Ask students to make notes on rhetorical elements. A follow-up activity might be the game described above. Discuss with the class how specific rhetorical elements bias the reader to the female perspective in the proposal scene between Mr. Collins and Elizabeth Bennet. Ask students to examine the development of images, motifs, and symbols in literary works they have studied and compare these with visual representations of similar ideas in other contexts, such as advertisements, computer graphics, and First Nations, Asian, and other cultural or artistic traditions. Have students examine the depiction of nature or animals in literature.
Students can compare their findings with similar depictions in the art of other traditions.
As students discuss and write about literary texts, they show their increasing understanding of rhetorical situation. Assessment may involve a combination of class and small-group discussions, presentations, and short and extended written assignments. Visual representations such as concept maps, webs, posters, or sketches can also offer insights into students' knowledge and appreciation of setting and its relationship to other elements. To check on students' understanding of rhetorical situation, form small groups and ask each group to prepare a series of three to five questions about a different text. Groups then exchange questions and discuss.