Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topics: 80 Speeches, Ads and Essays to Analyze

A good rhetorical analysis essay topic is a specific persuasive text, such as Lincoln's Gettysburg Address or Volkswagen's 1959 "Think Small" ad, paired with a question about how it tries to move its audience. Below are 80 rhetorical analysis essay topics, sorted into speeches, historical documents, ads, essays and everyday texts, and each one names the choices worth looking at.

You are not arguing whether the speaker was right. You are explaining how the text works: who it was for, what it wanted, and which choices make that more likely.

What Makes a Good Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topic

Run any text through four quick checks before you commit.

• It is trying to persuade someone. Speeches, ads, open letters, op-eds and campaign materials all want an audience to believe or do something. A recipe or a weather report gives you very little to analyze.
• You can name the rhetorical situation. Who is speaking, to whom, when, and why then? The SOAPSTone checklist (speaker, occasion, audience, purpose, subject, tone) is a fast way to test this. If you cannot fill in the occasion and audience, research the context before you choose it.
• The choices are visible. Repetition, a striking image, a shift in tone, a pointed question, a carefully chosen statistic. The more deliberate choices you can point to, the easier it is to write body paragraphs.
• It is the right length. A two-minute speech can carry a full essay. A 300-page book cannot, so pick one chapter or passage.

A quick test: can you name three specific choices the author made and say what each one does to the audience? If you can, you have a topic.

Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topics: Famous Speeches

Speeches are the most common choice: the occasion and audience are easy to identify and full texts are easy to find.

1. Abraham Lincoln, Gettysburg Address (1863). How does a speech under 300 words redefine the purpose of the war? Look at: birth imagery, the "we cannot dedicate" turn, the closing triplet.
2. Abraham Lincoln, Second Inaugural Address (1865). Why does a winning president refuse to celebrate? Look at: shared blame, biblical allusion, "with malice toward none."
3. Frederick Douglass, "What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?" (1852). How does Douglass turn a holiday speech into an indictment? Look at: shifting pronouns, irony, rhetorical questions.
4. Sojourner Truth, "Ain't I a Woman?" (1851). Why do the two surviving versions read so differently? Look at: how the 1863 transcription changed the dialect and the refrain, and what that does to the speech's ethos.
5. Martin Luther King Jr., "I Have a Dream" (1963). How does the speech move from grievance to vision? Look at: the bad-check metaphor, anaphora, appeals to founding documents.
6. Franklin D. Roosevelt, "Day of Infamy" address (1941). How does a short speech prepare a nation for war? Look at: word choice, the list of attacks, controlled tone.
7. Franklin D. Roosevelt, First Inaugural Address (1933). How does FDR reframe fear during the Depression? Look at: "the only thing we have to fear," war metaphors for economic policy.
8. Winston Churchill, "We Shall Fight on the Beaches" (1940). How does Churchill report a retreat and still build resolve? Look at: candor about losses, anaphora, the final appeal to the "New World."
9. John F. Kennedy, Inaugural Address (1961). How does Kennedy make sacrifice sound like an invitation? Look at: antithesis, chiasmus, appeals to a new generation.
10. John F. Kennedy, "We Choose to Go to the Moon" (1962). How does he sell an expensive goal by stressing how hard it is? Look at: compressed history, "not because they are easy."
11. Lyndon B. Johnson, "We Shall Overcome" (1965). What does it mean for a president to adopt a protest movement's anthem? Look at: borrowed language, appeals to shared national identity.
12. Robert F. Kennedy, remarks on the death of Martin Luther King Jr. (1968). How does an unscripted speech calm a grieving crowd? Look at: personal disclosure, quoted poetry, pauses.
13. Ronald Reagan, Challenger disaster address (1986). How does a national eulogy speak to children and adults at once? Look at: direct address to schoolchildren, the closing poem.
14. Ronald Reagan, "Tear Down This Wall" (1987). How does the speech use its setting in Berlin? Look at: direct challenge, imagery of the wall, contrast between two systems.
15. Dwight D. Eisenhower, Farewell Address (1961). Why does a former general warn about the military? Look at: ethos, measured tone, the phrase "military-industrial complex."
16. Emmeline Pankhurst, "Freedom or Death" (1913). How does a British suffragette justify militant tactics to an American audience in Hartford? Look at: analogies to the American Revolution, the hungry-baby image.
17. Susan B. Anthony, "On Women's Right to Vote" (1873). How does Anthony argue from the Constitution's own words? Look at: close reading of "We, the people," logical appeals.
18. Lou Gehrig, farewell speech (1939). How does a man announcing a terminal illness call himself lucky? Look at: gratitude lists, understatement, audience of fans.
19. Elie Wiesel, "The Perils of Indifference" (1999). How does Wiesel make indifference sound worse than hatred? Look at: definitions, personal testimony, rhetorical questions.
20. Nelson Mandela, "I Am Prepared to Die" (1964). How does a defendant turn a courtroom into a platform? Look at: measured reasoning, the closing ideal, audience beyond the court.

