English XI Fall Final: Rhetoric and Writing
Understanding the tone of a piece: analyzing syntax and diction
diction: choice of words. Interesting or powerful vocabulary, metaphors, similes, personification, and hyperbole. Was the language formal, informal, colloquial (btwn friends), or slang? Words with strong connotation? syntax: word order. constructions: Parallelism, juxtaposition, antithesis. sentence types: compound, complex, periodic, cumulative, imperative. Also the pacing: does the writer reveal details quickly or slowly. Do they build suspense?
hyperbole
exaggerated statements or claims
building ethos
explain credentials and background emphasize shared values
Post Hoc Ergo Propter Hoc Fallacy
"after which therefore because of which" ex. Alan's football team wins when he crosses his fingers and arms while watching a game.
Bandwagon Fallacy (ad populum)
"everybody's doing it, so it must be a good thing to do" ex. You should vote to elect Rachel Johnson, she has a strong lead in the polls!
The Effects of "Mandatory Volunteerism" on Intentions to Volunteer
(Conversation: Mandatory Community Service) 1999 Article from journal Psychological Science Two Studies: students less likely to enjoy and continue volunteering after highschool if they were forced into it
Study: "Resume Padding" Prevalent in College-Bound Students Who Volunteer
(Conversation: Mandatory Community Service) Dennis Chaptman, Article from UW Madison Newsletter Many students volunteer to look good on their college apps
Volunteering Opens Teen's Eyes to Nursing
(Conversation: Mandatory Community Service) Human Interest Story from Detroit News Kid volunteers at Old Folks Home, wants to work there when he grows up
Millennials Rising
(Conversation: Mandatory Community Service) Neil Howe and William Strauss Describes what community service has meant for various generations
Community Service Mission Statement
(Conversation: Mandatory Community Service) The Dalton School Community Service is necessary for survival, moral center, personal enrichment, and institutional community
Youth Attitudes toward Civic Education and Community Service Requirements
(Conversation: Mandatory Community Service) graphs older people 23-25 find mandatory volunteerism more favorable more educationally successful kids find it more favorable
The New Literacy
(Conversation: The Dumbest Generation) - Clive Thompson, 2009 issue of wired - Andrea Lunsford project reveals that we are in a "literacy" revolution - this generation is writing way more than previous generations, because we are writing out of school
Living and Learning with New Media: Summary of Findings from the Digital Youth Project
(Conversation: The Dumbest Generation) 2008 Study, Mizuko Ito et Al Learning through the internet, self directed Erases traditional markers of status and authority
The Dumbest Generation
(Conversation: The Dumbest Generation) Mark Bauerlein have tons of access to knowledge but don't show that same thirst for knowledge and aren't in-the-know
Is Google Making Us Stupid?
(Conversation: The Dumbest Generation) Nicholas Carr-- Article from Atlantic Deep reading is harder, lose focus more quickly information is more easily accessible "Once I was a scuba diver in the sea of words. Now I zip along the surface like a guy on a jetski"
Are We Getting Our Share of the Best?
(Conversation: The Dumbest Generation) R Smith Simpson 1962 Article from Us gov't Interviewing People, most lack the ability to recite info on: geography, economics, social data, history of US
Shelved
(Conversation: The Dumbest Generation) Roz Chast Picture: guy immersed in tech and not picking up the countless books behind him
The Dumbest Generation? Don't Be Dumb
(Conversation: The Dumbest Generation) Sharon Begley They hold the least knowledge but don't lack the ability to think cirtically and logically, IQs are rising
Your Brain on Video Games
(Conversation: The Dumbest Generation) Steve Johnson 2005 Article from Discover Magazine Games challenge mental dexterity - have to manage characters, details (like on the Sims) Video games rely on "the regime of competence principle" - start at full complexity
Identifying the Issues (Synthesis essay)
- recognizing complexity - you can never change the readers mind, so you have to aim for leaving them thinking, questioning, considering, reconsidering - acknowledge the variety of valid perspectives on the matter - anticipate objections to your position, more than 2 sides
Formulating Your Position (Synthesis essay)
- take stocks of the issues, then write your thesis
I know why the caged bird cannot read
- teaching literature for its moral value rather than its literature/artistic value. teaching unoriginal books because we don't want to change, need to teach books that students enjoy and the broaden their minds. - need books that blur the lines between good and bad, that make people think. Need to be tought as a piece of artwork. - uses specific examples and lofty and sarcastic tone - big words to establish ethos using: - big words: ethos.. I know what i'm talking about so you should believe me - specific examples: she's well read, to solidify her lofty/abstract ideas with solid evidence from well known books
This is Water
- uses informal tone but also intellectual - wants to be relatable and easy to understand, wants his ideas to get across more than the knowledge that he can use big words. - main point: you decide what matters and what doesn't, you need to learn how to think. The world doesn't revolve around you. - uses an overarching metaphor to prove his point: the fish in water - uses an example: driving home and going to the grocery store uses: - metaphor: fish to water as people to stuff they automatically accept as fact (world revolve around you) - uses extremely informal tone in order to be more relatable, make a topic that is very abstract and hard to conceptualize easier to understand by talking as if in a conversation ("stuff", "crap", "nonsense") - another metaphor: trying to solidify an abstract idea by using everyday relatable occurrences.
