pt. I. Toward a method of analysis and evaluation. Studying rhetorical refusals : basic principles ; Evaluating rhetorical refusals : categories and criteria ; Evaluating rhetorical refusals : Croce's refusal as a test case
pt. II. Rhetorical refusals and American traditions. Agents, 'truth', and salience ; When a refusal's context changes ; The embedding of a rhetorical refusal ; A literary rhetorical refusal.