In order to effectively persuade an audience, you must first understand the power of rhetoric and persuasion. This book provides a concise introduction to major theories of persuasion, analyses of political, cultural, and literary events that represent the significance and scope of persuasion. Elements of Persuasion offers an analytical discussion of a representative range of persuasion events: the 1925 Scopes trial, Spike LeeUs Do The Right Thing, the 1996 State of the Union address, and more. With these, readers will examine the ways in which persuasion is affected by belief, desire, class, gender, and race. For anyone who wants a general understanding of the art of persuasion, specifically fledgling lawyers, politicians, psychologists, and educators.