1. The first paragraph of this essay is a blow-by-blow account of a single commercial. Why is this kind of description so vitally important in a rhetorical analysis? (See “Make the text accessible to readers”.)

2. What major rhetorical appeals are evident in the commercials Leader analyzes? (See “Consider how well reasoned a piece is”.)

3. How does Leader extend her analysis of advertisements for cleaning products into an argument about gender roles in popular culture? What is that argument? (See “Make a difference”.)

4. The purpose of a television advertisement is to sell something, not necessarily to be artistic — or intelligent. With this in mind, how is conducting a rhetorical analysis of a television commercial different from doing so with a political speech, a Web site, or an op-ed in the newspaper?

5. WRITING: While some television advertisements are worthy of deep analysis, others may not be. List ten commercials you have recently seen, and choose one that seems deserving of study. Describe it in detail, and then jot down any inferences your description lets you make about the commercial. If the commercial still seems worthy of close examination, write a rhetorical analysis. If not, choose another commercial and start over. Repeat the process until you find a commercial worth writing about. (See “Choose a text with handles”.)