W H A T I S R H E T O R I C ?

… T H E AR T OF PER S UAS I ON

… U S I N G T H E A V A I L A B L E M E A N S O F P E R S U A S I O N T O C R A F T A N A R G U M E N T

S OME OF A R I S T OT L E ’ S I D EA S …

• The Triad—-PATHOS, ETHOS, LOGOS

• Kairos—the perfect moment for decision or action

• Syllogism-a “proof” or deductive form of reasoning in which a conclusion is drawn from two given propositions.

All men are mortalSocrates is a man

Therefore, Socrates is mortal

T HE T HR EE B R A N CHES OF R HET OR I C

• Deliberative—political, with the purpose to persuade the audience to take or not take an action. Always has to with future events.

• Judicial—legal, with the purpose to defend or accuse

• Epideictic—ceremonial, with the purpose to celebrate (encomium) or condemn (invective).

P A R A L L E L I S M

• Writing structures that are grammatically parallel help the reader understand the points better because they flow more smoothly.

All the mechanical operations for all the farms were performed here. The shoemaking and mending, the blacksmithing, cartwrighting, coopering, weaving, and grain-grinding were all performed... (7)

No words, no tears, no prayers, from his gory victim, seemed to move his iron heart from its bloody purpose.

What effect does parallelism have on the audience?

R E P E T I T I O N / A N A P H O R A

• Repetition can be effective in creating a sense of structure and power. In both speech and literature, repeating small phrases can ingrain an idea in the minds of the audience.

• “She had served my old master faithfully... She had been the source of all his wealth; she had peopled his plantation with slaves; she had become a great grandmother in his service...” (Chapter 7)

A N T I T H E S I S

• A figure of speech in which sharply contrasting ideas are juxtaposed in a balanced or parallel phrase or grammatical structure

• …in the midst of plenty, yet suffering the terrible gnawings of hunger—in the midst of houses, yet having no home—among fellow men, yet feeling in the midst of wild beasts. (Chapter 11)

• "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, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way."

(Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities)

F I G U R A T I V E S P E E C H

o Metaphor - implied comparison achieved through a figurative use of words; the word is used not in its literal sense, but in one analogous to it.

Ex: No man is an island—John Donne

o Simile - an explicit comparison between two things using 'like' or 'as'. Ex: My love is like a red, red rose—Robert Burns.

o Synecdoche – A part of something is used to refer to the whole.Ex: “Hey dude, nice new set of wheels”

o Metonymy – An entity is referred to by one of its attributes. Ex: “The White House” “The Crown”

o Personification - attribution of personality to an impersonal thing. Ex: “England expects every man to do his duty.” Lord Nelson

T R I C O L O N

• A tricolon is a list of three, or a sentence in which there are three parts or clauses. The cumulative effect of three has a powerful effect on an audience.

• No words, no tears, no prayers, from his gory victim, seemed to move his iron heart from its bloody purpose.

• Mr. Gore was proud, ambitious, and persevering.

A L L U S I O N

• A reference to a mythological, literary, historical, or Biblical person, place, or thing.

• In coming to a fixed determination to run away, we did more than Patrick Henry, when he resolved upon liberty or death. With us it was a doubtful liberty at most, and almost certain death if we failed” (93).

A N A D I P L O S I S

• Figure of repetition that occurs when the last word or terms in one sentence, clause, or phrase is/are repeated at or very near the beginning of the next sentence, clause, or phrase.

"They call for you: The general who became a slave;; the slave who became a gladiator;; the gladiator who defied an Emperor. Striking story."-­-­ delivered by

Joaquin Phoenix (from the movie Gladiator)

"His words were in perfect keeping with his looks, and his looks were in perfect keeping with his words."

"To be accused was to be convicted, and to be convicted

was to be punished."

A N E C D O T E

• A short story included in a text that references a real incident or person.

• Examples: Telling a story or parable or some kind.

A L L I T E R A T I O N

• The repetition of the same letter or sound at the beginning of adjacent or closely connected words. (ad littera)

• From forth the fatal loins of these two foes;A pair of star-cross’d lovers take their life.”

P O L Y S Y N D E T O N

• using several conjunctions in close succession, especially where some might be omitted—used to stress the importance of each item.

E P I S T R O P H E

• Figure of repetition that occurs when the last word or set of words in one sentence, clause, or phrase is repeated one or more times at the end of successive sentences, clauses, or phrases.

"...and that government of the people, by the people, for the people shall not perish from the earth." -­ Abraham Lincoln,

Gettysburg Address

Your government failed you;; those entrusted with protecting you failed you;; and I failed you. We tried hard, but that doesn't matter -­-­ because we failed.

-­ Richard Clarke, Testimony before the 9/11 Commission

A S Y N D E T O N

• Figure of omission in which normally occurring conjunctions (and, or, but, for, nor, so, yet) are intentionally omitted in successive phrases, or clauses; a string of words not separated by normally occurring conjunctions.

"We use words like honor, code, loyalty. We use these words as the backbone of a life spent defending something. You use them as a punch line." -­-­

delivered by Jack Nicholson (from the movie A Few Good Men)

And unlike the great power conflicts and clear lines of division that defined the 20th century, our effort will involve disorderly regions, failed states, diffuse enemies."-­-­

Barack Obama,

E X P L E T I VE

Figure of emphasis in which a single word or short phrase, usually interrupting normal speech, is used to lend emphasis to the words on either side of the expletive. Typical examples include:

in fact, of course, to be sure, indeed, I suppose, I hope, , I think, you know, you see, clearly, in any event, in effect, certainly, remarkably.

E P I S T R OP H E

Figure of repetition that occurs when the last word or set of words in one sentence, clause, or phrase is repeated one or more times at the end of successive sentences, clauses, or phrases.

"...and that government of the people, by the people, for the people shall not perish from the earth." -­

Abraham Lincoln, Gettysburg Address

"...and that government of the people, by the people, for the people shall not perish from the earth." -­ Abraham Lincoln, Gettysburg Address

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_pj9JiIXC4

H Y P E R B O L E

• Intentional and extreme exaggeration

• A ton of worry was lifted from the beggar’s back when he received the alms.

• He saw a man as tall a power poll.

• He saw his childhood friend after ages.

• The weather was so hot that literally everything was on fire.

• The boy was dying to get a new school bag.

P A R A D O X

• A seemingly contradictory or absurd statement that may actually epress some truth.

• Your enemy’s friend is your enemy.

• I am nobody.

• “What a pity that youth must be wasted on the young.” – George Bernard Shaw

• Wise fool

• Truth is honey which is bitter.

• “I can resist anything but temptation.” – Oscar Wilde

A D H O M I N E M

• Logical fallacy in which a writer attacks an opponent’s character

• “How can you argue your case for vegetarianism when you are enjoying your steak?”

• A: “All murderers are criminals, but a thief isn’t a murderer, and so can’t be a criminal.”B: “Well, you’re a thief and a criminal, so there goes your argument.”

N O N - S E Q U I T O R

• A logical fallacy in which the conclusion does not follow from the premises (Latin for “it does not follow.”

• Marilyn drives a Mercedes. Marilyn must be wealthy.

• His apartment building is huge. His apartment must also be huge.

• Billy is eating broccoli. Billy must love to eat vegetables.