I've been an English major for a couple of years now, and I still have no idea what the hell "rhetoric" means. It seems to be a word that becomes more complicated the more that you know about it. Reading this week's articles, I came across some points that I found quite interesting and thought provoking.
Firstly, Covino and Jolliffe made me feel a lot better about not understanding rhetoric. They acknowledge the fact that, "there is no short answer...rhetoric might be understood as the study and practice of shaping content." One could possible understand rhetoric (or at least I do) as the set of tools you have to present yourself to the world. Elements like delivery, style, and arrangement can have an effect on the way an idea or concept is perceived. In that way, rhetoric is essential to the transmission of thoughts from one to another.
Rhetoric's function then is to offer explanations and persuasion. As Grant-Davie puts it, "a rhetorical situation is a situation where a speaker or writer sees a need to change reality and sees that the change may be effected through rhetorical discourse." A writer has the opportunity to alter another's state of thinking through strong rhetoric, and in turn alter their sense of what is real. When thought about in this light, rhetoric is a powerful tool. The ability to shape another's perceptions through your work is an outcome that many writers hope to achieve, and a strong understanding of what discourse is most applicable in which situation can go a long way.
My favorite point made by the readings was one stated by Porter. He quotes that, "property and 'creativity' in language lies in the speaker's ability to create new meanings." The message is that the creation of words and sentences is not the integral part of writing. This naturally comes as a shock to a writing student. I spend a great deal of time focusing on words and sentences. But when I really think about it, I often use what I have heard from others to create my own words. I borrow and sometimes downright steal the words of others. What makes it my own is the meaning that I assign to it. I never realized that by doing that I was actively engaging in a rhetorical situation. I may not understand it, but I apparently do it.
That last paragraph helps me, Porter confused me and I must have missed that quote you used, that helps a bit. Once it is properly explained I wonder why I couldn't figure it out. I still could be missing something but thanks. And nice intro.
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ReplyDeleteSorry, my computer gliched out on me and deleted my post instead of saving it.
DeleteI agree with you about not really understanding rhetoric. I am getting more of a better feeling about the concept and idea, but still years or even a life-time away from feeling like I will truly 'understand' it. Just remember that Doug has even stated that it is going to be normal to not understand what we are reading at the beginning, the main emphasis will be that we can come to a final conclusion to what it all means at the end of the course. Hope that helps.
I thought Doug's example regarding the clothes we wear as being an expression of who we think we are or the message that we want to send out to others was quite informing to me as to what is rhetoric. I would like to think that what I wear shouldn't matter to someone else but what I wear can shape the attitude and thus the actions of my audience (possible employer, etc.) Doug says "Your clothes are one way you interact with other people; thus, they are rhetorical." If someone had told me that my clothing choices were somehow rhetorical a week ago I would have laughed in their face, but it makes sense in a definitional sort of way.
ReplyDeleteI was struck by your statement, "sometimes I borrow or downright steal the words of others". Porter states "Success is measured by the writer's ability to know what can be presupposed and to borrow the community's traces effectively to create a text that contributes to the maintenanace or, possibly, the definition of the community". I think to understand that you are borrowing traces of your community speaks to your integrity as a meaningful contibutor to your social and professional communities. Porter contends that we need to "rethink our ideas about plagarism" which to me means that ultimately, the words we choose have already been chosen yet we get to craft them in a way that is effective in our communtities thus creating an expression that is uniquely our own.
I have always wanted to know what it says about college students who show up to class in what looks like their pajamas. They can't seem to think they would get away with that at work. It doesnt effect me either way, just find that interesting. Good comment, by the way.
DeleteGreat quote: "a rhetorical situation is a situation where a speaker or writer sees a need to change reality and sees that the change may be effected through rhetorical discourse." I think it is AMAZING that we can change someone's frame of mind through words. This is kind of strange but I stumbled upon this website after reading your blog and found it interesting, it is about changing people's minds: http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/creating-in-flow/201105/5-ways-change-someones-min. Maybe this is really the rules of Rhetoric!
ReplyDeleteNice find, Savannah. I read through that initial list of five (SPICE) and see ethos, ethos, ethos, ethos, ethos. Every bit of it goes to identification (audience sees themselves in the speaker) and motivation (speaker has the best interest of the audience at heart), the two central elements of ethos.
DeleteWhat we'll all continue to see is the same root principles (such as ethos) expressed in various ways. The few times I fall back on the classical Greek explanations of things, it's mostly just because they're the earliest writing we have on the subject, and it fascinates me that principles that helped them in *their* rhetorical situations still work in ours. :-)
I found the Porter article to hit home the most of the readings and for the same reason as you. I think all writers - scratch that - all creative people "borrow" heavily from others. Darn near EVERYTHING is derivative but this seems particularly true in creative fields. A new book is well received and suddenly everyone is a Young Adult writer exploring the lives of teenage wizards or young vampires in love. I always find this phenomenon exceptionally strange in the movie industry - two movies released about Truman Capote in the same year?!? Really?
ReplyDeleteAs for myself, I underline clever turns of phrase in many books, and jot down snippets of speech from by-passers. Perhaps someday my writing will read as "true".