What rhetorical strategies are used?

I've never considered rhetorical strategies in terms of Under the Banner of Heaven: A Story of Violent Faith. I will need to look further. Krakauer's tone is very objective, and though he is dealing with a very emotional subject, the murder of a young mother and her baby, he manages to keep his writing detached from this emotion. In fact, Krakauer presents his story almost as if he were writing for a newspaper. He includes many facts in this well-researched novel. In addition to his research of historical papers, government documents and court recordings, Krakauer also interviews his subjects face to face. It is easy to tell Krakauer has spoken with these people, usually in their own environment, because of the descriptions that he uses. For instance, he speaks of riding with DeLoy Bateman and seeing the satellite dishes that people have attempted to dispose of in the desert. It also appears that Krakauer was with Bateman when he and his family discovered the 132-year-old signature of William Dunn on the stone located on top of Mount Dellenbaugh.

It is important to keep in mind when reading this novel, however, that Krakauer's writing, though very objective, does not encompass all Mormons. The novel seeks to examine those with violent religious beliefs, and in this case, those are the ones who have tried to return to the roots of their religious beliefs. Therefore, Krakauer explores mostly the early beliefs and experiences of the Mormon Church, along with Mormon Fundamentalists of the day. This work does not describe Mormons in general, only the fundamentalists.