Your response should do the following:
*about 300-500 words
*thoughtful and provoking
*engaged with several other posts (not just the first person!)
*incorporate the text
This post is due by Wedneday, January 12, 2011.
Monday, January 10, 2011
Rhetoric
Similar to your first blog post, I want you to explore what rhetoric is--how it is defined and used, why it is important to know and understand, how it connects to composing, what it means to you in the class and in the major. Use the reading to ground your post, but also begin to synthesize (this means taking your thinking past a summary) to make connections to the class, to each other, and to yourself as a composer. You can also use this post to explore what rhetoric means today in our society--the ways in which people practice it (often without evening realizing it) and how it might be useful for you once you graduate. 
Your response should do the following:
*about 300-500 words
*thoughtful and provoking
*engaged with several other posts (not just the first person!)
*incorporate the text
This post is due by Wedneday, January 12, 2011.
Your response should do the following:
*about 300-500 words
*thoughtful and provoking
*engaged with several other posts (not just the first person!)
*incorporate the text
This post is due by Wedneday, January 12, 2011.
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Rhetoric is not something that is simple, but is complex in which there are many different ways to understand the word. It has been said that it is more than just the proper use of language. It can be revealed in different forms, whether it be verbal communication or words that are simply written on a piece of paper. It is also been said that it is the study of distinguishing the difference between what a person knows, and how a person will write to emphasize what they know. But the term rhetoric is not very lucid; it provides an array of different meanings behind the eight letters that spells the word. It is a word that always needs something to back it up; knowledge. A rhetorical situation is one in which there is a purpose but with complexity. The writer or spokesperson has a meaning behind everything that he/she is trying to get the reader/peer to understand. It is very important in composing because I feel that without rhetorical situation, writing would not be what it is. We would not understand things or try to understand things that we do and read about. It is for the audience to realize the intent behind it. An example of a rhetorical situation is one that the state of Arizona just encountered. Six people were killed due to political beliefs. A boy named Jared Loughner took it upon himself to kill these six people because they did not have the same political beliefs as he did. He let his emotions get the best of him and did not understand why people did not believe what he did. This is just one of many ways that rhetorical situation is present in pretty much every little thing that we as people come across every day.
ReplyDeleteRhetoric is one of those words with a dizzying number of different meanings and interpretations. Defining it, then, is obviously no easy task. Bizzell and Herzberg themselves begin by admitting that Rhetoric “has a number of overlapping meanings”, ranging from the practice of oratory, to the study of public speaking strategies, to the study of the relationship between language and knowledge. I found myself in agreement with their statement that “it is less helpful to try and define it once and for all then it is to look at the many definitions it has accumulated over the years”. We have the benefit of being able to examine the work of some of the greatest academics of various ages who have contributed to the study of Rhetoric, ranging back from the days of Plato and Aristotle and all the way forward to individuals like Kenneth Burke. I think that when it comes to applying Rhetoric to our EWM major and why it is an important aspect of it, we can draw from all of those various definitions. Some of us may pursue a career in broadcast media, where obviously public speaking is a crucial skill. Others of us might pursue print media, a field in which the rules of classical rhetoric , as organized by Aristotle, could help in writing persuasively. I think that EWM and Rhetoric also go well together because both media and rhetoric have been vastly affected by technological advances. However, as I mentioned, many of the classic principles of rhetoric are still very much relevant and useful today, and I also think that some of the more expanded definitions of Rhetoric raise key issues we have to consider as writers and scholars today. We must always be mindful of the relationship between language and meaning, and I think it’s interesting the way that this more recent definition of Rhetoric as suggested by IA Richards and Kenneth Burke seems to be somewhat reminiscent of the ancient sophist view that people constructed a value-laden world view through language. Overall, it will be interesting to see where the study of Rhetoric goes moving forward, as we continue to re-examine existing ideas and discover possibly even more new aspects or invent more definitions of Rhetoric. And as students in a curriculum that is influenced in such various ways by rhetoric, it’s likely that we’ll have a first-hand account of this development moving forward.
