Rhetorical Triangle Persuasive Writing and Speaking – everything is an argument!

The Rhetorical Triangle Speaker Audience Text by Aristotle

What is rhetoric? The art or study of using language effectively and persuasively. [American Heritage College Dictionary] The art or study of using language effectively and persuasively. [American Heritage College Dictionary] “Rhetoric may be defined as the faculty of discerning in any given case the available means of persuasion.” [ Aristotle ] “Rhetoric may be defined as the faculty of discerning in any given case the available means of persuasion.” [ Aristotle ]

Aristotle said that when a rhetor (speaker) begins to consider how to compose a speech, he/she must take into account 3 elements: the text, the audience, and the speaker. Aristotle said that when a rhetor (speaker) begins to consider how to compose a speech, he/she must take into account 3 elements: the text, the audience, and the speaker. Audience Speaker Text

Audience The writer/speaker: speculates about audience expectations and knowledge of subject, and speculates about audience expectations and knowledge of subject, and uses own experience and observation to help decide on how to communicate with audience. uses own experience and observation to help decide on how to communicate with audience.

Text The writer/speaker: evaluates what the audience knows already and needs to know, evaluates what the audience knows already and needs to know, investigates perspectives (researches), and investigates perspectives (researches), and determines kinds of evidence, format, style that seem most useful determines kinds of evidence, format, style that seem most useful

Speaker The writer/speaker uses: 1. who they are, 2. what they know and feel, and 3. what they’ve seen and done to find their attitudes toward a text and their understanding of audience.

Use of Appeals Logos, pathos, and ethos Logos, pathos, and ethos Let’s look at each. Let’s look at each.

Logos Appeals to logic Appeals to logic –Facts –Research –Stats –Experiments –Case studies

Pathos Appeals to feelings, emotions, and beliefs Appeals to feelings, emotions, and beliefs Higher emotions belief in fairness belief in fairness love love pity pity etc. etc. Lower emotions greed greed lust lust revenge revenge etc. etc.

Ethos Appeals to a person’s ethics Appeals to a person’s ethics –Trustworthiness –Credibility –Reliable sources

Rhetorical Devices! Don’t forget about them! The art of persuasion demands the use of rhetorical devices. The art of persuasion demands the use of rhetorical devices. They help to persuade or convey meaning. They help to persuade or convey meaning. Common devices include: metaphor, simile, alliteration, allusion, analogy, hyperbole, epithet, oxymoron Common devices include: metaphor, simile, alliteration, allusion, analogy, hyperbole, epithet, oxymoron Please keep these in the back of your mind as we continue on! Please keep these in the back of your mind as we continue on!