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!
