Rhetoric is the ability to appeal to an audience. It is the use of emotional, logical, and ethical characteristics to show an individual the reason for a belief or argument. Without realizing it, we use rhetoric every day in very simple and unnoticed ways. We use rhetoric in our moment by moment experiences; our experiences are what give the rhetoric passion. When you think about it, without passion, experience, and thoughtfulness, rhetoric becomes meaningless. It becomes near impossible to truly appeal to an audience. The writing becomes ineffective because the writer is inactive. Rhetoric to a writer is like a gallery to an artist or a symphony to a musician. It is a compilation of ideas, beliefs, values, personal testimonies, and thought processes, all to make one flowing and colorful argument. It contains many unique pieces that are somehow connected and on the surface, act as one unit. It is meant to sweep the audience off of its feet. Behind rhetoric, is a deep, eye-opening, life-changing, uncomfortable, and grueling process. It requires that an individual analyzes past events, mistakes, victories,
feelings, and thoughts in order to know how to sustain and empower an argument. It is meant to challenge a writer; that is how it becomes effective for both the audience and the writer. It requires that the writer becomes active, not passive; that a writer gives two-hundred percent of his or her self.
I never thought that I would be able to understand the concept of rhetoric, but I feel as though it is the aspect of class that I grew the most in.
feelings, and thoughts in order to know how to sustain and empower an argument. It is meant to challenge a writer; that is how it becomes effective for both the audience and the writer. It requires that the writer becomes active, not passive; that a writer gives two-hundred percent of his or her self.
I never thought that I would be able to understand the concept of rhetoric, but I feel as though it is the aspect of class that I grew the most in.
According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, ideology is defined as: "a systematic body of concepts especially about human life or culture." Rhetoric as an ideology. The ability to appeal to an audience, to capture one's attention and interest, to captivate their ideas and thought patterns. All of that, as rhetoric, is a system based on human life. I find that so powerful.