Persuasive Essay Examples

Persuasion is the act of convincing someone or groups of people to do something they rather wouldn’t have done. Since most people are set in their beliefs, you might need to put in a lot of effort, supported by well-founded facts to make them change their perspective.

The function of a persuasive essay is to assure the reader that by taking a different course of action, they will end up with a better outcome. Unlike other forms of essays, a persuasive essay requires that the writer adopts a viewpoint, defends it, and convinces the audience to come over to his side of the aisle.

Some famous persuasive essay examples in pop-culture

Although most of these examples are in the form of speeches, they serve as the blueprint for writing important essays.

• MLK’s “I have a dream” address
• Achilles’ address to the Myrmidons before storming the beaches of Troy
• Churchill’s “We Shall Overcome” speech

The impact of these addresses resonates with generations throughout human history. If you want your essay to generate the kind of motivation similar to that from these speeches, then you have to stick to the following guidelines:

• Be subtle but confident in the tone of your persuasive essay. The reader should not feel that they are being coerced. At the same time, you should utilize your words tactfully to make them feel in total control of their final decision.

• Include a universal call-to-action in your persuasive essay. By adding a collective pronoun, the reader will feel part of something greater than themselves.

E.g.,  “Together we can make the world a better place” is a message that any level-headed individual can stand behind.

• Highlight that the alternative to choosing your course of action can lead only to undesirable results for everybody involved.

With the help of a convincing writing tone and an inspirational call to action, you can make your persuasive essay as impactful as can be.