Transcript What is Rhetoric?

What is Rhetoric?
AP LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION
Ms. Kennedy
2012-2013
Which is an example of
rhetoric?
“Ask not what your country can do for you; ask
what you can do for your country.”
A bad rep…
Rhetoric, defined:
“The art of finding and analyzing all the
choices involving language that a writer,
speaker, reader, or listener might make in a
situation so that the text becomes meaningful,
purposeful, and effective for readers or
listeners.”
“The art of using the available means of
persuasion” –Aristotle
Aristotle’s Triangle
The Rhetoric of Assignments
O “Write five to seven pages of error-free
analytical prose. State your thesis clearly
and early. Use two outside sources for
support. Have fun.”
O What can you glean about audience and
speaker?
The Five Canons of Rhetoric
O Invention: how do writers generate their ideas so that they
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are most effective for the audience?
Arrangement: What principles of order, structure, or
organization do writers use that will lead to an effective text
for the audience?
Style: What choices do writers make with sentences and
words so the text will be most effective for the audience?
Memory: In earlier eras, how might writers commit their text
to memory; now, how might writers tap into the “cultural
memory” of the audience?
Delivery: How do writers get their texts to the audience—in a
traditional paper, on the Internet, with graphics and links?
In speeches, when do speaker choose to gesture or pause?
The Rhetorical Situation
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Speaker/Writer
Purpose
Audience
Subject/Topic
Context
Purpose: Why You Write
O to ___________
O to inform
O To reflect
O to persuade
O to educate
O to call to action
O to entertain
O to shock
O What is the purpose
of this WWII
propaganda poster?
Audience: To Whom Are You
Writing?
O Age
O Social class
O Education level
O Political views
O Gender
O Religion
O Values
Genre
O category of writing
O examples: fiction,
autobiographical
story, news article,
review, editorial,
analysis, satire
O genres hinge upon
purpose and the
needs of the
projected audience
Genre and Audience
O What genre is most often used to
reach young adults? (18-24)
O How do you account for that?
O Can you think of another
audience and frequently used to
reach it?
Topic
O whatever it is that
you have selected to
write about
O may be broadened or
narrowed, depending
upon the length of
the article and your
level of interest
Context
O the “situation” which
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generates the need
for writing
affected by time
period
location
current events
cultural significance
Context
O How did 9/11 create a special kind of
context?
Rhetorical Situation
O Speaker/Writer
O Purpose
O Audience
O Subject/Topic
O Context
What This Means
O You need to be aware that a rhetorical
situation exists EVERY TIME you write.
O You need to adapt your writing depending
upon your purpose and your audience.
Key Points
O De-stigmatizing Rhetoric
O Aristotle’s Triangle
O Five Canons of Rhetoric
O Rhetorical Situation
Let’s Apply It:
O Romney in Chillicothe, OH
O The dam letter
O Student handbook video
O What is the rhetorical situation? How do the
different elements combine to create an
effective text?