ReplyDeleteIt’s interesting to see how Rhetoric has progressed throughout the centuries. But at its core it remains “the art of persuasive thinking”. The three forms of persuasive appeal are particularly intriguing to me. A speaker or writer has to have authority (ethos), ability to reason (logos), and be able to tap into a person’s emotions (pathos). Referring to these three appeals, “Aristotle assumes that rationality is the most uniform and universal of the human mental abilities, or faculties, and so logical arguments will presumably have the widest currency.” However, he goes on to describe that having rational appeal is not enough. There has to be emotion. Why is this? Why does emotion play such a big role in persuasion?
ReplyDeleteI actually think it plays an even bigger role than we think it does. Have you ever seen those commercials on T.V., the ones where scenes from third-world countries are portrayed with children running down the street barefoot with trash on the ground? The narrator of the commercial says something like, “these children have nowhere to go, but you can help” and then a number appears on the screen to call. I am no way demeaning the nature of these messages. In fact, I think it illustrates the point that emotion plays a big role in persuading someone into something. It convicts me because my emotions were tapped into and that gets personal. If my knowledge of other countries is dependent on the message the commercial portrays, “then rhetoric has all the more value because it studies the ways in which argument and persuasion create conviction, and because it creates the provisional agreements and shared values on which human community depends.”
I agree with gbyrne4 when he/she says that the speaker or writer always has a meaning behind what they are trying to say and they are intentional in letting you know it. I think this is very true because when a composer is trying to get someone to believe something, they are not going to write aimlessly with no purpose. No, they have a motivation and drive for what they want to portray. I also think it’s interesting what Eric said about the possibilities of rhetoric moving forward. I believe there are many ways in which rhetoric will influence media and new technology, but I believe it will remain central to the ideas of the early century theorists in that rhetoric is the art of persuasion.
I know for me, as a Communications major, I am going to learn how to get a message across by communicating in a way people understand. While I am still figuring out what exactly I want to do once I graduate, I know I will be much more successful in my career if I can move people to action by using rhetoric as a tool to persuade people in a positive way.
To define rhetoric in one definition wouldn’t suffice for the overall meaning. “Rhetoric has a number of overlapping meanings: the practice of oratory, the study of the strategies of effective oratory; the use of language, written or spoken, to inform or persuade; the study of the persuasive effects of language; the study of the relation between language and knowledge; the classification and use of tropes and figures; and, of course, the use of empty promises and half-truth as a form of propaganda” (Bizzell and Herzberg, 1). The one common element though is a message one person is getting across to the audience. I am also taking public speaking this semester, and I thought it was interesting how these two courses parallel. There are three types of public speech, “the legal of forensic speech, the political or deliberative speech in the legislative assembly, concerned with moving people to future action; and the ceremonial or epideictic speech in a public forum, intended to strengthen shared beliefs about the present state of affairs” (Bizzell and Herzberg, 3). The, “persuasive appeal: the reason (logos), to emotion (pathos), and to the speaker’s authority (ethos) . All of the parts are necessary to ensure production of a full range of appeals” (Bizzell, Herzberg, 3). In the rhetorical situation, you have an audience which you are addressing, and a major concern is you have a common interest from the audience about the subject you are talking about. You need, as Bizzell and Herzberg said, you need logic, emotion, and the speaker’s authority. When one thinks about composing, one needs the use of language incorporated with thinking about the audience. When I think of good writing, it is- something that gets the full idea across , convincing you to sway to their side- this is what I think of. Something that clearly gets the idea across, the first section is essential to draw the reader/listener in—then you have them hooked. I think the logos element is the meat of the writing, the ethos is what gets the attention of the audience and pathos is what convinces the reader. The writing is the actual rhetoric and the rhetorical situation is the context- so in order to compose both ideas need to work together to win the audience.
ReplyDeleteI think once you graduate, learning these key skills of rhetoric and the rhetorical audience will get you to be successful. I agree with Amanda stating that "using rhetoric as a tool to persuade people in a positive way." I am double majoring in Communications and EWM. I want to be a broadcast journalist and getting the skills of rhetoric will be essential in my career. Eric stated, "I think that EWM and Rhetoric also go well together because both media and rhetoric have been vastly affected by technological advances. "--this I agree with, very well put.
