Final answer:
The purpose of an essay is to engage the audience using strategies such as thought-provoking questions, statistics, and anecdotes, while considering audience perspective and cultural context.
Step-by-step explanation:
One purpose of an essay is to engage the audience effectively. In doing so, writers use various strategies such as thought-provoking questions, interesting statistics, and detailed anecdotes or vignettes to draw readers in and keep them interested. By considering the audience's knowledge and beliefs, addressing multiple perspectives, and understanding the cultural context and genre, the writer can fully engage the audience. These rhetorical strategies help communicate the writer's purpose and aim to meet or challenge conventional expectations in rhetorically effective ways. An essay that demonstrates these qualities will likely appeal to readers' intelligence and sympathies, indicating a sophisticated command of language and a clear expression of the writer's intent.