Monday, 2/9/15 Copy down HW Get out PBT worksheet to turn in Drill: Based on the following quote, what do you think rhetoric is? Make sure you explain what you think Plato means. “Rhetoric is the art of enchanting the soul.” ~Plato

Rhetoric Rhetoric: The art of speaking or writing effectively as a means of communication or persuasion Plato:  “Rhetoric is the art of enchanting the soul.” Aristotle: Rhetoric is "the faculty of discovering in any particular case all of the available means of persuasion."

Why Study Rhetoric? Using rhetoric will make your arguments (written and verbal) stronger You will be able to analyze any argument that is presented to you (advertisements, politicians, essays etc.) for rhetorical strategies used- see how their rhetorical strategies makes their argument stronger Rhetoric is very powerful- people can sometimes gain power simply by how good of an orator (public speaker) they are. You need to be able to think for yourself- not be persuaded by strong rhetoric. You need to be able to look past rhetoric in some situations.

Rhetoric Whenever you see an argument (written or verbal) or see an advertisement or commercial, you must ask yourself: Is this persuasive? What are they trying to get me to do or think? Commercials are probably the most common use of rhetoric and persuasion

Rhetorical Appeals In addition to using rhetorical devices, someone can use 3 different “appeals” to their audience What does “appeal” mean?

Appeals Appeal to: Ethos Logos Pathos

Appeal to Logos This is when you appeal to a reader’s sense of logic. You offer clear, reasonable premises and proofs, and develop ideas with appropriate details You rely on the audience’s intelligence to persuade them Logos= Logic

Appeal to Ethos You appeal to the audience’s ethos when you demonstrate that you are credible, good-willed, and knowledgeable about your subjects Ethos relies on a speaker’s credibility with an audience- we want to listen to them because they are authoritative, popular, successful, smart etc. Ethos= ethics or trustworthiness of the speaker

Appeal to Pathos When you draw on the emotions and feelings of readers, you are appealing to pathos Most powerful and immediate appeal Very dominant in advertisements Pathos= Emotion, sympathy, or empathy

What appeal is being used? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v76f6KPSJ2w

Rhetorical Devices- techniques for persuasion Allusion Analogy Anecdote Negative Definition Parallel Structure Repetition Rhetorical Question Figurative Language Bandwagon Metonymy Unusual Word Order Climatic Word Order Antithesis Personalization

Allusion Allusion: a reference to a person, place, or thing believed to be familiar to the audience http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zcz_gVaEy-s Why make an allusion to Greek gods and goddesses?

Analogy Analogy: a comparison made between two things to show the similarities between them Example: "Just as motor oil is important to the proper maintenance of your car's engine, XYZ vitamins are vital to your body's health." Source: http://www.allbusiness.com/glossaries/analogy-advertising/4962054-1.html#ixzz2I0668hE0 commercial

Anecdote Anecdote: a short story to help get your point across

Negative Definition Negative Definition: when you explain what something is NOT instead of explaining what it IS Mac computers are NOT for stodgy, old business men. Why does that make you want to buy a Mac?

Parallel Structure Listing items in a series in the same format or using the same sentence structure over and over This creates a rhythm and highlights the items you are listing by repeating the format over and over This list of grievances sounds like continuous hammering (against the king) because of the parallel structure He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good. He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance…. He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, …. He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures. He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly…

Repetition Repetition: Using the same word or phrase over and over again for emphasis We shall go on to the end, we shall fight in France, we shall fight on the seas and oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air, we shall defend our Island, whatever the cost may be, we shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender. Winston Churchill Does the repetition of “we shall” make you want to join him and feel a part of the group?

Rhetorical Question Rhetorical Question: A question you don’t actually want your audience to answer- you just want them to think about it commercial “And Ain’t I a Woman?”

Figurative Language Figurative language is often used by writers to heighten the emotional connections readers make to the subject. Emily Dickinson: “My life had stood—a loaded gun” Provokes readers’ reactions of fear or dread as they begin to read.

Bandwagon An attempt to strengthen an argument by convincing the audience that accepting the writer’s or speaker’s view will put them on the popular or apparently winning side

Metonymy using a part to name the whole, or using the name of one thing for that of another associated with it commercial Example: Calling the king, “the throne” or “the crown;” referring to the President as “The White House” What do you think the purpose of this is?

Unusual Word Order Writer deliberately inverts word order for emphasis Example: President Kennedy- “Ask not what the country can do for you.” It helps the phrase to stick in your mind and be memorable

Climatic Word Order Organizing events, ideas, or something else in an order that starts out with least important parts of the story and ends in a "climax" – blood, sweat, and tears Creates a feeling of intensity

Antithesis Putting two directly contrasting or opposing things or ideas next to each other “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair…” Provides emphasis- highlights the difference

Personalization The speaker personalizes the text by giving his/her examples that relate to their points

Which rhetorical device do you think can be the MOST persuasive. Why Which rhetorical device do you think can be the MOST persuasive? Why? Explain.