This word, “rhetoric”, to be honest, it makes me cringe a little every time I see it. How are you supposed to define a single word that has such a vast amount of possible meanings? However, as I read more and more about the word and its origins, my mind picks up pieces at a time, slowly but surely putting the puzzle together. One meaning, probably the most familiar and general, is persuasive language. I will admit, in the last blog, I wrote that rhetoric was not necessary for all writing. After thinking about it some more, and reading more into it, I realized that I do not think that’s the case anymore. Even in the most creative fiction that’s sole purpose is to create a pretty picture, there is a persuasive background. The writer is still trying to make the reader see the effect of the place. Rhetoric can also be viewed as effective language. A basic purpose of writing is to have some sort of effect on the reader. This is why rhetoric is so important in composing; it plays a vital very basic role that wouldn’t be complete without the rhetoric aspect. If the piece of writing did not have one effect on the reader, then is it really worth telling? Learning and understanding rhetoric is critical for the Editing, Writing, and Media major. In the Rhetoric Introduction from Bizzell and Herzberg, it is stated that rhetoric can consist of “the use of empty promises and half-truths as propaganda”. I think this meaning of rhetoric plays a major role in the media. Magazines and reality television shows constantly tell stories of trashy, fake people and spread rumors through Hollywood just to spark the interest of the common citizen. Politicians who make promises to the community just to be elected for certain positions that do not follow through are good examples of this meaning. Even though these examples are not positive ones, they still are a style of language that plays some sort of effect on anyone observing. Any type of writing has some aspect, however small, of rhetoric contained. The writer strives for their piece to have an intended influence on the reader. As potentially future writers, we must know how to make our story persuasive enough to the readers to have an effect on them after they are finished.
ReplyDeleteSkimming through the three comments posted before mine helped me to understand the word rhetoric a little better. I felt like I wasn’t totally lost when reading that gbyrne4 had viewed the intent of the author as having a meaning behind their writing that they were trying to make known to the reader. As previously stated, I think no matter the type of writing, there is always a purpose and meaning intended for the reader to understand. After reading the first paragraph of Amanda Saxton’s blog, she made it easier to understand the three terms ethos, logos, and pathos and the importance of them in defining rhetoric. A successful writer must have authority and be able to reason so people understand their viewpoint, yet are open-minded about what they read. If a writer can tap into a person’s emotions, then the more effect it will have on a person. I believe effectiveness is the basic meaning and need for rhetoric in writing.
The little cartoon in the blog post speaks the truth when it comes to rhetoric. If you want a job in any kind of field, it is of the utmost importance to know how to speak and write. Whether you want to be a journalist or an engineer, it is important to have the knowledge of rhetoric. The reading says that in the classical system, rhetoric was used for three main types of public speech: legal/forensic, political and ceremonial. But I think we use rhetoric in every day speech. To me, rhetoric is the way we make words sound in order to convey a point of view; in order to persuade. When we were in high school, and still had curfews and parents waiting at home to sniff our clothes, we used rhetoric in asking for permission to come home at a later time. The way we made our words sound in a calm, mature voice, reassuring our parents that “No, there won’t be any boys there. It’s a girl night, and we will be doing our homework and watching Gossip Girl.” We stress certain syllables and deliver the important points with more emphasis than the things we don’t really want them to know.
ReplyDeleteAside from lying to our parents, rhetoric is an important tool to have in the workforce today. For instance, I want to go into broadcasting, and in order to acheive that, I need to know how to grab the attention of the viewers and bring out the positive in the negative. That’s an obvious situation, but just as a broadcaster needs to know how to speak, so does someone in the medical field. Without a clear interpretation of a drug dosage for a patient, things could go very wrong.
Rhetoric is everywhere in today’s society. Every commercial seen on television uses it. The way Orbit shows the twinkle in the pretty blonde girl’s teeth to what Amanda Saxton said about the poor, barefooted children are all examples of the use of rhetoric. Amanda brings up an interesting point when she says that rhetoric can be associated with emotion. I think that is one of the strongest ways to get people to understand what you are saying. If you can make someone relate, if you can make them feel, than you’ve got them. You have their interest.
There are so many ways to appeal to someone and this is why rhetoric is so complex. There’s a million strategies. As an EWM major, I hope to acquire as many of these strategies as I can to achieve my goals and enhance my writing. I can take these strategies with me to job interviews, use them in my professional and personal writing and maybe even use them to win a bet against a friend.
