Heinrichs Rhetoric Styles Of Verbal Exchange

Rhetoric is a course in which students are taught the values of persuasion. And yet, behind this course is the utmost power to corrupt the world, changing it into a world of our own policies. This power, even though seldom discussed, has lead to many intriguing discoveries. One such discovery is how people are able to shape the world they live in simply by choosing the right words. Therefore those who would want the world to be a better place must protect this power. If in the wrong hands this power could cause serious damage. Several authors have striven to protect rhetoric and its power. Few agree on the matter of defining rhetoric, but they know that they must protect rhetoric from dark souls. A single definition of rhetoric must maintain a simplistic nature while incorporating every aspect of rhetoric. However, I argue that rhetoric is a means of persuading audiences of a situation and a particular reality through language and personal appeal. In order to prove this definition I will discuss how rhetoric creates a situation, the shaping of a different reality, the audience, the use of language, and the personal appeal. Finally, I will demonstrate the absolute need for rhetoric.

Although Bitzer continues in the third section of his essay, by outlining the general characteristics or features of a rhetorical situation, it is his discussion of sophistical rhetoric that is most interesting. (11) He notes that a sophistic situation is one where a contrived exigence is, “asserted to be real... alleged constituents are due to error or ignorance,... and [it derives] from fantasy in which exigence, audience, and constraints may all be imaginary objects of a mind at play”. (11) He concludes that, “rhetoric is distinguished from the mere craft of persuasion which, although it is a legitimate object of scientific investigation, lacks philosophical warrant as a practical discipline”. (14)

The four texts that I have read seem to all use a variety of rhetorical appeals. After analyzing them, I noticed each had a speaker, an occasion, an audience, a purpose and a subject. Not only did they use “SOAPS” but they also used ethos, logos, and pathos to strengthen their speeches and to really connect with the audience. They proved that they’re credible, then they used sources and quotations and eventually they hit the audience with emotions.

Sussman 's article deals with the idea of framing the message that provides the perspective that we want others to adopt by presenting a rationale, and a sequential pattern for presenting the evidence for that position. The article draws from Aristotle 's traditional method of examining the ethos, pathos, and logos pattern of persuasion. Sussman provides for steps to framing a message which includes: determine your specific objective, conduct a swot analysis of the other party 's current status, determine the other party 's core values, and write a simple, vivid, evaluative statement linking the other three. The frame is important because it orients the receiver to examine the message with a certain disposition. The three goals of the frame that are to choose the evaluative theme that is believed to be the most credible or compelling. Next, decide on the evidence that supports that perspective, and create a structure that provides the perspective that we want the receiver to understand.

This paper analyzes the effectiveness in creating Kairos in an article by establishing a sense of exigence. A form of rhetorical appeal, Kairos is the ability to take advantage of an opportune moment to persuade an audience to act now, meet a deadline or react to a crisis. A key factor in the creation of Kairos is the establishment of exigence. Exigence is a set of circumstances which establishes a sense of urgency; a reason for existence. In Jean Kilbourne’s article “Two Ways to Hurt a Women” she effectively uses, Kairos to persuade her audience that media needs to be more aware of the portrayal of men, women, and children in advertisements and the impact on children’s future behavior and beliefs.

In Neil Postman’s novel, Amusing Ourselves to Death, he argues that rationality in America has become dictated by television. Through the use of ethos, pathos, and logos, Postman demonstrates that his claim is valid and reliable. These are three forms of persuasion that are used to influence others to agree with a particular point of view. Ethos, or ethical appeal, is used to build an author’s image. Ethos establishes a sense of credibility and good character for the author (Henning). Pathos, or emotional appeal, involves engaging “an audience's sense of identity, their self-interest, their emotions” (Henning). If done correctly, the power of emotions can allow the reader to be swayed to agree with the author. Logos, or logical appeal,

Our teacher, Mrs. Hetrick, provided the answer to our question: “These essays could have easily been generated by a computer program. They tell me nothing about yourselves; why in the world you are telling me all of this? You need to make me care about the message you are conveying, otherwise, your writing is useless.” She then told us that while we were all communicating in the proper format, we had failed to take into consideration whom our audience was. In order to truly persuade and influence our audience, we had to do more than place complicated ideas into a grammatically immaculate sentences; we need to show the audience why they should care about our writing; otherwise, they will just lose interest. I realize now that this experience provided a stable foundation for what I consider to be an example of passionate rhetorical ability, which helps me reflect on what authors Wallace deems as “good” through their rhetorical strategies.

