hurt nor does building yourself and exploring public speaking.

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ELA  /  12th Grade  /  Unit 4: Famous Speeches

Famous Speeches

Students analyze and interpret speeches, honing their rhetorical analysis skills and deepening their understanding of how authors use particular strategies to effectively communicate their ideas to a given audience.

• Text and Materials

Key Knowledge

Unit summary.

 In Unit 4, students will refine the skills required for rhetorical analysis. Students will analyze and interpret samples of purposeful writing, in this case speeches, then identify and explain the author’s use of rhetorical strategies. This process includes understanding what an author is saying, how an author is saying it, and why an author is saying it. When we read written texts rhetorically, we are always asking, “What are these words on the page doing ?” along with, “What do these words say ?” Reading instruction will increase students’ appreciation of audience as a complex and varied concept. Students should develop the capacity to anticipate and consider interpretive responses different from their own.  This unit focuses on four goals:

• Describing the rhetorical situation: Intersection between speaker, audience, and purpose
• Identifying an author’s complex and specific purpose for an intended audience with specific needs and values
• Identifying rhetorical appeals (within—but more specifically than—logos, ethos, and pathos)
• Analyzing common rhetorical strategies, including diction, figurative language, syntax, exemplification, tone through patterns (repetition, contrast, juxtaposition), and shifts in patterns.

While we have provided links to text versions of these speeches, it is highly recommended that teachers also employ audio versions of the speeches at various times throughout the unit. Hearing, in addition to reading, the speeches can aid in rhetorical analysis.

Texts and Materials

Some of the links below are Amazon affiliate links. This means that if you click and make a purchase, we receive a small portion of the proceeds, which supports our non-profit mission.

Core Materials

Speech:  “The Whiskey Speech” by Judge Noah Sweat

Speech:  “Purple is the Noblest Shroud” by Empress Theodora

Speech:  “A More Perfect Union” by Barack Obama

Speech:  “Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death” by Patrick Henry

Speech:  “Blood, Toil, Tears and Sweat” by Winston Churchill

Speech:  “Pearl Harbor Speech” by Franklin Delano Roosevelt

Speech:  “Ain't I a Woman?” by Sojourner Truth

Speech:  “Why Sit Ye Here and Die?” by Maria Stewart

This assessment accompanies Unit 4 and should be given on the suggested assessment day or after completing the unit.

Download Content Assessment

Intellectual Prep

Suggestions for how to prepare to teach this unit

Intellectual Prep for English Lessons

• Read and annotate each of the speeches for this unit.
• Identify video or audio versions of speeches if necessary. (There are many options available online, so we are not listing them here and will leave it to the teacher’s discretion.)
• Review the basics of rhetorical analysis by reading What Do Students Need to Know About Rhetoric? by Hepzibah Roskelly.
• Depending upon your level of familiarity with the CollegeBoard AP English Language and Composition exam, you may wish to spend more time exploring other resources on the College Board AP English Language and Composition Course website.
• Read FRQ 2 in the CollegeBoard 2018 AP English Language and Composition Free-Response Questions .
• Read the CollegeBoard 2018 AP English Language and Composition Sample Student Responses and Scoring Commentary for FRQ 2.
• Read the Chief Reader Report on Student Responses: 2018 AP English Language and Composition Free-Response Questions .

Essential Questions

The central thematic questions addressed in the unit or across units

• Rhetorical Analysis: What is the author saying? How is the author saying it? Why is the author saying it this way?

Writing Focus Areas

Specific skills to focus on when giving feedback on writing assignments

Students will be focused on the reading skill of rhetorical analysis and the corresponding writing skill of staying focused on the task of sharing these analyses as they craft their essays. Thus, the primary areas of focus will be (1) students’ idea development, specifically the ability to effectively convey comprehensive reasoning through writing, and (2) students’ crafting of an essay that contains all of the necessary parts of a rhetorical analysis.

Spiraling Literary Analysis Writing Focus Area

• Analysis: Demonstrates effective and comprehensive reasoning
• Analysis: Effectively and smoothly incorporates evidence
• Focus on Task: Comprehensive and consistently appropriate to the task, purpose, and audience

Related Teacher Tools:

Grades 9-12 Composition Writing Rubric

Literary terms, text-based vocabulary, idioms and word parts to be taught with the text

Literary Terms

rhetorical situation, devices, appeals, Aristotle’s rhetorical triangle, logos, ethos, pathos, tone, organization, compare/contrast, diction, parallelism, antithesis

Content Knowledge and Connections

Fishtank ELA units related to the content in this unit.

Students will read speeches on a wide variety of topics, such as World War II, women’s rights, abolitionism, racial relations in America, the Eastern Roman Empire, and temperance. Some background knowledge on these topics will be helpful for students’ comprehension.

Previous Fishtank ELA Connections

• Students have experienced some basic rhetorical analysis in both 9th and 10th grade composition courses.

Identify the rhetorical situation and explain its significance.

Identify the appeals present within the text and the devices/strategies used to generate that appeal.  

Identify the appeals present within a text and the devices/strategies used to generate that appeal.

• “The Whiskey Speech”
• “Purple is the Noblest Shroud”

Analyze how an author uses devices to generate an appeal and ultimately achieve his or her purpose. 

Analyze the rhetorical choices Obama makes to develop his argument. 

Analyze the rhetorical choices Henry makes to develop his argument. 

Draft an analysis that demonstrates effective and comprehensive reasoning.

Analyze the rhetorical choices Churchill makes to develop his argument.

Analyze the rhetorical choices Roosevelt makes to develop his argument.

• “Blood, Toil, Tears and Sweat”
• “Pearl Harbor Speech”

Compare and contrast rhetorical strategies in speeches by Churchill and Roosevelt.

Evaluate how both authors use specific devices to develop the central idea or purpose of the speech.

Analyze the rhetorical choices Churchill or Roosevelt makes to develop his argument.

Draft an effective introduction that establishes the rhetorical situation and provides a comprehensive thesis describing the rhetorical techniques the author uses to achieve his purpose.

Analyze the rhetorical choices Truth makes to develop her argument.