Rhetorical Analysis Topics From Historical Documents and Letters

21. The Declaration of Independence (1776). How does it frame a revolution as a legal necessity? Look at: the list of grievances, appeals to natural law.
22. Thomas Paine, Common Sense (1776). Why did a pamphlet in plain language persuade so many readers? Look at: everyday analogies, scorn for monarchy.
23. Patrick Henry, "Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death" (1775). How does the speech build toward its ultimatum? Look at: rhetorical questions, the chains metaphor. Note that the text we have was reconstructed decades later.
24. Declaration of Sentiments, Seneca Falls (1848). Why copy the structure of the Declaration of Independence? Look at: parody, parallel grievances.
25. Martin Luther King Jr., "Letter from Birmingham Jail" (1963). How does King answer critics who called him an outsider? Look at: the letter form, the long "when you have seen" sentence, his clergy audience.
26. Queen Elizabeth I, speech to the troops at Tilbury (1588). How does a queen claim military authority? Look at: "the body of a weak and feeble woman," royal "we" versus "I."
27. Chief Joseph, surrender speech (1877). Why is a speech of defeat so widely remembered? Look at: short sentences, naming the dead, "I will fight no more forever."
28. Booker T. Washington, Atlanta Exposition Address (1895). Who was this speech really for, and why did it later draw criticism? Look at: the "cast down your bucket" parable, the hand-and-fingers image.
29. Eleanor Roosevelt, "The Struggle for Human Rights" (1948). How does she argue for a human rights declaration in Paris months before it was adopted? Look at: choice of setting, contrasts with Soviet positions.
30. Margaret Chase Smith, "Declaration of Conscience" (1950). How does a senator criticize her own party's tactics? Look at: ethos as a Republican, the list of basic principles.
31. Jonathan Swift, "A Modest Proposal" (1729). How does a calm voice make a monstrous idea land as satire? Look at: deadpan statistics, the persona of the reasonable projector.

Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topics for High School

These texts are short, widely available and easy to place in context.

32. Steve Jobs, Stanford commencement speech (2005). How does a three-story structure make a familiar message feel personal? Look at: storytelling, "stay hungry, stay foolish."
33. David Foster Wallace, "This Is Water" (2005). How does a commencement speech undercut the genre it belongs to? Look at: the fish parable, second-person address.
34. Mark Twain, "Advice to Youth" (1882). How does Twain give bad advice to make a good point? Look at: irony, comic timing.
35. The "Crying Indian" anti-litter ad (1971). Why did a famous ad later become a case study in misleading ethos? Look at: the tear, the narrator, and the fact that the actor was of Italian descent, not Native American.
36. Smokey Bear posters (from 1944). How does a cartoon bear assign responsibility to the viewer? Look at: "Only you," direct gaze.
37. "I Want You" Uncle Sam recruiting poster (1917). How does one pointing finger create urgency? Look at: eye contact, color, the shift from "the U.S. Army" to "you."
38. "We Can Do It!" poster (1943). Why did a workplace poster become a symbol decades later? Look at: pose, color, how its meaning changed with new audiences.
39. "This Is Your Brain on Drugs" (1987). Does a simple metaphor persuade or oversimplify? Look at: the egg, the frying pan, the closing question.