Aristotle defined three parts to being an effective communicator: ethos, pathos, and logos. Ethos is the credibility that a speaker or a writer brings to the subject that he or she is communicating about. Some people are able to gain more trust in certain areas because of their experience. Logos is the appeal to reason, to the forcefulness of a well-thought-out and well-structured position. It uses facts and solid evidence to get a writer’s point across. Pathos is the use of emotion in debate or argument. This is used a lot in visuals such as advertisements or videos (Losh, 44) In William Wilson by Edgar Allan Poe, the narrator, who calls himself William Wilson, enrolls in a school and meets another student that looks and acts exactly

Each “hearer” also interprets what he hears as a beholder.  Consequently, if an English speaker, or writer desires to convey a message, truth, fiction or nonfiction, entertainment, persuasion, evidence of fact, he must use correct language, perhaps colloquialisms, be aware of the listeners, their education, culture, motivation and attention. The written and spoken language can be used to deceive as well as to inform.  Advertisement, celebrities, leading preachers, politicians are used to provide a single perspective, not thorough information leading to a reasoned conclusion.

Gerard A. Hauser covers a plethora of details on how to create a well-made persuasive argument in his book, an Introduction to Rhetorical Theory; however, he covered three specific essentials that are necessary for persuasion: the components logos, pathos and ethos; purposive discourse and rhetorical competence; identification. I will argue for each constituent, respectively, to prove that persuasion cannot thrive without the aforementioned essentials.

The 2016 Presidential Election is approaching quickly, and as is customary a number of highly controversial issues have taken center stage and each side argues their position with oftentimes charged rhetoric. Using the rhetorical strategies discussed in class (ethos, pathos, and logos) in varying degrees and combinations both Democrats and Republicans appeal to their base and attempt to reach out to those who are on the fence. Oftentimes, whether a presentation or piece of controversial writing is political or apolitical a sizable majority of the readership will begin reading with preconceived notions. Those who take a hardline stance against the writer's position typically will never be convinced to adopt it. However, a large minority of readers

The first chapter introduced the reader to the art of rhetoric. He describes how rhetoric works through real life examples. He demonstrates ways that rhetoric persuades us like, argument from strength, and seduction. He tells the reader that the sole purpose of arguing is to persuade the audience. He showed that the chief purpose of arguing is to also achieve consensus, a shared faith in a choice.

Aristotle has an idea that there are three rhetorical appeals people can use to persuade someone else – ethos, pathos and logos. Each of them is very useful and the persuasion will be most effective when three of them are all used. Amy Tan used all in “Mother Tongue.”

‘Of the modes of persuasion furnished by the spoken word there are three kinds. The first kind depends on the personal character of the speaker [ethos]; the second on putting the audience into a certain frame of mind [pathos]; the third on the proof, or apparent proof, provided by the words of the speech itself [logos]. Persuasion is achieved by the speaker’s personal character when the speech is so spoken as to make us think him credible’.

We are a society that thrives upon communication, from texting to “tweeting” and all forms in between. It is not surprising that we often find ourselves drawn in and influenced by the manipulative skills of well organized syllables and strong punctuation. Political rallies are in no shortage of examples of the prowess of semiotics. We use them to speak our minds, to spread the truth, to satirize other’s opinions, and to fabricate our own. As human beings we are not unused to the idea that politics often involves tricky rhetoric and verbal wordplay in efforts to persuade us. However, not often are we aware that tangible signs sway us to much the same effect.