Analyze the rhetorical choices Stewart makes to develop her argument.

• “Ain't I a Woman?”
• “Why Sit Ye Here and Die?”

Compare and contrast the rhetorical strategies employed by Sojourner Truth and Maria Stewart in their speeches.

Assessment  – 2 days

Complete an optional extension project by writing a speech on a topic of his or her choosing.

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Common Core Standards

Core standards.

The content standards covered in this unit

Language Standards

L.11-12.1 — Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.

L.11-12.2 — Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.

L.11-12.3 — Apply knowledge of language to understand how language functions in different contexts, to make effective choices for meaning or style, and to comprehend more fully when reading or listening.

L.11-12.6 — Acquire and use accurately general academic and domain-specific words and phrases, sufficient for reading, writing, speaking, and listening at the college and career readiness level; demonstrate independence in gathering vocabulary knowledge when considering a word or phrase important to comprehension or expression.

Reading Standards for Informational Text

RI.11-12.1 — Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text, including determining where the text leaves matters uncertain.

RI.11-12.2 — Determine two or more central ideas of a text and analyze their development over the course of the text, including how they interact and build on one another to provide a complex analysis; provide an objective summary of the text.

RI.11-12.3 — Analyze a complex set of ideas or sequence of events and explain how specific individuals, ideas, or events interact and develop over the course of the text.

RI.11-12.5 — Analyze and evaluate the effectiveness of the structure an author uses in his or her exposition or argument, including whether the structure makes points clear, convincing, and engaging.

RI.11-12.6 — Determine an author's point of view or purpose in a text in which the rhetoric is particularly effective, analyzing how style and content contribute to the power, persuasiveness, or beauty of the text.

RI.11-12.7 — Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in different media or formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively) as well as in words in order to address a question or solve a problem.

Speaking and Listening Standards

SL.11-12.1 — Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grades 11—12 topics, texts, and issues, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.

SL.11-12.2 — Integrate multiple sources of information presented in diverse formats and media (e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) in order to make informed decisions and solve problems, evaluating the credibility and accuracy of each source and noting any discrepancies among the data.

SL.11-12.3 — Evaluate a speaker's point of view, reasoning, and use of evidence and rhetoric, assessing the stance, premises, links among ideas, word choice, points of emphasis, and tone used.

SL.11-12.6 — Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and tasks, demonstrating command of formal English when indicated or appropriate.

Writing Standards

W.11-12.1 — Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence.

W.11-12.4 — Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.

W.11-12.5 — Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on addressing what is most significant for a specific purpose and audience.

W.11-12.6 — Use technology, including the Internet, to produce, publish, and update individual or shared writing products in response to ongoing feedback, including new arguments or information.

The God of Small Things

The Great Gatsby

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6 Speeches to Teach Rhetorical Devices

People use rhetorical devices in speeches and in other forms of writing in order to create a particular effect on their audience. Understanding these devices and rhetorically analyzing a text allows you to see its true purpose; as such, rhetorical analysis is a necessary skill to develop in high school ELA courses. 

One of the best ways to teach and learn rhetorical devices is through looking at speeches! Because rhetoric is used to influence an audience, it is an invaluable tool for persuasive writing and speaking. Let’s dive into rhetorical devices and 6 of the best speeches that use rhetorical tools.

What are Rhetorical Devices?

Rhetorical devices are the stylistic tools that writers use in order to influence their audience. They can attribute emphasis to certain ideas or influence the tone of the writing (for that reason, rhetorical devices are exceptionally effective in poetry).

Together with rhetorical appeals (ethos, pathos, and logos) and figurative language (similes, metaphors, hyperbole, etc.), stylistic rhetorical devices are instrumental in persuasive writing. Each device has its own effect, and writers of speeches use them tactfully to help persuade their audience. This article will focus on the following stylistic rhetorical devices:

1. Alliteration

Likely the most commonly known rhetorical device, alliteration is the repetition of the same beginning sound across several words. Alliteration is the backbone of many tongue twisters and catchy phrases:

Example : “ E ven e lephants e njoy e ating e ggs e very day.”

In persuasive writing, it’s a bold way to add emphasis to certain words. Consider the way that many companies opt for an alliterative name to add extra emphasis and catchiness:

Example : A merican A irlines, P ay P al, K it K at…

2. Anaphora

Anaphora is the repetition of the same words at the beginning of successive clauses, phrases, or sentences. 

Example : “ Give me liberty or give me death.” (Patrick Henry)

Another star of nursery rhymes and silly sayings, anaphora adds rhythm and style to a sentence. In literature and speechwriting, anaphora is used to add special emphasis to a phrase.

3. Assonance

Assonance is the repetition of the same vowel sounds throughout a sentence/line of text.

Example : “ O Rome o , Rome o , wheref o re art th o u Rome o ?” (William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet )

Sometimes referred to as “vowel rhyme ”, assonance adds rhythm to a sentence and helps the writer/speaker develop a text’s particular mood. Notice how the “o” sound repetition above develops a woeful ambiance. 

(Plus, to pronounce “o” you must purse your lips—by creating this assonance with “o”, Shakespeare is having Juliet purse her lips as she calls out for Romeo, as if she’s blowing a kiss. See how rhetorical devices can convey hidden meanings ?)

4. Consonance

Consonance is the repetition of consonant sounds throughout words (particularly when the vowels are different). 

Example : “The un c ertainty of the s our c e s ha s cau s ed de s pair.”

Like assonance, consonance is used to add rhythm and develop the mood of a piece. Consonance is also an effective tool to add emphasis in a subtler way than alliteration.

5. Parallelism

Parallelism is the repetition of the same grammatical structure in the same sentence or throughout multiple sentences.

Example : “Where there is smoke, there is fire.”

Writers use parallelism to connect ideas, add emphasis, and develop rhythm. You can think of parallelism as the use of a “template” for a repeated phrase, with blanks that are filled in with certain words that the author wants to emphasize. 

6. Antithesis

Antithesis is the juxtaposition of two contrasting ideas, often in the same grammatical structure. 

Example : “Give a man a fish , and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish , and you feed him for a lifetime.” 