AP Lang Rhetorical Analysis Practice Topics

On the AP English Language exam the rhetorical analysis question gives you a passage and asks how the writer's choices serve a purpose. It is scored out of 6 points: 1 for the thesis, up to 4 for evidence and commentary, and 1 for sophistication. Practice with passages that have a clear speaker, occasion and audience, like these. Check the current College Board course description for your exam year.

40. Lincoln's Gettysburg Address: the final paragraph. How does the sentence structure build to a single goal?
41. Churchill's "Their Finest Hour" (1940). How does he ask listeners to imagine how the future will judge them?
42. Rachel Carson, Silent Spring, "A Fable for Tomorrow" (1962). Why open a science book with an invented town?
43. Virginia Woolf, "Professions for Women" (1931). How does the "Angel in the House" figure carry her argument?
44. George Orwell, "Politics and the English Language" (1946). How does Orwell model the clear style he argues for?
45. Henry David Thoreau, "Civil Disobedience" (1849). How does he justify breaking a law to readers who obey it?
46. Ralph Waldo Emerson, "Self-Reliance" (1841). How do short aphorisms do the persuading?
47. Toni Morrison, Nobel Prize lecture (1993). How does a parable about a bird become an argument about language?
48. Margaret Chase Smith, opening paragraphs. How does she establish credibility before she criticizes?
49. Emmeline Pankhurst, "Freedom or Death," opening. How does she manage a skeptical audience in her first minute?

Rhetorical Analysis Topics From Ads and Commercials

In ads every choice is deliberate and the purpose is obvious. Name the product, year and audience in your thesis.

50. Volkswagen, "Think Small" (1959). How does an ad full of white space sell a small car to a market that loved big ones? Look at: self-deprecation, layout, honesty as a strategy.
51. Avis, "We Try Harder" (1962). How does admitting you are number two become a selling point? Look at: candor, underdog ethos.
52. Coca-Cola, "Hilltop" (1971). How does a soft drink ad sell global harmony? Look at: the song, casting, setting.
53. Apple, "1984" (1984). How does an ad sell a computer without showing it? Look at: allusion to Orwell, the hammer, the Super Bowl audience.
54. Apple, "Think Different" (1997). How does a brand borrow ethos from historical figures? Look at: the voice-over, black-and-white images, grammar.
55. Nike, "Just Do It" (1988). Why do three words work across sports and decades? Look at: imperative mood, what the slogan leaves out.
56. Wendy's, "Where's the Beef?" (1984). How does humor turn into a comparison ad? Look at: the punchline, repetition.
57. "Got Milk?" (1993). Why build a campaign around running out of something? Look at: deprivation, humor, the question format.
58. Dove, Campaign for Real Beauty (from 2004). Is a beauty brand criticizing beauty standards credible? Look at: casting, research claims, the product's role.
59. Always, "#LikeAGirl" (2014). How does an ad turn a playground insult around? Look at: the interview format, the age shift in answers.
60. The Marlboro Man campaign (1950s on). How did an image change who a product was for? Look at: masculinity, landscape, the absence of facts.
61. "Daisy" political ad (1964). How did a single airing become a landmark attack ad without naming the opponent? Look at: the countdown, the child, the implied claim.
62. "Morning in America" political ad (1984). How does a reelection ad argue without attacking anyone? Look at: everyday images, the calm narrator, "It's morning again in America."
63. A current ad for a product you own. How does it describe your problem before it sells the fix? Look at: the opening shot, the promise, the fine print.

Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topics for College

College assignments usually allow longer texts and expect more context. Pick a section, not the whole work.

64. Swift's "A Modest Proposal" and its economic context. How does the satire depend on readers knowing the pamphlets it mocks?
65. Douglass's 1852 speech and its audience in Rochester. How did the abolitionist audience shape what he could say?
66. King's letter versus "A Call for Unity," the clergy statement it answers. How does King quote and recast his critics?
67. Carson's Silent Spring, the final chapter. How does she end a scientific argument with a call for humility?
68. Orwell's "Shooting an Elephant" (1936). Is it a story or an argument, and how does the narrator's shame persuade?
69. The Federalist No. 10 (1787). How does Madison make a large republic sound safer than a small one?

Everyday Texts You Can Analyze

These are close at hand and often underexplored.