-Amanda Murphy
Rhetoric is a complex concept, not just to define, but also to confine. Its usage is broad and its meaning has developed over centuries of time. Nevertheless, it has outlasted great civilizations and continues to serve as the cornerstone for writing and speaking. The text compiles a few of the most common definitions of rhetoric, and exposes them as “the practice of oratory, the study of the strategies of effective oratory; the use of language, written or spoken, to inform or persuade; the study of the persuasive effects of language; the study of the relation between language and knowledge; the classification and use of tropes and figures; and, of course, the use of empty promises and half-truth as a form of propaganda.”
ReplyDeleteRhetorical technique is important to know and understand because it is so important when addressing any situation and/or audience. The text elaborates on the 5-step process for writing a speech, while also including direction on how to navigate psychological rhetoric, which occurs within the mind. I agree with Sam’s point on “no matter the type of writing, there is always a purpose and meaning intended for the reader to understand.” If the composer can comprehend rhetorical techniques when preparing a work, he will be able to convey his message with ease and a clear sense of purpose in the correct medium.
According to the text, in the Classical Period, Aristotle practiced a technique known as “audience analysis” before composing. This approach in contemporary rhetoric and connects to composing because the writer must have an understanding of his audience before he engages them in speech or writing. As stated in the text, “the speaker must consider the motives that are likely to influence audiences [and] examine the psychology and moral assumptions of the different kinds of people who may comprise an audience.” I agree with Eric Fisher when he stated that many of the classic principles of rhetoric are still very much relevant and useful today. This one example of audience analysis proves that the theories of rhetoric remain the same, even if the dialect, purpose, or situation change.
To me, rhetoric is still a vague concept that I feel I still have to grasp. It encompasses so much material that it takes a lot of focus and analysis just to get a definition. However, I agree that it is vital to my Communications major, and really any major at that. As I progress at the University level, there will be interaction between myself and professors and other students in which I will use (knowingly or otherwise) rhetoric and even more so after college. It stands to reason that this concept is universal and ever-present in life.
Defining "rhetoric" would mean putting a description on one of the most second-nature abilities in our society. Communication. Whether it is communication by speech, language, conversation, or propaganda, Rhetoric is the basis for how our society communicates with one another. Bizzell and Herzberg mention that not only is rhetoric almost impossible to define indefinitely, but it has also evolved throughout the centuries and has developed several other definitions. As technology has evolved, so has our means of rhetoric, and therefore rhetoric has taken on a new form in media. Because of this, EWMers can use the study of rhetoric to understand how media and communication have combined in our generation. Depending on what the students in our major go on to do in the "real world", most careers can be categorized by Bizzell and Herzberg's "Types of Rhetorical Discourse", legal or forensic, political or deliberative, and ceremonial or epideictic. Although some of us may not go on to a job where public speaking in part of our job description, the "5 stages of Speech Preparation" mentioned in the article can be applied to our level of expertise. I would say one of the biggest areas of our major, the one that sets us apart from the other branches in the English Department, is Media. Media is largely just persuasion, which absolutely effects our society on a huge level. I completely agree with Amanda, who gives an example of how emotion plays such a big role in persuasion with the adoption commercials featuring starving children. Sadly, its true, pull on the audience's heart-strings and you've persuaded them and succeeded at getting your point across. As English majors we study the use of language, and how to apply that language in a written, artistic and creative form. The study of rhetoric helps us do just that and therefore is extremely relevant to our major and class. When it comes to the future of rhetoric, I have to agree with Eric when i say it will be interesting to see how a society who has already come so far, can push the definitions of such an old practice even further.
ReplyDeleteIt seems to me that the word rhetoric has endless meanings. To my understanding it can mean anything from the “use of language to inform or persuade”, to “the use of empty promises and half- truths as a form of propaganda”, as I have read from Bizzell and Herzberg. Other meanings for rhetoric that I have come to know are…to discuss a situation, using language to communicate, reasoning, communication of thought, and the discussion of a subject.
ReplyDeleteAlong with its endless definitions it also has endless possibilities. Rhetoric can be used in the art of persuasion, which is of great value to many professions throughout time as well as in day to day life. An attorney’s goal is to persuade the jury to vote in his or her clients favor. A teacher or professor will attempt to persuade their students into taking in the information they are sharing, and a senator will use rhetoric in every speech to communicate with the audience and persuade to agree with his or her terms. Also, according to Bizzell and Herzberg, rhetoric is also very useful because it “suggests resources for evidence and argument and gives rules for accurate reasoning”.