Antithesis is a type of parallelism that has a particular focus on contrasting ideas, indicating strong emotions and opposition. Writers often use antithesis to convey ideas that involve a distinct choice between two different ideas. 

Like the example above: “____ a man __ fish, and you feed him for a _____.” The creator of this proverb uses the stark contrast between “a day” and “a lifetime” to emphasize the value of teaching someone the skills needed to feed themself over feeding them yourself.

7. Onomatopoeia

Onomatopoeia is a word that sounds like what it’s named after.

Example : Tick tock, moo, thud, squeak…

Most often used in writing or speeches that have a lighter tone, onomatopoeia indicates the sound of an object or creature being described. For instance, many advertisements say “tick tock!” to indicate that a sale is limited time.

Note: If you ever have trouble finding rhetorical devices in speeches, read the text aloud! Speeches are meant to be read aloud, and rhetorical devices will stand out to your ears.

Rhetorical Analysis of “I Have a Dream”

Martin Luther King Jr., delivering the “I Have a Dream” speech.

One of the most influential speeches in history is Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” , spoken on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial during the August 28, 1963 March on Washington. This speech is a literary monument of the Civil Rights era, addressing the unjustly unequal treatment of Black Americans and calling for all Americans to peacefully act against it. 

As such, “I Have A Dream” is one of the best speeches to teach rhetorical devices due to its historic significance and effective rhetoric. Here are some quotes from “I Have a Dream” in which Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. uses rhetorical devices to persuade his audience, illustrating the topics we dove into above.

“One hundred years later…”

“[The Emancipation Proclamation] came as a joyous daybreak to end the long night of [slave’s] captivity. But one hundred years later, the Negro still is not free. One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination. One hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity. One hundred years later, the Negro is still languished in the corners of American society and finds himself an exile in his own land.”

King begins “I Have a Dream” by reflecting on the Emancipation Proclamation, which was signed 100 years before (on January 1, 1863), followed by this quote. He uses both anaphora and parallelism by repeating “One hundred years later” at the beginning of each sentence, followed by descriptions of the present-day experiences of Black Americans. By placing special emphasis on “One hundred years later”, he illustrates that it had been a full century since slavery was abolished, but Black Americans still did not have the same freedoms as white Americans.

Consonance to Convey Urgency

 “It would be fatal for the nation to overlook the urgency of the moment. This sweltering summer of the Negro’s legitimate discontent will not pass until there is an invigorating autumn of freedom and equality.”

In this quote’s second sentence, King uses two different kinds of consonance to convey the urgency of the situation. He repeats the “s” sound in the first half: “Thi s s weltering s ummer of the Negro’ s legitimate di s content…” ; then, his consonance switches to the “d”/”t” sound: “invigora t ing au t umn of free d om and equali t y.” The part of the sentence with “s” consonance contextualizes the current moment, while the part with “d”/”t” consonance is the hopeful future. 

The civil rights movement had been cultivating for decades prior to the March on Washington, which is one of its defining moments. King’s use of consonance develops an urgent mood, conveying this strong movement that had been building and culminating in that moment (the sweltering summer). Then, he shifts the consonance to a different consonant sound, shifting the mood to illustrate the shift in progress he is hoping for (the invigorating autumn of freedom and equality), emphasizing that the movement will continue until there is progress.

Assonance with “We”

“But there is something that I must say to my people, who stand on the warm threshold which leads into the palace of justice: In the process of gaining our rightful place, we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred.”

In this quote, Martin Luther King Jr. urges his audience not to give into hatred in response to the discrimination they face. He uses assonance to emphasize one key phrase within the quote: “ w e must not b e guilt y of wrongful d eed s”. When read aloud, the “ee” sound stands out boldly, drawing special attention to those particular words while developing a tone of togetherness. 

More “I Have a Dream” Rhetorical Analysis Prompts:

There is so much more to discover when it comes to the language of “I Have a Dream”. If you need a jumping-off point for your own rhetorical analysis, try these guiding questions:

• Shortly after the first quote we explored, Martin Luther King Jr. uses the metaphor of “cashing a check”. What does he illustrate through this metaphor and how? Why a check?
• King uses anaphora many times in “I Have a Dream”, such as with “Now is the time”, “With this faith”, and, of course, “I have a dream”. Pick one instance in which he uses anaphora and analyze it.
• What is the significance of the song near the end of the speech? Which rhetorical devices are used in the song?

Famous Speeches with Rhetorical Devices

All speeches use some kind of rhetorical devices (between the stylistic tools we explored above, figurative language, and rhetorical appeals) because they are effective tools to verbally convey ideas and persuade an audience. These are some of the most influential and famous speeches —by looking at the rhetorical devices in speeches like these, you can see how the speechwriters and/or speakers used these devices to shape history.

“Speech to the Troops at Tilbury”, Queen Elizabeth I (August 9, 1588)

The ruler of England from 1558 to 1603, Queen Elizabeth I led England through foreign policy conflicts such as the Nine Years’ War in Ireland and the threat of the Spanish Armada. Her “ Speech to the Troops at Tilbury ” was delivered to the English troops defending the country against a looming, expected invasion by the Spanish Armada.

“I know I have the body of a weak and feeble woman; but I have the heart and stomach of a king, and of a king of England too…” (Elizabeth I’s speech includes repetition, strong appeals to her troops’ emotions, and this metaphor that strengthens her authority as a woman in power.)

“Gettysburg Address”, Abraham Lincoln (November 19, 1863)

Four months after the Battle of Gettysburg (the Civil War’s deadliest battle), Abraham Lincoln delivered the Gettysburg Address at the dedication of the Gettysburg National Cemetery. A very brief set of remarks, the Gettysburg Address wasn’t even scheduled to be the primary speech of the ceremony, and its precise wording is different in each of the manuscripts written by Lincoln. Despite this, it is one of the most prominent speeches in American history, securing itself as one of our short speeches to teach rhetorical devices.

“…We can not dedicate—we can not consecrate—we can not hallow—this ground.” (Lincoln begins the final paragraph of his speech with anaphora.)

