Rhetoric English 11 AP

Definition For our purposes, we can define “rhetoric” as the art or study of using language effectively and persuasively. (You also need grammar and logic to get your ideas across clearly.) For our purposes, we can define “rhetoric” as the art or study of using language effectively and persuasively. (You also need grammar and logic to get your ideas across clearly.) Not to be confused with the negative connotation, meaning language that is elaborate, pretentious, insincere, or intellectually vacuous. (“I’m tired of all this political rhetoric!”) Not to be confused with the negative connotation, meaning language that is elaborate, pretentious, insincere, or intellectually vacuous. (“I’m tired of all this political rhetoric!”)

Purpose of Rhetoric To be read and understood, writing must be interesting, clear, persuasive, and memorable, so that the reader will pay attention to, understand, believe, and remember the ideas it communicates. To be read and understood, writing must be interesting, clear, persuasive, and memorable, so that the reader will pay attention to, understand, believe, and remember the ideas it communicates.

Good Writing Contains: A clear thesis A clear thesis Sufficient arguments, well- supported and logically- arranged, and Sufficient arguments, well- supported and logically- arranged, and Effective style (Style is where rhetoric comes in) Effective style (Style is where rhetoric comes in)

Aristotle – The Three Offices of Rhetoric Ethos – credibility of the writer/speaker/source Ethos – credibility of the writer/speaker/source Logos – Logic (statistics, math, facts) Logos – Logic (statistics, math, facts) Pathos – Emotional appeal to the audience Pathos – Emotional appeal to the audience

Rhetorical Devices There are at least sixty identified rhetorical devices, many of which you are familiar with. There are at least sixty identified rhetorical devices, many of which you are familiar with. These include metaphor, simile, metonymy, synecdoche, alliteration, assonance, consonance, dissonance, oxymoron, irony, personification, hyperbole, and onomatopoeia. These include metaphor, simile, metonymy, synecdoche, alliteration, assonance, consonance, dissonance, oxymoron, irony, personification, hyperbole, and onomatopoeia.

Rhetorical Devices – Less Familiar Antithesis: opposition, or contrast of ideas or words in a balanced or parallel construction. (Brutus: Not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more.) Antithesis: opposition, or contrast of ideas or words in a balanced or parallel construction. (Brutus: Not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more.) Antithesis Paradox: an assertion seemingly opposed to common sense, but that may yet have some truth in it. (What a pity that youth must be wasted on the young. George Bernard Shaw) Paradox: an assertion seemingly opposed to common sense, but that may yet have some truth in it. (What a pity that youth must be wasted on the young. George Bernard Shaw) Paradox

Rhetorical Devices – Way Out There! Anastrophe: transposition of normal word order. (“The helmsman steered; the ship moved on; yet never a breeze up blew”) Anastrophe: transposition of normal word order. (“The helmsman steered; the ship moved on; yet never a breeze up blew”) Anastrophe Litotes: understatement, for intensification, by denying the contrary of the thing being affirmed. Litotes: understatement, for intensification, by denying the contrary of the thing being affirmed. Litotes *A few unannounced quizzes are not inconceivable.*A few unannounced quizzes are not inconceivable. *War is not healthy for children and other living things.*War is not healthy for children and other living things. *One nuclear bomb can ruin your whole day.*One nuclear bomb can ruin your whole day.

Using Rhetoric We spend most of high school teaching students to write orderly, logical, and grammatically correct compositions. We spend most of high school teaching students to write orderly, logical, and grammatically correct compositions. In the Grade 12 year, we focus a great deal on the development of style. Your own writing style will depend a great deal on your use of rhetoric and rhetorical devices. In the Grade 12 year, we focus a great deal on the development of style. Your own writing style will depend a great deal on your use of rhetoric and rhetorical devices.