I think rhetoric is important to understand in order to be successful in life. Life is about getting what you want and what you need, and if you can communicate well and have the ability to persuade others you might just be unstoppable. In composing, you have to be able to communicate your thoughts. Since the general purpose of composing is to later share your ideas with others, you need to understand rhetoric and how you need reasoning and organization of thought in order for the readers to understand you.
For me, it is important to understand rhetoric so I can be a better writer. I agree with what Sam said, if you want to be a better writer, it is really important to have an effect on the audience. In this class I want to strengthen my skills so that in the future I can use those skills to get where I want to be. I want to be able to communicate well with others, and be able to make a good argument and be able to back it up with confidence.
Coming into this class, I didn’t have a clear cut definition of rhetoric. However after reading Bizzell’s introduction, I was definitely provided with more than a few ideas about what the word encompasses. First and foremost, I think Bizzell’s explanation of the word in terms of its original meaning, “persuasive language”, made the most sense to me because it’s applicable to speeches as well as writing. Sophists and their modern day equivalents are also interesting and relevant. What I gather from them is that Rhetoric is the combination of philosophic thought and a precise method of communication in the effort to find true knowledge.
ReplyDeletePersonally, I think rhetoric is important in many facets of life; it isn’t just important for EWM majors—like the last article explained, rhetorical situations surface everywhere with unrealized opportunities for discourse. Learning to recognize these situations as well as learning to develop effective rhetoric itself will be useful in communicating ideas clearly in any job we could get in the future, whether it’s used in broadcast media or print media, as Eric mentioned. Rhetoric is also relevant as a student; for example, earlier in my global lit class, we were discussing the effects of the incendiary rhetoric of the Futurist Manifesto and ultimately how well developed rhetoric has had a profound effect on people throughout history. Therefore, I think analysis of rhetoric is also a useful key in understanding it and also developing our own sense of style.
I also think that what Eric said was interesting— I agree that there will be changes and modifications to the process we use in discussing ideas with those we want to persuade. Different techniques have developed, but the main steps the classical orators perfected are, to some extent, still relevant. Moreover, their incorporation of ethos, logos, and pathos is still around and incredibly persuasive. Unlike the classic orators I think pathos plays a bigger role than they previously thought. People process information with both their logic and their emotion. I agree with Alexis when she says that a major concern is the common interest and that you use each appeal to reach the audience. The point about the logos being the meat, the ethos getting attention and the pathos convincing was a really cool and helpful way of thinking about rhetoric.
As stated in previous comments, Rhetoric is a word defined in many ways; it sits in a grey enigma, failing to reach a concrete definition accepted by the consensus of the writing community. But that’s the beauty of rhetoric; it can be molded and crafted to suit your needs. Granted, your opinion on rhetoric may be criticized by a lot of people, like Mary Daly’s opinion, or it may be revered and held on top of a pedestal for generations of high school students to utterly despise. Honestly, did anyone actually like doing 3 point/5 paragraph essays? Rhetoric can be broadly defined as the proper use of language to convey a message to an audience—and that’s really the only way it can be defined when its applied to so many different forms of media and communication in today’s word. Aristotle states that “you must state your case, then you must prove it,” which is an aspect of rhetoric we can tie to the premise of a thesis in an essay or even a TV commercial, which Amanda and Gabrielle mentioned previously.
ReplyDeleteRhetoric is essential to composing anything in media. In a world where stating an argument and proving its legitimacy is everything, rhetoric is a key component. Previous posts have cited TV commercials, job hunting, and even life itself, as a medium for rhetoric, however there are many other forms of media where rhetoric is used, but seldom noticed. I’m sure all of you are familiar with Youtube and some of the users that have made thousands of dollars making youtube videos, one of the channels that have created quite a buzz in the Onion News Network. ONN is a satirical news network that provides commentary and criticism on contemporary news broadcasters such as CNN and the Fox News Network. If you’ve ever seen a video clip done by them, they really walk a thin line when it comes to being satirical and being completely un-PC. Though, the Onion really walks the line well. From an audience standpoint, it’s easy to imagine that if different words were used, or maybe if the style and delivery was a little bit off, the report titled “Missing Girl Probably Raped,” could be taken much more seriously than it actually should be.
