October 27, 2011Objective:

Examine Aristotle’s definition of rhetoric and the aspects of the rhetorical triangle

in order to analyze rhetoric used at Perry Hall High and in students’ lives.

Homework Bring in one visual and one textual

example of rhetoric you are exposed to regularly.

Upcoming….

Voicethread comments due by Monday. Vocabulary Cards Hit List #3 Due

Wednesday.

Aristotle’s Definition: Rhetoric is… the faculty (Aristotle calls it dynamis – an improvable art) of finding (not necessarily using, but certainly finding) all the available means (everything a writer or speaker might do with language) of persuasion(writers and speakers aim to shape people’s thoughts and

actions) in a particular case (rhetorical capitalizes on specific situations)

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Kenneth Burke (1897-1993)

Rhetoric is the art of using symbols to produce effects.

As symbolic animals, humans constantly use symbols to influence one another. We argue for political positions. We solicit sales by phone. We pass along information and traditions. We teach our children to recognize the set of things that are red. In a broad sense, this is all rhetorical activity.

. . . but so often, we hear it in this context . . .

Language designed to have a persuasive or impressive effect on its audience, but is often regarded as lacking in sincerity or meaningful content –

“all we have from the opposition is empty rhetoric” Dictionary.com

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Or…“Hitler was a good rhetorician because he could, through his language and skillful manipulation of events, encourage people to believe the worst cause was the better one. “• Every Day Use: Rhetoric in Our Lives

Becoming a Rhetor Writer Speaker Reader Listener

In classical times, the Greek term rhetor means “a good person speaking well.”

And what about that triangle?

Everything is an Argument Rhetoric is used:

• To inform• To convince• To persuade• To explore• To make decisions• To meditate/ pray

Some Other Examples of Purpose: To record information To help someone retain information To explain processes To communicate facts or ideas to someone else To explore significant or mixed feelings To figure out what someone really means or

thinks about a topic To demonstrate knowledge To share information with others To persuade others that they should adopt a

new course of action or change opinions To evaluate the perspectives of others.

Doesn’t “Rhetoric” Mean something like Persuasion?

Yes and no. Throughout much of history, “rhetoric” used to have a more narrow meaning like “the art of persuasion.” However, over the course of the 20th century, “rhetoric” came to be used as a descriptor for all use of communication (ancient Greeks known as the Sophists also had a broader view of the term "rhetoric"). The simplest explanation for this is that “rhetoric” in the persuasive sense implies an effort on the part of speakers to get what they want out of other people.

From Purdue OWL

Doesn’t “Rhetoric” Mean something like Persuasion?

The newer sense of “rhetoric” implies that whenever humans communicate with other humans, they seek to elicit any number of responses ranging from understanding to emotional reaction to agreement to enlightenment or any one of almost limitless reactions. At its most basic, communication is the set of methods whereby humans attempt to identify with each other.

From Purdue OWL

Is there rhetoric at work here?

Prevalent Image or Text ________________________________What is the genre? ______________________________ What is the context? _____________________

______________________________

_______________

Finally, explain what the intention or purpose of the image or text is: ______________________________________________________________________________________________________

So, is EVERYTHING an examination of rhetoric?

A grocery list? A text message? A newspaper column? The Crucible? A finger? A street sign? A Perry Hall High School hoodie?

Field Trip Time! Your Quest – To find and analyze

rhetoric around Perry Hall you and your group will be visiting various locations around the building.

We’ve been working on rhetorical analysis -

Have you had a clear idea of what it is that you are really analyzing?

How do these pieces fit together?