Rhetoric

It is generally understood to be the art or technique of persuasion through the

use of oral, visual, or written languagebasically its language in a dress suit.

Rhetoric can refer to exaggerated or inflated talk, much like that which we hear
in political speeches. Rhetoric can be used as a derogatory term because it
suggests that the speaker (or writer) is using words falsely, instead of using
"plain talk" to convey something.

On the other hand, crafted words don't have to be false words. You can say
something you really do mean in an artful way. In literature specifically, that
can be a good thing!

In literature, rhetoric is what convinces you to feel a certain way about a topic.
It is the art of conveying a point in a convincing, eloquent, and effective way.
Rhetoric is what makes some writing beautiful and other writing bland. The
study of rhetoric goes back to ancient Greece, when speakers began to practice
the art of persuasion in courts of law. The ancients realized that presentation is
as important, or perhaps more important, than facts.

Three Types of Appeal used with Rhetoric
Logos Ethos Pathos
Logos (Greek for
'word') refers to the
internal consistency
of the message--the
clarity of the claim,
the logic of its
reasons, and the
effectiveness of its
supporting evidence.
The impact of logos
on an audience is
sometimes called the
argument's logical
appeal.

Ethos (Greek for 'character')
refers to the trustworthiness or
credibility of the writer or
speaker. Ethos is often conveyed
through tone and style of the
message and through the way the
writer or speaker refers to
differing views. It can also be
affected by the writer's
reputation as it exists
independently from the message-
-his or her expertise in the field,
his or her previous record or
integrity, and so forth. The
impact of ethos is often called
the argument's 'ethical appeal' or
the 'appeal from credibility.
Pathos (Greek for 'suffering' or
'experience') is often associated with
emotional appeal. But a better
equivalent might be 'appeal to the
audience's sympathies and
imagination.' An appeal to pathos
causes an audience not just to respond
emotionally but to identify with the
writer's point of view--to feel what the
writer feels. In this sense, pathos
evokes a meaning implicit in the verb
'to suffer'--to feel pain imaginatively.
Pathos thus refers to both the
emotional and the imaginative impact
of the message on an audience, the
power with which the writer's message
moves the audience to decision or
action.








Rhetorical Devices
Alliteration: repetition of the initial consonant sounds beginning several words in sequence.
He who laughs last laughs best. "Good men are gruff and grumpy, cranky, crabbed, and cross."
"Veni, vidi, vici." Julius Caesar

Antithesis: Figure of balance in which two contrasting ideas are intentionally juxtaposed, usually through
parallel structure a contrasting of opposing ideas in adjacent phrases, clauses, or sentences.

Ex: Lloyd Braun: "Serenity now; insanity later."
-- from Seinfeld episode "The Serenity Now"
Ex: "I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be
judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. I have a dream today!"
-- Martin Luther King, Jr., I Have a Dream

Anaphora: the repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive phrases, clauses or lines.
" we shall defend our island, whatever the cost may be, we shall fight on the
beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fightWinston Churchill

Aposiopesis: stopping abruptly and leaving a statement unfinished:
I've got to make the team or I'll--.
Apostrophe: speaking to an inanimate or absent figure as if it were really there
Ex: O judge ye gods how dearly Caesar love [Brutus]!
Euphemism: substitution of an agreeable or at least non-offensive expression for one whose plainer
meaning might be harsh or unpleasant.

Ex: "Wardrobe malfunction" (Justin Timberlake's characterization of his tearing of Janet
Jackson's costume during a half-time performance at Super Bowl XXXVIII)

Hyperbole: exaggeration for emphasis or for rhetorical effect.

Irony: expression of something which is contrary to the intended meaning; the words say one thing but
mean another.

Understatement deliberately expresses an idea as less important than it actually is, either for ironic
emphasis or for politeness and tact.
Ex: You know I would be a little disappointed if you were to be hit by a drunk driver at
two a.m., so I hope you will be home early.

Repetition

Rhetorical question: A question asked merely for effect with no answer expected. The answer may be
obvious or immediately provided by the questioner.
Ex: "Was this ambition?" (Mark Antony in Shakespeare's Julius Caesar)
Do you want me to slap you?

Reverse Psychology: The advocacy of one course of action in such a way as to persuade someone to take
an opposite course
Ex: "I bet you can't eat all of those peas in 30 seconds."
"I'll put it away for you. You probably don't know how to fit it all back in the box anyway."