J'Accuse

Zola formatted his essay as an open letter addressed to President Felix Faure. How does this form impact his argument, and it is a useful rhetorical device? How might other forms have changed his argument?

Pathos plays a large part in Zola’s argument for Dreyfus’s innocence. Identify three pieces of emotional language and analyze why you consider them to be impactful and persuasive.

The most iconic aspect of Zola’s letter is when he makes numerous accusations with the recurrent phrase “J’Accuse.” Paying close attention to language and structure, consider the effect of Zola’s choices in this section.