“Ain’t I a Woman?”, Sojourner Truth (May 29, 1851)

“That man over there says that women need to be helped into carriages, and lifted over ditches, and to have the best place everywhere. Nobody ever helps me into carriages, or over mud-puddles, or gives me any best place! And ain’t I a woman?” (Truth uses various types of repetition to convey her ideas and strengthen her emotional appeals.)

“I Will Fight No More Forever”, Chief Joseph (October 5, 1877)

The Nez Perce were forcibly displaced from their ancestral lands in eastern Oregon by the United States in the late 19th century. Under pressure to relocate, this indigenous tribe split into two groups—those who accepted the relocation to a reservation in Idaho, and those who would flee to fight for their land and freedom. 

On June 15, 1877, Chief Joseph and others led 750 Nez Perce in an attempt to find a new sanctuary, but they were pursued by U.S. troops for months. They finally surrendered on October 5, when Chief Joseph gave his speech, “ I Will Fight No More Forever ”. 

“Our chiefs are killed; Looking-glass is dead. Too-hul-hul-suit is dead. The old men are all dead. It is the young men, now, who say ’yes’ or ’no’. He who led on the young men is dead.” (Like the other extemporaneous speakers in this collection, Chief Joseph’s use of repetition and strong emotional appeals convey his anguish and urgency to save who is left of his people.

“Citizenship in a Republic”, Theodore Roosevelt (April 23, 1910)

This speech is lengthy and Roosevelt conducts a thorough analysis of the topic of active citizenship. He uses rhetorical devices tactfully to apply greater emphasis to certain ideas. 

“The children of their successors and supplanters, and then their children and their children and children’s children, change and develop with extraordinary rapidity. The conditions accentuate vices and virtues, energy and ruthlessness, all the good qualities and all the defects of an intense individualism, self-reliant, self-centered, far more conscious of its rights than of its duties, and blind to its own shortcomings.” (Roosevelt uses several instances of alliteration to add rhythm to his speech and emphasize the ideas he joins together—”successors and supplanters…vices and virtues…)

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Now that you have some examples, look for rhetorical devices in speeches on your own! Rich with literary tools and historical context, speeches help students learn how to recognize, analyze, and effectively use rhetorical devices to persuade an audience. Also, keep in mind: in addition to the stylistic tools we took a look at in this article, appeals (ethos, pathos, logos) and figurative language are just as important to understand when it comes to rhetorical analysis.

If you’re struggling with concepts like rhetorical analysis or looking for ways to improve your English skills, Piqosity’s here to help! Alongside our SAT and ACT test prep courses, we offer full online English courses , each including dozens of concept lessons, personalized practice software, and over 100 reading comprehension passages—including two full novels per course !

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Rhetorical Questions: 30 Effective Examples and Definition

Oct 24, 2023

Rhetorical questions, in particular, possess the unique ability to captivate, engage, and provoke thought. Whether you’re a seasoned orator, a writer, or someone simply looking to enhance their persuasive skills, this article is your definitive guide to mastering this impactful technique. Delve into the world of rhetoric and discover how these 30 examples and expert tips can elevate your communication to new heights.

What Are Rhetorical Questions?

Rhetorical questions are a powerful tool in the realm of persuasive communication. They are a form of interrogative expression used to make a point or convey a message rather than to elicit a direct response. These questions are crafted with a specific intention, often to provoke thought, engage the audience, or emphasize a particular idea. Here’s a clear and easy-to-understand explanation of rhetorical questions:

Rhetorical questions are inquiries posed in conversation or writing that do not require or expect an actual answer. Instead, they serve as a persuasive or rhetorical device, designed to make a statement, emphasize a point, or provoke critical thinking in the audience.

The biggest difference between rhetorical questions and typical questions in that rhetorical questions are not used to gather information or seek a response from others. Rather, they function as a means of guiding the listener or reader’s thoughts in a particular direction. They are strategically employed to emphasize a message, create a sense of engagement, or encourage reflection.

Rhetorical questions are commonly used in persuasive speeches, essays, debates, and everyday communication to achieve various objectives. Here are a few key purposes:

Emphasis –  Rhetorical questions can draw attention to a specific idea or argument by framing it as a question. For example, “Do we want to continue down a path of destruction?” emphasizes the gravity of the situation.

Engagement –  These questions engage the audience by prompting them to consider the topic more deeply. For instance, “Have you ever wondered what the future holds?” encourages the audience to reflect on possibilities.

Affirmation –  Rhetorical questions often lead the audience to agree with the implied answer, reinforcing the speaker’s point. An example is, “Is it not our moral duty to help those in need?” which presupposes that helping others is a moral obligation.

Persuasion –  By framing an argument as a rhetorical question, the speaker can guide the audience to a specific conclusion. For instance, “Wouldn’t you agree that a healthier lifestyle leads to a happier life?” implies that the answer is yes.

30 Best Rhetorical Questions Examples

1. What’s not to love about a beautiful sunset? Rhetorical questions like this one evoke a sense of wonder and appreciation, inviting the audience to share the sentiment.

2. Are you going to let fear hold you back from your dreams? This question challenges the audience to confront their fears and consider the impact on their aspirations.

3. Do you think the world would be a better place without acts of kindness? By implying a positive response, this question emphasizes the importance of kindness in society.

4. Can you imagine a world without art and creativity? It highlights the significance of art and creativity in our lives, making the audience reflect on their value.

5. Is it possible to put a price on freedom? This question prompts reflection on the intangible value of freedom.

6. Why do we fall? So we can learn to pick ourselves up. Rhetorical questions like this can be motivational, emphasizing the importance of resilience.

7. Does anyone really believe in a perfect world? It invites contemplation about the idealistic notion of a perfect society.

8. What’s more important than the health and well-being of our children? This question highlights the paramount importance of children’s welfare.

9. Could we exist without the air we breathe? It emphasizes the fundamental nature of oxygen to human existence.

10. Is there a single recipe for happiness that suits everyone? This question suggests the subjectivity of happiness and personal fulfillment.

11. Is it fair to judge a book by its cover? This age-old question prompts reflection on the issue of prejudice and superficial judgments.

12. Can you really put a price on love? This question emphasizes the idea that love is priceless and beyond monetary value .

