Question: To practice rhetoric, let’s look at two pieces of writing that feature a profession famous for its rhetorical giftslawyers.

Question:
To practice rhetoric, let’s look at two pieces of writing that feature a profession famous for its rhetorical gifts—lawyers. Lawyers have a very short amount of time to get jurors to agree with them.
The first passage you’ll look at is a piece of fiction, linked below. It was written by Harper Lee in her book To Kill a Mockingbird. In this scene, Atticus Finch is defending a black man who is accused of attacking a white woman. This is his closing argument. Pay close attention to the very thoughtful word choices that Atticus uses to get the jurors to be on his side.
The second passage you’ll look at is from a real trial in 1926, also attached below. Henry Sweet was a black man who moved into a mostly white neighborhood at a time when there was a lot of racial tension. The white neighbors were not happy about this, so one night a mob broke into Sweet’s house. As Henry Sweet (and others) tried to defend the house, a white man ended up getting shot and killed. Henry and others were charged with murder. Clarence Darrow, a well-known white lawyer, took the case. This is his closing argument. Again, pay close attention to the very thoughtful word choices that Clarence uses to get the jurors to be on his side.
Read both of the following links, “Atticus Finch Closing Argument” (scroll down to see the text) and “Clarence Darrow Closing Argument” (read the section titled: “Conclusion: A Little Glance at the History of the Negro Race”), then answer the questions in the activity below. Include a MLA citation for each of the sources. This will give the authors proper credit and—in your own writing—will keep you safe from plagiarizing (which means using someone else’s ideas as your own).
WEBSITES:
http://www.americanrhetoric.com/MovieSpeeches/moviespeechtokillamockingbird.html
http://law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/Ftrials/sweet/darrowsummation.html#They Were Arrested
1-What words does Atticus Finch use to convey his message? Why does he choose these words, instead of other words with similar meanings? Explain your answer.
2-Pick one word that Atticus Finch uses in his argument and explain how that word is carefully chosen to convey a certain message. What are the connotations of that word? Think of another word with the same definition–do they have different connotations? Explain your answer.
3-What is the most powerful, convincing line in Atticus’ speech and why?
4-What words does Clarence Darrow use to convey his message? Why does he choose these words, instead of other words with similar meanings? Explain your answer.
5-Pick one word that Darrow uses in his argument and explain how that word is carefully chosen to convey a certain message. What are the connotations of that word? Think of another word with the same definition–do they have different connotations? Explain your answer.
6-What is the most powerful and convincing line in Darrow’s speech and why?
7-Based on Atticus’s closing argument and what you may know of the book or the time period, what do you think the verdict will be? Explain your reasoning.
8-Based on Darrow’s closing argument and what you may know of the time period, what do you think the verdict will be? Explain your reasoning.
CAN SOMEONE PLEASE HELP ME WITH THIS. IT’S DUE TOMORROW. IF YOU DO HELP PLEASE POST THE ANSWER IN THE COMMENTS. THANKS AGIAN. I WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE IT. 🙂