"The Century of the Self by Adam Curtis"

Rhetorical Analysis on the documentary "The Century of the Self by Adam Curtis"

1. What kinds of arguments (e.g., classical oration, Toulmin, Rogerian, etc.) are being used here? Does

the kind of argument being used affect the effectiveness of the overall thrust of the documentary?

2. What did the author choose to study? Why?
3. What is the writer’s purpose? To inform? To persuade? To criticize?
4. Who is the author’s intended audience?
5. How does the writer arrange their ideas? Chronologically? Philosophically?
6. How does the writer use diction? (Word choice, arrangement, accuracy, is it formal, informal?

Technical versus slang?)

7. Does the writer use dialogue? Quotations? Why?
8. Are important terms repeated? What are the top three terms of the documentary
9. What is the effect of the text and the visual rhetoric. Does music feature? What impact does having
   interviews have?
10. What is the role of the logos, pathos, ethos, and kairos in the text?
11. What other rhetorical devices are at work in the documentary? Does the presence of these devices

make the argument more or less compelling?

12. What is the overall effect of this documentary on you, the audience? Do you think the author achieves

the effect they sought? Do you find the documentary compelling? If not, why not? What audience would find it compelling?

Sample Solution