Rhetorical Analysis: Victor Rios

Invention:
Ethos: Victor Rios immediately establishes his credibility by describing how he was one of the very troubled teens he is speaking about. By doing this, he shows us that he understands the topic he is discussing and has a unique perspective and ability to see the issue. Moreover, because he was one of them, he is unlikely to give us false information about the issue. He also shows that has the best interests of this group at heart because he was part of this group. Indeed, he has a vested interest in the wellbeing of these teens and has no reason to lie to us about them. Rios has a lifetime of knowledge at his disposal, and he makes this clear. In addition, he speaks with confidence and no notes which establishes that he has
He gives us some background information about these children and explains that he was once one of these children. This serves as an introduction and a hook to make the audience care about what Rios has to say. After this, he continues to use his life to guide the speech chronologically through his journey from a delinquent child to a college graduate studying and helping children in schools. After explaining his experience, Rios leads into what we can do to help these children. First, we need to stop labeling these children as “bad” having a “culture of violence” or just “those people.” Second, we should value what children bring with them because their stories are what make them who they are. Third, it is essential that we provide resources to young people. After describing what needs to be done, Rios explains that he has worked to implement these ideas with a group of forty young adults who had been pushed out of school. This program was a success and he shows this by telling the story of William who went from drop out to a high school graduate and then a security guard. Rios concludes with a summary of his points, a strong quote, and a call to action for everyone to believe in these young people just like Mrs. Russ believed in him. Rios does a wonderful job of introducing his topic, telling us what needs to be done, explaining how it has worked, and then concluding with a call to