Rhetoric can be especially useful for those in the EWM major. Our entire major is centered on writing for a new age of media. We, as EWM majors, need to understand our audience so we can, for one keep an audience, and two have our voices heard.
(forgive the repost...i always type out my comment in Word first before pasting to blogger. I always forget that it sort of reformats the whole post and smooshes my paragraphs together into one big blurb.)
“Who are you?” is a common question that is often posed. Regardless of this question's prevalence, its answer remains unclear to many. When asked this infamous question, people will often respond with an occupational title or a quirky response, such as “I'm a brunette.” Although these characteristics may contribute to the formation of the person in question, these aspects of said person can change at any given moment. So what is the true answer? Unfortunately there is not one answer to define the complexity of a person. The only universal truth that will not change is the fact that he or she is human, but to quantify a person beyond that is nearly impossible because of the fluidity of a person's life and personality.
ReplyDeleteAttempting to define rhetoric is much like trying to answer the question, “Who are you?” As shown in the text, the idea of rhetoric has heavily evolved over the course of time, just as a person does throughout his or her life. So, to help avoid the “dizzying number of different meanings and interpretations” that Eric Fisher brought up, it is important to realize that there is not one simple answer. Rhetoric began purely for persuasive speaking purposes which was later perfected with structured guidelines provided by Aristotle. Rhetoric has traveled a transforming journey. As gbyrne4 has pointed out, rhetoric is no longer held to such strict parameters as it used to be. People can now relay rhetorical messages in a multitude of mediums. Sometimes a person's chosen rhetorical outlet can be unfortunate, such as Jared Loughner who spoke to society through violent acts. In modern society I believe that rhetoric can be portrayed not only through written or spoken word, but through visual art as well. It is important to recognize rhetoric in order to understand and register when rhetoric is utilized. Touching on what Amanda Saxton said, “I believe there are many ways in which rhetoric will influence media and new technology, but I believe it will remain central to the ideas of the early century theorists in that rhetoric is the art of persuasion.” I agree that there is limitless amount of possibilities for forms of rhetoric that will still remain true to the original ideas of rhetoric theorists. Rhetoric will maintain its ultimate concern, but since rhetoric is a form of art, its defining factors remain extremely subjective.
Regardless of rhetoric's massive alterations over time, rhetoric remains true to its core. Just as a person's only core consistency is the fact that he or she is a human, rhetoric's ever present truth is it, “...has always been concerned with political action and the search for knowledge.”
Rhetoric and rhetorical situation truly go hand in hand. Rhetorical situation is an idea, incident, or even an object that arouses attention. Rhetoric is a series of tools used to create an image and shape it, enough so that a message can be cast onto an audience. An idea that is somewhat abstract but defended by people like Sir Philip Sydney in An Apology for Poetry. “…I say philosopher teacheth, but he teacheth obscurely, so as the learned only can understand him; that is to say, he teacheth them that are already taught, But the poet is the food for the tenderest stomachs, the poet is indeed the right popular philosopher” (p. 77). Rhetoric is an art form that conveys messages sometimes true, sometimes philosophical, and sometimes fiction; however it is the way man is able to articulate ideas that spread communication and knowledge.
ReplyDeleteAs we’ve defined beforehand, or at least in my case, attempted to but may or may not have failed miserably, rhetorical situation is an idea, incident, or even an object that arouses attention likewise rhetoric is a series of tools used to create an image or a message can be cast onto an audience. The relationship between these two terms is inverse and often abstract; as Bitzer highlighted- a question and an answer. Rhetoric and rhetorical situation significantly pair together to create the basis of civilized communication. According to our text, the design of rhetoric has transgressed as it has aged in time. In Fact, the “dizzying number of different meanings and interpretations” according to Fisher, helps us to grasp the concept that there is not one true definition for rhetoric. Aristotle formally gave guidelines to the art of rhetoric, albeit, prior to this, rhetoric was believed to be spoken persuasive thought. As Kaylie Belcik, hints at, In Athenian times, the ability to speak and be heard wasn’t taken lightly, often times in their true democracy it was the only way for social survival. But enough of BC. In present time, rhetoric can be a transient method of communication bringing in the both visual and oratory aspects. It is important to recognize and become proficient in the use of rhetoric and rhetorical situation, if not for the sake of sounding incredibly astute and literate and excelling in your future career, then at least to get a good grade in ENC3416. I agree with Gabrielle when she says that the future of rhetoric is unknown and even unpredictable and to compound that with the statement that there are many views of how to utilize and even how to practice rhetoric, but as EWM majors, there’s only one way that works, and that’s Dr. Fleck’s way. :)
ReplyDeleteI was reading through the posts and I have to agree with Alex. Before this semester, I never gave a second thought to what rhetoric even was. It was never introduced to me in high school or discussed among peers. So now, being exposed to it through this class and my Rhetoric class...it's a lot to take in. Rhetoric is vague and complex at the same time. Sometimes I think that I understand it, but then I doubt my own definition of it. I have been one to approve of the idea that knowledge cannot be defined and truth is simply our own perception of what is true. This correlates with Bizzell and Herzberg's idea that "reality itself is a function of the way we use language." That means that everything we believe is a conviction that results from persuasion and not necessarily facts. Even the way we perceive facts is a result of how others have convinced us is the proper way to observe the world: because I see the grass as green, it must be green.