13. Who doesn’t want to be successful in life? This question assumes that everyone desires success, making the audience ponder their own aspirations.

14. Do you think anyone would willingly choose pain over pleasure? It underlines the universal preference for pleasure and avoidance of pain.

15. Is there anything more refreshing than a cold glass of water on a hot day? This question appeals to our shared experience of relief on a scorching day.

16. What could be more comforting than the embrace of a loved one? This rhetorical question highlights the emotional value of human connection.

17. Can we really call ourselves civilized when we still wage wars? This question provokes thought about the contradiction between civilization and conflict.

18. What’s stopping you from chasing your dreams? I t encourages self-reflection and motivation to overcome obstacles.

19. Is there anything better than the sound of laughter? This question celebrates the universal joy associated with laughter.

20. How can we expect change if we never take action? It underscores the necessity of taking the initiative to bring about change.

21. Do you think the world would be the same without great leaders? This question underscores the impact of influential leaders throughout history.

22. What would life be without a sense of humor? It highlights the role of humor in our lives, promoting its significance.

23. Is there any greater tragedy than the loss of a loved one? This question evokes empathy and reflection on the depth of human emotion.

24. Can you really put a limit on human potential? It challenges the idea of constraining human capabilities.

25. What could be more fundamental than the pursuit of knowledge? This rhetorical question emphasizes the inherent human curiosity and thirst for knowledge.

26. Can you imagine a world without hope? It prompts reflection on the importance of hope in people’s lives.

27. Is there any greater bond than the love between a parent and child? This question celebrates the profound connection between parents and their children.

28. What would life be without challenges to overcome? It highlights the role of adversity in personal growth and development.

29. Is there a more powerful force than the unity of a community? This question emphasizes the strength of community and solidarity .

30. Who would trade the beauty of nature for a concrete jungle? It encourages reflection on the value of preserving natural environments

Why People Use Rhetorical Questions?

Rhetorical questions serve various compelling purposes. Foremost among these is their ability to engage the audience or reader. They break the monotony of one-way communication and encourage active participation, thereby infusing the conversation or written text with dynamism and interactivity. Rhetorical questions also double as persuasive tools since they often imply a specific answer or point of view, subtly guiding the audience to consider the speaker or writer’s perspective.

Moreover, rhetorical questions can stimulate thought and critical thinking, encouraging individuals to ponder complex issues or view a subject from multiple angles. They possess the remarkable capacity to evoke emotions, eliciting empathy, curiosity, or reflection by framing an issue in a relatable manner. Additionally, rhetorical questions can be effectively employed to emphasize key points, rendering them memorable, and drawing attention to the essential aspects of a message.

Tips On How to Make Good Rhetorical Questions

• Consider your audience’s interests, values, and knowledge. Pattern your questions to resonate with their experiences and perspectives.
• Ensure your question is clear and concise . A complex question may confuse your audience and weaken the impact of your message.
• Rhetorical questions should stimulate thought. Make questions that encourage your audience to reflect on the subject matter.
• Rhetorical questions often imply an answer . Ensure that this answer connects with your intended message or argument.
• Use rhetorical questions to evoke emotions . Appeal to your audience’s feelings to make your message more impactful.
• Ensure that your rhetorical question is directly related to the topic at hand. Irrelevant questions can disrupt the flow of your communication.
• Don’t overuse rhetorical questions. Use them strategically to emphasize key points or engage your audience when necessary.
• While rhetorical questions can be powerful, using too many can lessen their impact. Use them sparingly for maximum effect.
• Some questions can be more complex, but be mindful of your audience’s ability to engage with the topic. Balance between simple and hard questions as needed.
• Crafting effective rhetorical questions is a skill that improves with Seeking feedback from peers or mentors to refine your use of rhetorical questions in your communication.

Upon discussing the key points about rhetorical questions, we learned that: the art of using rhetorical questions is a powerful tool in communication. As we’ve explored in this discussion, rhetorical questions can captivate your audience, prompt reflection, and enhance the impact of your message. By understanding your audience, tailoring your questions, and using them strategically, you can become a more persuasive and engaging communicator. Whether you’re delivering a speech, writing an essay, or simply engaging in a meaningful conversation, the use of rhetorical questions can elevate your communication to a new level. So, the next time you seek to make a point, inspire, or provoke thought, consider the art of the rhetorical question, and watch the power of your words come to life.

Read More: 10 Biggest Philosophical Dilemmas Examples

Read also: 30 Effective Guiding Questions Examples

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Rhetorical Questions in Film. Definition & Examples

Definition: Rhetorical questions are inquiries made for effect rather than to solicit a direct answer, often used to make a point or to persuade an audience without expecting a response.

Rhetorical questions are used in daily speech and writing to emphasize a point, to provoke thought, or to lead the audience to a conclusion.

The answer to a rhetorical question is usually obvious or implied in the context in which it is asked.

Examples of Rhetorical Questions from Movies

Rhetorical questions are one of several types of verbal irony often used in movie scripts to convey a character’s emotions, challenge another character, or emphasize a point without expecting an answer.

The Dark Knight (2008)

The Joker, played by Heath Ledger, uses a rhetorical question to emphasize the chaos he has created and challenge his adversaries’ moral compass:

“You know what I’ve noticed? Nobody panics when things ‘go according to plan.’ Even if the plan is horrifying! If tomorrow I tell the press that, like, a gang banger will get shot, or a truckload of soldiers will be blown up, nobody panics because it’s all ‘part of the plan.’ But when I say that one little old mayor will die, well, then everyone loses their minds!” – The Joker

See the best quotes from Joker in The Dark Knight .

Gladiator (2000)

Maximus, played by Russell Crowe, delivers a powerful rhetorical question to the crowd after a stunning victory in the gladiator arena:

“Are you not entertained? Are you not entertained? Is this not why you are here?” – Maximum

This question highlights the games’ brutality and the Roman spectators’ bloodlust.

A Few Good Men (1992)

In a climactic courtroom scene, Lt. Daniel Kaffee, played by Tom Cruise, demands the truth from Col. Nathan R. Jessep, played by Jack Nicholson.

