Rhetorical Analysis and Synthesis [pp. 456-483]

RHETORICAL ANALYSIS AND SYNTHESIS.
an individual theme, upon the principle of its organization, into
right wing, left wing, centre and reserve. In the fifth stage, any
one or all of these last parts may be analyzed upon the principle of the manner of equipment and fighting, into infantry,
cavalry, and artillery, or some of them upon one principle, and
some upon another. At each of these several stages many
parts are omitted, and the analysis is incomplete in those
selected for examples. But no confusion results from such variation in the principles applied; all is in strict accordance with
the laws of thinking, and with all the uses of analysis, whether
in the search for truth or the communication of thought.
X. The selection of the principle is governed by the object of
discourse.
Inasmuch as any theme can be analyzed upon a number of
diverse principles, it is a matter of primary importance to know
how to select the right one in each case. This depends absolutely upon the object which we have in view in the discussion.
Therefore, if the subject of the discourse be honesty, we first
determine in our own minds the precise object which we desire
to accomplish by the discussion of it. And if this be simply to
explain the nature of honesty, so that it shall be understood, we
may do this by showing how it acts, what itleads people to do.
In this case it must be analyzed upon the principle of its acts,
and its parts will be such as the following: abstaining from
contracting obligations beyond our ability; punctually meeting
those we have contracted; fairly representing the value of the
goods we have to sell; duly appreciating those we wish to buy;
speaking the truth in all matters of business; and carefully
guarding ourselves against the temptation to wrong others for our
own profit. Thus the ohject of our discourse fully appears in
all the parts of the analysis; and the discussion of these points
will go far towards making people understand what honesty is.
But now, if we assume that this is sufficiently known, and our
object be simply to enforce the duty, the theme must be analyzed upon an entirely different principle, namely, that of the
motives which make men honest. This would give us such parts
as the following: the usefulness of honest dealing in society;
the command of God that we shall do as we would be done by;
the temporal and eternal rewards and penalties respectively of
honesty and dishonesty. Thus, again, the object of discourse
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