The Ugly Truth About Beauty-Dave Barry Introduction to the 5 Canons of Rhetoric

Invention-Questions What is the point the author is trying to make? What assumptions about men/women does the author make? Are his or her assumptions accurate? Could they be argued? What is the author’s audience? How do you know this?

Delivery-Questions Where is this article likely found? How does it fit into that place (magazine, newspaper, web?) What does the text LOOK like? What is the effect? For example where does the author: Use BOLD, italics, or underlined text? Use ellipses (…) Use quotes or common phrases? Make lists

Memory-Questions What does the author assume you know already about his topic? How does the author “tap into” what you already know?

Arrangement-Questions How does the author structure his piece? For example: How does he begin? How does he end? What types of examples does he give?

Style-Questions Where does the author use: Repetition Slang Puns Humor/Sarcasm Other “rhetorical devices”? What are the author’s sentences like? How do the author’s word choices affect the tone? Reveal the purpose?

Rhetoric Is… The art of analyzing all the language choices that writer, speaker, reader, or listener might make in a given situation so that the text becomes meaningful, purposeful and effective. The features of texts, written or spoken, that cause them to be meaningful, purposeful, and effective for readers or listeners in a given situation.

Being “Skilled” at Rhetoric Giving good speeches (and planning them) Writing good papers (and planning them) Reading others’ compositions & listening to their speeches with a critical ear Understanding the main points and supporting points of what someone writes AND analyzing the decisions the writer makes as he/she tries to accomplish a purpose for a specific audience.

Meaning… The writer makes the text meaningful by tapping into the knowledge that we already have about men and women. For example… The writer makes text meaningful by making good points and opinions that people who suffer from them might be blind to them.

Purpose… The author’s main purpose is to entertain both men and women and give “eye-twinkling” lessons. He uses sarcasm and humor to stay neutral and address both audiences. The purpose is to reveal how men and women think of themselves. He uses real-life examples…

Effectiveness… I felt that the writer wasn’t effective because I would not put myself in the same category as the women he addresses. The text is most effective when the reader identifies with the writer or his points.