Rhetoric is basically how you go
about getting what you want. Whether you are convincing a reader that your
position is best, trying to talk yourself out of a ticket, or hinting at what
you want for Christmas—you are utilizing rhetoric. A skilled rhetorician can change how they
approach a topic to get the result they desire, making rhetoric an extremely
useful tool for those who know how to use it.
Rhetoric has a long history that
dates back the classical philosophers that everyone has heard of, even if they
cannot tell you why—Aristotle, Socrates, and company. For many years rhetoric was primarily studied
and manipulated by politicians and the clergy.
It wasn’t until the mid-1700s that a few Scots men decided that rhetoric
was an important concept for any educated citizen. One of these men was priest named Hugh
Blair. He lectured in English and turned
these lectures into a rhetoric text book that used in many major universities.
Since then the study of English and the English language became more prevalent,
and eventually became what we would now recognize as an English class.
The theory behind written rhetoric
comes down to choice—every word, sentence, and punctuation mark is a
choice. These choices can lend
themselves to your cause. By carefully
selecting your words, structure, evidence, etc. you can extract the response
you want from your audience.
Think about internet reviews: there
are a variety of colorful comments on the information super highway, many trying
to convince you to buy something. There are
many different kinds of comments. There
are the concise and authoritative comments: “this product worked for me. You
should buy it.” The personal reviews: “I bought this for my daughters 8th
birthday and she was so excited, she showed it to all of her friends.” Also, the
analytical approach—“I wanted this product for a long time, and I did a lot of research
because it is such a large purchase. I
ordered it from this website, and received it promptly. It does exactly what, and I have not had any
problems.” These represent three ways rhetoric
can be utilized. Each approach may
appeal to different people for different reasons. Three different people may use three
different approaches to work toward the same end.
Whether we realize it or not, we
use rhetoric every day. More importantly—everyone else does too. It behooves you to learn the different strategies
that people will use to convince you, either on paper or in everyday
interactions. Recognizing these strategies
and choices allows you to be a more thoughtful listener, and therefore a more
productive thinker.
Being a poet, I have very limited
knowledge about technical communications.
However, recently I have begun to realize the fascinating history behind
technical writing. I would like to use
the knowledge I’ll gain for this course to become a more intentional teacher
when it is my turn to tackle 1301. Also,
I have noticed that there is some tension between technical writers, creative
writers, and those who study literature.
This is intriguing. I would love
to learn more about these subjects’ relationship, and maybe begin finding some
common ground.
Faux Prose Foe
Rhetoric,
You sneaky bitch,
You’ve done it once again!
I was taken in by your
Glitz, and glam, and grin.
Rhetoric,
You terrible troll,
How could you mislead me thus?
I thought we had something special,
You seemed worthy of trust.
Now I hear you using devices
Behind my back!
Well prepare yourself
For a counter attack.
I am armed rather well.
Trick me twice, dear Rhetoric,
I’ll see you in Hell!
Historical background from Friday's class and Parker's essay, "Where do English Departments Come From?"
ReplyDeleteJill, I loved that you brought forward the idea that rhetoric is all about the choices writers make. When I was in undergrad, my professors touched on this, but I think it should have been a much stronger point in my classes. I thought you made a very good point in bringing up internet reviews and how they can elicit desired responses from other consumers. More so than just internet reviews, we can look at all advertising. If we look at any types of advertisements, we can see that they always include appeals to ethos, pathos, or logos. Delving further, we can analyze the delivery of rhetoric as well. It might be easier or harder to decipher rhetorical choices when these advertisements come through television, radio, or the internet as opposed to other written forms like magazines. I agree with you--it is vital in today's world to become a productive thinker in our society, and this is an invaluable tool for our future students.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I, too, have noticed the slight tension between the different concentrations, which was news to me! I think we will most certainly be able to find common ground this semester. Though there are some driving differences between TCR, creative writing, and literature, I think that ultimately with our different passions we can enlighten each other as to new ways we can consider rhetoric, as well as how to teach it.
Jill, I also appreciate your emphasis on the idea of rhetoric as choice. Your example of the internet comments was spot-on. As I read them I found myself thinking about which I identified with most. (It was the analytical comment. I appreciate getting the facts when I shop.) Perhaps you could even expand on the idea of which choices or styles would be appropriate for which audience. I think that that is something that most people know from a young age- use a formal tone when addressing someone important, include plenty of facts when seeking to be logical, etc.
ReplyDeleteRegarding the tension between the fields of English, it's a bit tribalistic really.
Jill, I also appreciate your emphasis on the idea of rhetoric as choice. Your example of the internet comments was spot-on. As I read them I found myself thinking about which I identified with most. (It was the analytical comment. I appreciate getting the facts when I shop.) Perhaps you could even expand on the idea of which choices or styles would be appropriate for which audience. I think that that is something that most people know from a young age- use a formal tone when addressing someone important, include plenty of facts when seeking to be logical, etc.
ReplyDeleteRegarding the tension between the fields of English, it's a bit tribalistic really.
Jill, I found it quite interesting that you referred to rhetoric as a choice. What I found even more interesting is that you brought punctuation into the picture. It's an understatement to say that punctuation is extremely crucial to good writing. Haven't we all seen examples that elucidate the difference between requesting your granny to eat dinner and eating your granny for dinner?
ReplyDeleteI too noticed this "tension" between the different divisions of the English Graduate program. I am glad that you brought it up. I am wondering if there's a perceived hierarchical order that's at work here. Should there be? It would be interesting to hear what our colleagues think of this.
Nice poem. You have a good definition of rhetoric, and see its connection to composition well. I like how you look at rhetoric as a practical tool, which is important to impart to students. This is one reason why I talk about andragogy and learning theory a lot in the course. Nice thinking here. I agree with Mary, too, about rhetoric is choice. If we don't understand principles of rhetoric, we don't always see what choices we have available. We're teaching people to think critically, and to see.
ReplyDelete