ReplyDeleteI've found that a lot of people have used the word "tool" to describe rhetoric. This separates it from other forms of language in that it's goal is to accomplish a task. Rhetoric takes communication and adds intent. All of us will at some point be engaged in careers that rely on using language as a tool. I, for one, intend on being an editor, and one of the main aspects of being an editor is understanding what people want to read. It involves a deeply embedded persuasion that convinces an audience to invest in a story. Sometimes even dealing with an author is a matter of rhetoric. Most authors will be reluctant to change what they see as a brilliant work of literature. In my job, I'll have to construct an argument as to why something should be changed. The different encounters I have will involve different forms of persuasion. In critiquing a work, I have to make sure a novel appeals to the reader's pathos. In talking with an author, I'll have to appeal to their logos. The sort of composing we'll be doing in this class isn't art for art's sake. I have a feeling that our compositions will be involved a great deal in appealing to a audience. Living in a world where reality is what I can persuade someone to read, buy, write, or recommend, I believe rhetoric will be a very useful tool in composition.
Rhetoric in sight of all of its “overlapping meanings” is most commonly understood as the practice of persuasive speaking and presentation. In the time of the ancient Greeks rhetoric was perhaps the most valuable skill a man could possess and as such you can gather that having these skills and to actually be good at it was rare. How ironic it is that today rhetorical skills are so much a part of our lives that, as the post say, many people use rhetoric in everyday life without even realizing it. Being an EWM major I believe gives us the chance to use rhetoric in new format. As an EWM major I’m going to use rhetoric in not just in speech and print but in new media, the digital format offers so much more in terms of delivering discourse. It expands the audience to near unlimited numbers and while the rhetor cannot always be sure that his or her message will influence change through the audience this to me is proof enough that rhetoric is an adaptable.
ReplyDeleteRhetoric has been integrated into our lives. When it comes to how rhetoric affects our lives anyone can see that it is everywhere, in advertising, in political speeches and addresses, in college admissions essays, even in news articles and segments and so on. Many of us as kids have had a parent say to us “You should become a lawyer; you’re so good at arguing your point!” As light hearted as this statement may seem you cannot deny that some aspects of rhetoric come naturally to us even as kids. When I was twelve and I wanted that Playstation 2 I planned out my approach, knew I had to hit all the right emotional buttons so compliments and extra hugs and kisses were in order, and of course I had to remind my mom how much I’d improved in my grades and how it was only reasonable that I should get a reward of some kind and a PS2 seemed just right. I think as I may have actually been better at persuasion then than I am now.
This part of Jay’s comment “Rhetoric can be especially useful for those in the EWM major. Our entire major is centered on writing for a new age of media. We, as EWM majors, need to understand our audience so we can, for one keep an audience, and two have our voices heard” is something I believe an EWM major like myself or anyone studying rhetoric should remember. Understanding and keeping your audience is key. You can have the best ideas, writing and the best delivery in the world but a composer of any kind is nothing without an audience and one that they know and treat well.
