Classicism, The Age of Reason, - or - Neoclassicism Fill out the handout as we discuss

Neo = New Original classic period – Ancient Greeks and Romans (Republics, Democracy, etc)

Birth of America and American Philosophy: --All men created equal --No king --Representation in Government, etc.

Separation from King George The American Revolution happened in 1775-1783 The Declaration of Independence written in 1776

Thinkers of the time believed in reason vs Thinkers of the time believed in reason vs. emotion (Unlike the Puritans)

Reason was dependent upon Freedoms… Freedom of speech Freedom from oppressive leaders Freedom to question all things (including religion and king)

Unlike the puritans, these writers are not concerned with the hereafter. Instead they were interested in enacting change in the this world

Unlike their European contemporaries, these American writers were able to test their theories of reason and freedom – hence, The United States of America

The flipside of the American Revolution, known as the War of Words: Speeches Essays Pamphlets Songs Poems

Authors: Patrick Henry Benjamin Franklin Thomas Jefferson Thomas Paine

Patrick Henry: Considered one of the best, most powerful, American orators (speakers) Remembered for saying: “Give me liberty or give me death!” Henry was a lawyer by trade. His most famous case – sued the king of England and won. His speech at the Virginia convention is considered to be directly responsible for persuading members to sign the Declaration of In dependence

Benjamin Franklin Considered “The First American” This means he was the first to think and act like an American “Boot strap theory”

Franklin is famous for…. Scientist/Inventor: Writer: Lightning rod Helped write Declaration of Independence Bifocals Constitution of U.S.A. Discovered laws of electricity Poor Richard’s Almanac Franklin stove His Biography Etc. Other: First postmaster general First volunteer fire department

Thomas Jefferson: Wrote The Declaration of Independence (with help from Ben Franklin and John Adams) Served as our 3rd and 4th president Doubled the size of America with the Louisiana purchase FYI: He and John Adams (2nd president) both died on the 4th of July in 1826 – 50 years to the day of the approval of the declaration that they both wrote.

Thomas Paine: England-born political philosopher and writer Helped shape many of the ideas that marked the Age of Revolution Wrote “Common Sense” and “The Crisis” papers during the American Revolution Believed that in a world “overrun with oppression,” America would be “an asylum for mankind.”

Review of Rhetorical Devices: Turn your paper over!!

They are not rhetorical devices (a tool). They are rhetorical appeals. Ethos, Pathos, Logos They are not rhetorical devices (a tool). They are rhetorical appeals. Authors do not use ethos, pathos, or logos. They exist in every persuasive piece of writing! How they are developed and the amount of each is what we are concerned with.

What is Pathos? Emotional appeal If the author says something to make the audience feel emotion. This can be any emotion – fear, anger, guilt, patriotism, etc.

What is Logos? Logical appeal This is when an author uses logic to try to convince his audience of something. Most often you see this in the form of statistics (data) or “if, then” statements.

What is Ethos? Ethical appeal or “believability” This is when the author says something to make himself seem like someone the audience can trust or believe in. “I have years of experience” “I’ve been where you are” “This is our problem”

All arguments use ethos, pathos, logos in the same way that a box has height, width, or depth. Some boxes are higher, wider, deeper…it depends on what the box is for. Some arguments have more ethos, pathos, logos. It depends on what the author’s purpose is.

How does the author create ethos, pathos, and logos? This is where the rhetorical devices (tools) come in. Some of these tools are… Diction (word choice) Syntax (structure) Repetition Parallelism Similes Metaphors Rhetorical questions Allusions – references to historical, biblical, and literary events or people.

Cosmetics Think of the rhetorical DEVICES as make up. Think of the rhetorical APPEALS as features. One uses lipstick (device) on their lips to enhance their lips (feature). One uses eyeshadow (device) to enhance their eyes (feature). You “use” lipstick, you don’t “use” lips. Therefore an author can’t “use pathos”

From: "I Have a Dream“ -Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. – 1963 Metaphor Allusion Repetition Diction Allusion Five score years ago a great American in whose symbolic shadow we stand today signed the Emancipation Proclamation. This momentous decree is a great beacon light of hope to millions of Negro slaves who had been seared in the flames of withering injustice. It came as a joyous daybreak to end the long night of their captivity. But one hundred years later, the Negro still is not free. One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination. One hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity. One hundred years later, the Negro is still languished in the corners of American society and finds himself in exile in his own land…

“Five score years ago a great American…” This is an obvious ALLUSION (reference) to Abraham Lincoln. In his famous Gettysburg Address, Lincoln begins with the words: “Four score and seven years ago…” By making this reference to Abraham Lincoln, Dr. King is giving himself credibility and believability (aka: Ethos!). He is showing he is: Knowledgeable about history Establishing himself as a great American by indirectly comparing himself to another great American Proving he is not a racist – he is capable of admiration of a white man