Jessep responds with:

“You want answers?” – Jessep

Of course, Jessep knows Kaffee wants answers and the truth – which he famously doesn’t think Kaffee can handle – or is entitled to.

This line underscores the movie’s theme, questioning the moral complexities of military operations and the consequences of absolute authority.

You might also like these 25 movie monologues that shaped cinema .

Other Examples of Rhetorical Questions from Popular Culture

Rhetorical questions are often used in literature, speeches, and everyday conversations to make a point or to persuade an audience.

Here are three famous examples of rhetorical questions:

“To be or not to be, that is the question.” – Hamlet

From William Shakespeare’s play “Hamlet,” this is perhaps one of the most famous rhetorical questions in English literature. Hamlet ponders the nature of existence and whether it’s better to live or die.

“Isn’t it ironic, don’t you think?” – Alanis Morissette

From the song “Ironic” by Alanis Morissette, this rhetorical question is used to introduce various scenarios described as ironic by the singer.

It invites listeners to consider the contradictions within the situations she presents.

“How many roads must a man walk down before you call him a man?” – Bob Dylan

This is a line from the song “Blowin’ in the Wind” by Bob Dylan.

The rhetorical question provokes thought about peace, war, and freedom, implying that the answer is elusive and perhaps infinite.

Rhetorical questions in movies serve as a powerful tool, engaging audiences by prompting reflective thought without expecting a response.

They often underscore a character’s conflict , highlight thematic elements, and evoke a deeper connection with the viewer, enriching the cinematic experience.

Check out how you can use jocularity to spice up the comedic elements of your screenplay.

Jan Sørup is a indie filmmaker, videographer and photographer from Denmark. He owns filmdaft.com and the Danish company Apertura, which produces video content for big companies in Denmark and Scandinavia. Jan has a background in music, has drawn webcomics, and is a former lecturer at the University of Copenhagen.

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Ace the Presentation

Rhetorical Questions Definition: 3 Types and Examples

Most often than not, an answer is usually regarded as the complementary part of a question, and both are generally said to go hand-in-hand.

But when it comes to rhetorical questions, the rule seems different, especially as no answer is required when a rhetorical question is asked. So, what then is a rhetorical question, you may ask.

Rhetorical Question Definition | Meaning

A rhetorical question, also known as erotema, interrogatio, or even erotesis, is a question that is asked without the intention of getting an answer. Instead, a rhetorical question is asked to emphasize a point by a speaker or writer.

More so, since a rhetorical question doesn’t necessarily require an answer, they are most often used as a way of evoking thoughts and understanding from the reader or listener.

Although the definition of a rhetorical question is always the same, rhetorical questions usually take different approaches to achieve its goal on the listener or reader.

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20 Public Speaking Techniques Everyone Should Know

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For instance, some rhetorical questions have an obvious answer, and in such a situation, they are used as a tool to emphasize how glaring the answer to a question is. Here is a good example.

If Jane asked Julie “ Do you enjoy working from home?”  and Julie definitely enjoys working from home, she might respond by saying  “Is the sky blue?”

As mentioned earlier, rhetorical questions are purely questions that don’t demand an answer. But in a situation where the listener or reader tries to give an answer to a rhetorical question, such an answer might sound somewhat weird and off. Here is a good example

“Want to order ice cream?”  Rather than respond by saying, “ yeah ,” you may ask a rhetorical question,  “Sure, why not?”  Imagine if the next person responds by trying to explain why you shouldn’t order ice cream, you might suspect that they didn’t get your point from your answer, which was a rhetorical question.

Common Examples of Rhetorical Questions 

• “How many times do I have to tell you not to eat my dessert?”
• “What’s the matter with kids today?”
• “Is this supposed to be some kind of a joke?”
• “Are you kidding me?”
• “How should I know?”
• “Who cares?”

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3 Types Of Rhetorical Questions

1. anthypophora or hypophora .

Anthypophora is a type of rhetorical question in which the speaker addresses a question himself and immediately gives an answer to the question.

According to the Dictionary of Poetic Terms (2003), Jack Myers and Don Charles Wukasch classify anthypophora as a “figure of argumentation whereby the speaker acts as his foil by arguing with himself.”

Etymology Anthypophora originates from the Greek words, “against” + “allegation.”

Example of Speeches Conveying Apothypophora

“You ask, what is our policy? I will say it is to wage war, by sea, land, and air, with all our might and all the strength that God can give us; to wage war against a monstrous tyranny, never surpassed in the dark, lamentable catalogue of human crime. That is our policy. You ask, what is our aim? I can answer in one word: Victory. Victory at all costs, victory in spite of all terror; victory, however long and hard the road may be, for, without victory, there is no survival.” 

Winston Churchill

“This is our first task, caring for our children. It’s our first job. If we don’t get that right, we don’t get anything right. That’s how, as a society, we will be judged. And by that measure, can we truly say, as a nation, that we’re meeting our obligations? Can we honestly say that we’re doing enough to keep our children, all of them, safe from harm? Can we claim, as a nation, that we’re all together there, letting them know they are loved and teaching them to love in return? Can we say that we’re truly doing enough to give all the children of this country the chance they deserve to live out their lives in happiness and with purpose? I’ve been reflecting on this the last few days, and if we’re honest with ourselves, the answer’s no. We’re not doing enough. And we will have to change.”

Barack Obama

2. Erotesis

Erotesis, which is also known as erotema, eperotesis and interrogation is another type of rhetorical question that conveys a strong or passionate affirmation or denial.

Etymology Erotesis is From a Greek word, and it depicts an act of “questioning.”

Example of Erotesis by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

“Another thing that disturbs me about the American church is that you have a white church and a Negro church. How can segregation exist in the true Body of Christ?” 

Martin Luther King, Jr., “Paul’s Letter to American Christians,” 1956

Example Erotesis by Edmund Burke

“Was I an Irishman on that day that I boldly withstood our pride? or on the day that I hung down my head and wept in shame and silence over the humiliation of Great Britain?”

Edmund Burke, Speech to the Electors of Bristol, September 6, 1780

3. Epiplexis or Epitimesis

Epiplexis as rhetoric is usually regarded as an interrogative figure of speech whereby a question or questions are asked as a way of rebuking rather than to evoke answers.

