1. RHETORIC 101

2. “Totally Like Whatever” by Taylor Mali
The rhetoric of today
“Totally Like Whatever” by Taylor Mali

3. Rhetoric = The manipulation of language for an intended effect
Political Speeches
Love letters
Text messages
Memoirs
Literature
Poetry
Song lyrics
Lectures
Pamphlets
Comic Books
Protest signs
Bumper Stickers

4. Rhetorical question
“How many times are you going to make the same mistake before you get it through your thick skull?!?”

5. ACTIVE vs. PASSIVE VOICE
“Mistakes were made…”

6. FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE Metaphor, simile, personification, etc.
Personification: Giving a non-human entity a physical, tangible human form.
2 Pac’s gun is personified into a girlfriend: “I'm waitin’ by the phone. This is true love; I could feel it/A lot of women in my bed but you the realest”
–2 Pac “96 Bonnie and Clyde”

7. REPETITON/ANAPHORA
Anaphora: Repeating a phrase at the beginning of each clause.
Every little step I take, you will be there Every little step I make, we'll be together Every little step I take, you will be there Every little step I make, we'll be together –Bobby Brown “Every Little Step”

8. ANTIMETABOLE/CHIASMUS
Antimetabole: Repetition of words in successive clauses but transposed in grammatical order
“The rhythm is the bass and the bass is the treble” --Warren G
Chiasmus: Transposed grammar only
“He knowingly led and we followed blindly“ (adverb/verb; verb/adverb)

9. HYPERBOLE & UNDERSTATMENT

10. Ethical, emotional, and logical arguments.
ETHOS, PATHOS, LOGOS
Ethical, emotional, and logical arguments.

11. JUXTAPOSITION
Definition: the placement of two things side by side.

12. ANTITHETICAL JUXTAPOSITION
Antithesis: the exact opposite
Antithetical Juxtaposition: polar opposites, side by side

13. IRONIC JUXTAPOSITION

14. ANALOGY

15. SYNTAX
Which one sounds best? Why? Times like these sure try men’s souls. How trying it is (for men’s souls) in these times. These are trying times for the souls of men. Soul-wise, these are trying times. These are the times that try men’s souls!

16. SYNTAX & PUNCTUATION
Consider the effect of the construction/punctuation:
“On a foggy morning another of the Russians is buried;
almost every day one of them dies” –All Quiet on the Western Front

17. Syntax Examples Can you defines these terms? Complex Compound
Ellipsis
Inverted
Loose

18. Elements of Style Can you define these terms? Asyndeton Colloquial
Metaphor
Inversion
Paradox
Pun
Proverb

19. SYNTAX/PUNCTUATION ANALYSIS TIPS
Consider the cadence: the rhythm or balance.
Does it sound lyrical, flowery, ornate?
Does it sound terse, choppy, or monotone?
Look for patterns
Consider sentence length and type
Consider punctuation choice and placement
Consider how all of these effects work in concert!

20. EPIGRAM: a pithy saying or remark expressing an idea in a clever and amusing way.
EPITHET: an adjective or descriptive phrase expressing a quality characteristic of the person or thing mentioned:
EPILOGUE: a section or speech at the end of a book or play that serves as a comment on or a conclusion to what has happened.
EPIGRAPH: a short quotation or saying at the beginning of a book or chapter, intended to suggest its theme.
EPITAPH: a phrase or statement written in memory of a person who has died, especially as an inscription on a tombstone.
EULOGY: is a speech or writing in praise of a person(s) or thing(s), especially one recently dead

21. DON’T JUST IDENTIFY THE RHETORIC; ANALYZE IT!