chapter one

Chapter 1: Rhetoric

Essentials

What is the original definition of rhetoric? Aristotle’s definition is “an ability to see the available means of persuasion in any case” (qtd. in Kennedy 35). Aristotle used the term “means,” which, in  a modern time, refers to a writer’s tools and strategies.

What is a modern definition of rhetoric? To persuade others to understand and accept our arguments; to evaluate the legitimacy of others’ arguments trying to persuade us.

      Rhetoric is also…

• a guide to realize why words are worth noticing
• a practical art
• a way of arranging words
• a way of supplying words
• how a writer’s choices influence an argument
• how an argument is composed
• strategies to build convincing arguments
• what makes an argument effective or ineffective

How is rhetoric a misinterpreted word? Rhetoric is an often misused word that has a negative connotation. Some believe rhetoric is the means using words to mislead or manipulate an audience unjustly. For example, public figures may say “Don’t listen to all that rhetoric” or “The rhetoric of the campaign trail” or “She spoke a lot of rhetoric but did not provide solutions to the real problems.” Rhetoric, however, is not necessarily spoken or written words but the way in which the words are arranged and expressed.

How is rhetoric a strategic act? Rhetoric is not a negative act but a strategic one. The results of the strategy are effective arguments based on the writer’s choices. Reasonable, fair-minded voices express these arguments, and are typically seen as qualified ones by the audiences.

What is an example of rhetoric in daily life? If you were asked by the principal or dean to take photos of sport’s teams at your school, and he or she said, “Make our teams look positive this week” or “Make our teams look negative this week,” that’s rhetoric.