When a speaker uses epiplexis rhetoric, the goal is an attempt to shame or rebuke an opponent or a listener into adopting their own or a particular point of view.

Epiplexis is derived from the Greek word which portrays “a rebuke or to strike at”

Example of Epiplexis by Lebanese Prime Minister Found Siniora

“Are we children of a lesser God? Is an Israeli teardrop worth more than a drop of Lebanese blood?”

Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora, July 2006

Example of Epitimesis by John Irving

“You think what I do is playing God, but you presume you know what God wants. Do you think that’s not playing God?”

John Irving, The Cider House Rules, 1985

Why Do Writers and Speakers Use Rhetorical Questions?

Speechwriters, playwrights, musicians, and authors use rhetorical questions for a couple of reasons:

• To raise doubt
• To challenge the listener
• To emphasize an idea
• To demonstrate that a previously asked question was obvious

Benefits of using Rhetorical Questions

Although rhetorical questions are not a mandatory component of a speech or write up, they can be employed in various ways to achieve different purposes such as to:

• Influence and persuade the audience
• Increase the variety of your presentation
• Make the listeners think about certain topics
• Subtly draw attention and emphasize specific points
• Introduce topics/ideas
• Engage the audience

Examples of Rhetorical Questions in Different Instances

A rhetorical question is one of the best and easiest ways to carry your audience along in your speech. By so doing, you virtually create the environment for them to speak, but instead of speaking out to the hearing of everyone, each person speaks or conceive some thoughts within their mind.

More so, with a rhetorical question, you can quickly pique the interest of your audience while going ahead to emphasize the main points of your discussion or address.

Below are some notable and ageless rhetorical questions in different situations; famous speeches, literature, and even in our everyday life and activities at home, school, office, and just anywhere you can think of.

Rhetorical Questions in Famous Speeches

“Can anyone look at the record of this Administration and say, “Well done”? Can anyone compare the state of our economy when the Carter Administration took office with where we are today and say, “Keep up the good work”? Can anyone look at our reduced standing in the world today and say, “Let’s have four more years of this”?

-Jimmy Carter-

“Look at me! Look at my arm! I have ploughed and planted and gathered into barns, and no man could head me! And ain’t I a woman? I could work as much and eat as much as a man – when I could get it – and bear the lash as well! And ain’t I a woman? I have borne thirteen children and seen most all sold off to slavery, and when I cried out with my mother’s grief, none but Jesus heard me! And ain’t I a woman?”

-Sojourner Truth-

“Are we a nation that tolerates the hypocrisy of a system where workers who pick our fruit and make our beds never have a chance to get right with the law? Are we a nation that accepts the cruelty of ripping children from their parents’ arms? Or are we a nation that values families, and works to keep them together?”

-Barack Obama-

Rhetorical Questions in Literatures

Prolific writers have a way of prompting further reflection and thinking from their readers, and they achieve this through the use of rhetorical questions. 

By leaving some hanging questions in this manner, writers create that environment where their readers can spend more time in contemplation. 

“If you prick us, do we not bleed? If you tickle us, do we not laugh? If you poison us, do we not die? And if you wrong us, shall we not revenge?”

-William Shakespeare-

“…O Wind, if Winter comes, can Spring be far behind?”

-Percy Bysshe Shelley-

“What happens to a dream deferred? Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun? Or fester like a sore and then run? Does it stink like rotten meat? Or crust and sugar over like a syrupy sweet?”

-Langston Hughes-

“What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet!”

Examples of Rhetorical Questions in Everyday Life

One good and outstanding thing about rhetorical questions is the fact that they are not only limited to literature or political speeches. They can be used in anywhere, especially where there a conversation between two or more people.

When in a conversation with someone or a group of people, making your point using a rhetorical question is more striking and drives more meaning than making a mere flat statement. 

Here are some rhetorical questions in everyday life conversations. Sure, you’ll find some you’ve used in the past or just recently even without knowing.

A father arguing with his son about the importance of making good grades in school, the father may say,   “Are you prepared to live here in the basement for the rest of your life?”   With such rhetoric, the father expects that the son will realize that making good grades is one way to get a better-paying job, which will ultimately make him live a better life. 

Maybe during a conversation with your wife, she pops the unexpected question – if you love her. You may say,  “Is the pope Catholic?”  With this rhetoric, you have given her more than just an answer that you love her, just as it is a glaring fact that the leader of the Catholic should be a Catholic.

A wife came home from the hospital to show her husband her pregnancy test result, which shows that she is pregnant. The husband responds,   “Are you serious?” . The rhetoric, in this case, emphasizes the amazement of the husband at the news.

A child asking for an expensive gadget from the father, and the father responded by saying   “Do you think that money just grows on trees?”   This question from the father is a way of igniting the consciousness of how difficult it is to pay for everything the child is enjoying.

Rhetorical questions are questions that do not necessarily require an answer from the listener or audience. They are used to emphasize points and major ideas in a speech or conversation.

Using rhetoric instead of a flat statement in response to a question or conversation persuades and influences the audience’s perception, allows the listeners to think just beyond what they are hearing, and it also works perfectly in engaging an audience.

• http://www.literarydevices.com/rhetorical-question/
• https://examples.yourdictionary.com/rhetorical-question-examples.html
• https://virtualspeech.com/blog/rhetorical-questions-speech-examples
• https://www.thoughtco.com/rhetorical-question-grammar-1692060
• https://ifioque.com/figures-of-speech/trope/anthypophora
• https://literaryterms.net/rhetorical-question/
• https://www.thoughtco.com/what-is-a-rhetorical-question-1691877

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44 Cool Examples of a Rhetorical Question to Understand it Better

Have you noticed how many questions cross your mind on a daily basis or how many you ask the people around you? Do you ever stop to wonder if these rhetorical questions really provide a satisfactory answer to what your seeking? Isn't it kind of pesky to be barraged with questions that you are unable to directly answer? Wouldn't it be nice to get a better understanding of rhetorical questions with relevant examples with this Penlighten post?