Rhetoric is the in all means complicated. No one has yet come up with a definite definition of rhetoric. It has many numerous overlapping means, from “the practice of oratory; the study of the strategies of effective oratory; the use of language, written or spoken, to inform or persuade; the study of the persuasive effects of language; the study of the relation between language and knowledge; the classification and use of tropes and figures; and, of course the use of empty promises and half-truths as a form of propaganda.” Just from all of those wonderful diverse views upon one word makes this very clear, that rhetoric’s main purpose in “life” is to help someone inform or persuade others. Why do I say this? I say this because rhetoric has become a powerful force over the many years of being formulated and discussed and revaluated on top of that. From the beginning of the Classical period clear through the Modern and Postmodern time, rhetoric has been a main focus, for the different forms of communication. Rhetoric is basically the number one “tweet” topic of our time. Why is rhetoric so important in composing? It is important for it becomes an avenue to letting you into the worlds, minds, and other dimension. Like Amanda said, this is bigger than what we think it is, for it is the one avenue or path as to helping us understand the difference between the different cultures in the world. “The rhetoric has all the more value because it studies the ways in which argument and persuasive create conviction, and because it creates the provisional agreements and shared values on which human community depends.” Rhetoric is important to any and every person, from a child who is preparing to lie to his parents about a certain situation, to a business man/woman who is preparing to give one of the biggest presentations of his career lifetime. Rhetoric helps people of all ages persuade to aid them in the process of conviction. Rhetoric is directly in front of us and we never really notice it. Commercials are a great example of this. By the age of sixty-five the average American has viewed nearly 2 million commercials. Rhetoric has been in mainstream America and is help aiding those who have practice and discovered this hidden piece of gold. Rhetoric changes the lives of many, but in different ways. The thing is, you have to know how to work it in your favor.
ReplyDeleteRhetoric is a tool used to persuade, explain, and convince. It has many different forms such as in the form of persuasive speeches, impassioned letters, and the casual conversation. But it is never purposeless, it always has an audience, and it is always meant to persuade. Its important to understand because every day we all need to convince people or win them to our way of thinking in big and small ways. Especially for me, as a EWM major, Rhetoric is very important to understand and utilize. In this way I can use rhetoric to convey my ideas as persuasively as possible in my writing. Its important when composing my work that I think about Rhetoric because if my work is just a bunch of words with no rhyme or reason , it won’t be a good piece of writing. It needs some sort of persuasiveness and arrangement and style. As an EWM major I have to do a lot of composing, and studying rhetoric can really help improve my style. Rhetoric can help everyone in their daily lives. Before writing this piece here, I had to convince my boyfriend to be the first one to get out of bed and get me a glass of chocolate milk and my laptop. I was having no luck getting him to even consider getting out of bed because of how cold it was, and I thought to myself “How can I persuade him to get me these things? I don’t want to get out of this warm bed myself.” Here is where rhetoric could have stepped in and helped me with a couple of steps such as invention. Just thinking about what would make him WANT to get me these things would’ve helped. Every day we all need to use rhetoric, the question is will we actually persuade? Will anyones mind be changed?
ReplyDeleteI also agree with Ezekeil Rope when he says “Rhetoric has been integrated into our lives. When it comes to how rhetoric affects our lives anyone can see that it is everywhere, in advertising, in political speeches and addresses…” It is everywhere, and it has been especially utilized by business, advertising, and the government in the past century.
Is knowledge not the defense of your ideas? It's not what you know; it's how you present the information. This is similar to how you know if someone is lying. If they stumble over words and don't look you in the eye, you're not going to believe them. If they tell you a logical story with confidence, you're going to accept this as truth. This is how people are talked into buying ridiculous products through marketing and advertisements. The cartoon really says it all. The articulation of your thoughts is what gives people the impression that you are an intelligent person and that you know what you are talking about. Thus, the ability to express oneself can be equated to true intelligence because no one knows the limitations of your knowledge until you display it for them.
ReplyDeleteDprimetime said, “[…] rhetoric’s main purpose in “life” is to help someone inform or persuade others.” He continued to say that rhetoric is a very broad subject and that the previous statement is the only thing that is really clear about it. While it is not a narrow subject, the growing importance of rhetoric is obvious in that ALL majors, in Florida at least, have to fulfill a certain amount of writing courses to prove their ability to defend their assertions. This is even after students take the ENC1101 and ENC1102 where they learn to defend their points. In applying for a doctorates degree, one has to defend their dissertation to a panel of other PhDs in their fields. A candidate can be the smartest ever, but if they don’t know how to defend their works and work with their audience, they will not succeed in getting their degree.