70. An app's subscription screen. How do design and wording push the paid option?
71. A terms-of-service update email. What is emphasized, and what is buried?
72. A movie trailer. How does editing build expectation without giving the plot away?
73. A local newspaper op-ed. How does the writer establish standing to speak?
74. A product's packaging. What do the words "natural," "clean" or "pro" do on the label?
75. A company apology statement. How does it take responsibility without admitting fault?

Rhetorical Analysis Topics to Test in a Debate

Arguing whether a text works is a good warm-up before explaining how it works.

76. The "Crying Indian" ad did more harm than good. It raised litter awareness, but critics say its ethos was borrowed and its sponsor's message deflected blame. Debate this →
77. Emotional appeals persuade better than evidence in public service ads. Fear and sadness grab attention, but people can tune them out. Debate this →
78. The "Daisy" ad was fair political persuasion. It made a real stakes argument, yet it never stated a claim anyone could check. Debate this →
79. Brands should not run social-cause advertising. Campaigns like Dove's raise real issues, but they also sell soap. Debate this →
80. Short speeches persuade better than long ones. The Gettysburg Address supports one side; many long speeches that changed minds support the other. Debate this →

How to Choose and Write Your Rhetorical Analysis

1. Start with the rhetorical situation. Write one sentence each for speaker, occasion, audience and purpose before you analyze any line.
2. Pick three choices, not ten. A strong essay explains a few choices well. Listing every device you can spot is the most common mistake.
3. Tie each choice to the audience. "Lincoln uses repetition" is an observation. "Lincoln repeats 'we' so that grieving listeners feel the unfinished work belongs to them" is analysis.
4. Write a thesis that names the purpose and the method. For example: "In 'Think Small,' Volkswagen turns the Beetle's size into a virtue by using self-mocking humor and blank space to look honest next to louder competitors."
5. Use verbs that show action. Words like "frames," "contrasts," "concedes," "reassures" and "challenges" keep you analyzing instead of summarizing.

If you need a refresher on the tools themselves, our guides to ethos, pathos and logos and rhetorical devices explain the terms with examples. To see how the same choices work in spoken argument, look at debate speech examples.

Practice Spotting Rhetoric Out Loud

You learn to see rhetorical choices faster when you have to make them under pressure. Take one of the debate resolutions above, pick a side, and argue it against an AI opponent on Debate Ladder. You get timed opening, rebuttal and closing rounds, an AI judge's score, and a rating that tracks your progress. Afterward, read your transcript the way you would read a speech for this essay.

More Topic Lists

If your assignment asks you to make your own argument rather than analyze someone else's, start with argumentative essay topics or persuasive essay topics. For AP Lang's source-based question, synthesis essay topics pairs 100 questions with the sources to gather. If you are writing a speech of your own, try persuasive speech topics. Every list on the site is collected in the complete guide to debate topics.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a rhetorical analysis essay? A rhetorical analysis essay explains how a text persuades its audience. Instead of arguing whether the author is right, you identify the rhetorical situation and show how specific choices, such as appeals, structure and word choice, serve the author's purpose.

What is a good topic for a rhetorical analysis essay? A short persuasive text with a clear audience and visible choices, such as the Gettysburg Address, the "Think Small" Volkswagen ad, or "Letter from Birmingham Jail." It should be something you can analyze in detail, not summarize.

Can I write a rhetorical analysis of an advertisement? Yes. Ads are some of the easiest texts to analyze because every image, word and edit is chosen on purpose. Name the product, the year and the target audience, then explain how three choices work on that audience.

How is the AP Lang rhetorical analysis essay scored? It is scored out of 6 points: 1 point for a defensible thesis about the writer's choices, up to 4 points for evidence and commentary, and 1 point for sophistication.

What is the difference between a rhetorical analysis and an argumentative essay? An argumentative essay defends your own position on an issue. A rhetorical analysis studies someone else's argument and explains how it is built to persuade, whether or not you agree with it.

Should I analyze a speech by a current politician? You can if your teacher allows it, but historical texts are usually easier. Their context is documented, full transcripts are easy to find, and readers are less likely to judge your analysis by their own politics.