Have you noticed how many questions cross your mind on a daily basis or how many you ask the people around you? Do you ever stop to wonder if these rhetorical questions really provide a satisfactory answer to what your seeking? Isn’t it kind of pesky to be barraged with questions that you are unable to directly answer? Wouldn’t it be nice to get a better understanding of rhetorical questions with relevant examples with this Penlighten post?

Pun Intended!

During the 1580s English printer Henry Denham invented the ‘rhetorical question mark’ (؟) to be used at the end of a rhetorical question. The usage of this sardonic punctuation mark faded during the 17th century.

The ancient Athenians believed that success and charm of an individual depended on his rhetorical ability to speak and debate. The word rhetorical is derived from the Latin word rhetoricus and the Greek word rhetorikos which means skilled speaker or orator. The technical term for a rhetorical question is Erotema which in Greek means question. In literary terms, these questions are persuasive or thought-provoking, they can be humorous, self-explanatory, or reflective.

Oxford English Dictionary indicates that the phrase ‘rhetorical question’ first appeared in English more than 300 years ago. The dictionary further indicates that it was published for the first time on a political pamphlet written by the First Earl of Anglesey in 1686: ‘To this Rhetorical Question the Commons pray they may Answer by another Question’. In a 1721 religious text written by Robert Manning, an illustration as well as the rhetorical question with its phrase appears: ‘But, to turn your fine Rhetorical Question upon yourself, cannot you enjoy the Advantages you have over impenitent Sinners, and the Devils without Damning them all to the Pit of Hell forever?’

Rhetorical Question: A figure of speech indicating a question asked only to produce an effect or make a statement, rather than to evoke an answer or information. It is asked when the questioner already knows the answer or an answer is not really required.

Meaning & Purpose

★ The Greeks took lessons to mesmerize audiences with their oratory and public speaking skills mostly for political reasons and to influence the voter. The technique they applied to keep the crowd spellbound is known as rhetoric or with rhetorical questions. This technique is still used by politicians, lecturers, priests and other skilled orators to keep their audience in control and get engaged in their ideologies.

★ A rhetorical question may already have an obvious answer, but the questioner asks these questions to lay emphasis on the projected point. In literature, it is used for style and as a strong persuasive device. These questions provoke deep thoughts, sometimes impose sarcastic reasoning, and are often used as a tool during debates to avoid obtaining an immediate declaration.

★ Writers employ this technique for rhetorical effects to arouse the interest of the reader and enjoy the aesthetic beauty the questions generate. Effective speakers know how to stir audience reaction, such questions make the audience a partner of the speaker’s statements. Instead of presenting one-way emotional statements, the orator involves the audience more emotionally by invoking their curiosity and surprising them with a rhetorical question.

★ These questions can be used as an exclamation point on an introducing statement. While the introducing statement may be a factual statement, a rhetorical question forces your audience to think hard about it. Careful use of misdirection in a speech is an effective way of generating audience surprise, and this results in them being active participants. One form of misdirection is when you make a statement which leads in one direction, and then follow it up with a statement that pulls in the opposite direction.

★ A rhetorical question is a figure of speech that needs no expectation of a reply. The use of a rhetorical questions is mostly to encourage the listener to think about what the obvious answer to the question must be. Rhetorical questions can therefore be used as a device by the speaker to assert or deny something. Types of rhetorical questions include: Metaphors and Negative assertions.

General Rhetorical Questions

★ Is the Pope Catholic?

★Is this a great product?

★ Is the sky blue?

★ Do you want to be a big failure for the rest of your life?

★ Is there anyone smarter than me?

★ Is this supposed to be some kind of a joke?

★ There’s no hope, is there?

★ Who cares?

★ How much longer can this injustice continue?

★ Could I possibly love you more?

★ What the hell?

★ What is so rare as a day in June?

★ Would you like to swing on a star?

★ What defense do the homeless have, if the government will not protect them?

★ Smoking causes lung cancer. Who knew?

★ You were at the scene of the crime, correct?

★ How corrupt is the government?

★ If everyone else jumped off a cliff, would you do it too?

★ It is near not a good place to visit. Is it?

★ You don’t expect me to go along with that crazy scheme, do you?

Funny Rhetorical Questions

★ If love is blind, why is lingerie so popular?

★ Marriage is a great Institution, but who wants to live in an institution?

★ Why are there locks on the doors to the convenience store that is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year?

★ Why does Teflon stick to the frying pan, since nothing ever sticks to Teflon?

★ Why are highways build so close to the ground?

★ Why do overlook and oversee mean opposite things?

★ Can good-looking Eskimo girls be called hot?

★ Do fish feel thirsty in the water?

★ Why do they call someone “late” if they died early?

★ Do man-eater sharks eat women too?

★ Why is it called ‘after dark’, when it is really after light?

★ Why don’t they call mustaches ‘mouthbrows?’

★ Why is the man who invests all your money called a broker?

★ Crime doesn’t pay… does that mean my job is a crime

★ Can you cry underwater?

★ Do pilots take crash courses?

★ If people from Poland are called Poles, why aren’t people from Holland called Holes?

★ Why isn’t the number 11 pronounced onety one?

★ What hair color do they put on the driver’s licenses of bald men?

★ Why is a person who plays the piano called a pianist, but a person that drives a race car is not called a racist?

Rhetorical Questions in Literature

★ “Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?” ― Shakespeare’s “Romeo & Juliet”

★ Mighty Caesar! dost thou lie so low? Are all thy conquests, glories, triumphs, spoils, Shrunk to this little measure? ― Shakespeare’s “Julius Caesar”

★ If you prick us, do we not bleed? If you tickle us, do we not laugh? If you poison us, do we not die? And if you wrong us, shall we not revenge? ― Shakespeare’s “The Merchant of Venice”

Rhetorical Questions in Poetry

★ How do you think I feel when you make me talk to you and won’t let me stop till the words turn into a moan? Do you think I mind when you put your hand over my mouth and tell me not to move so you can “hear” it happening? ― Rhetorical Questions- Hugo Williams

Rhetoric question normally prompts an individual or a crowd to ponder upon their own opinions and notions rather than specifically answer out loud.

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