rhetoric and commercials
- who is there audience, what are they arguing, what are their means of making an argument. - rhetoric in commercials: music, nature images, common value, problem--> solution, sentence fragments, narrative, repetition (anaphora), contrast between before and after, using "and" a lot (polysyndeton) - the car commercials: dad bonds with his kid because his car lets him go out into nature with him, women can be authentic and brave risk takers with this car, a little boy lost his dog and he narrates the commercial as his dad drives him around in their car to find the dog, true american farmers have this type of car
"The C Word in the Hallways"
Anna Quindlen "C" = crazy claim of fact: The number of suicides and homicides committed by teenagers has exploded these past few decades claim of value: the "plague" (mental illness) has gone unremarked because it doesn't show physically. claim of policy: (We should) end ignorance about mental health, and move it from the margins of care and into the mainstream where it belongs." (This could save lives-- gives examples of students who killed others and themselves because they weren't given proper diagnosis and care. )
claim of value
Argues that something is good or bad, right or wrong, desirable or undesirable. they can be personal judgement or more objective evaluation based on external criteria. Ex. Stress helps students because it motivates them to do their best.
ethos (from book)
Greek for "character." speakers appeal to ethos to demonstrate that they are credible and trustworthy to speak on a given topic. Ethos is established by both who you are and what you say
logos (from book)
Greek for "embodies thought." Speakers appeal to logos, or reason, by offering clear, rational ideas and using specific details, examples, facts, statistics, or expert testimony to back them up
polemic
Greek for "hostile" an aggressive argument that tries to establish the superiority of one opinion over all others. polemics generally do not concede that opposing opinions have any merit.
persona
Greek for "mask" the face or character that a speaker shows to his or her audience
pathos (from book)
Greek for "suffering or experience." speakers appeal to pathos to emotionally motivate their audience. more specific appeals to pathos might play on the audience's values, desires, and hopes, on the one had, or fears and prejudices, on the other
Framing Quotations (Synthesis essay)
Include a sentence or two of explanation or commentary with each quote. You can use a lead in sentence, or follow a quote with a few sentences to remind readers of your point and how the quote reinforces it
determine effective and ineffective rhetoric
Mr Collins from Pride and Prejudice appeals to logos: only says advantages that will add to his happiness reminds her that she'll be poor once her dad dies if she doesn't marry him mentions no emotional attachment --> failed to understand his audience, his reasons don't appeal to her
open thesis
One that does not list all the points the writer intends to cover in an essay. ex. The popularity of the Harry Potter series demonstrates that simplicity triumphs complexity when it comes to the taste of readers, both young and old.
claim of policy
Proposes a change. Often, the arguement begins by defining the problem (claim of fact), explaining why it's a problem (claim of value), and then explaining what needs to happen (claim of policy.) ex. Waterford should raise money to help schoolgirls in Africa.
Speech to the troops of Tillbury
Queen Elizabeth uses a strong, clear, and brave tone and established ethos in order to rally the troops to fight. She establishes ethos by walking among them and using the royal "we" to show that she is one of them. She also establishes ethos when she will be brave, which builds on shared values, encouraging them to be brave. She is trying to get the troops to enter with courage a battle that they will mostly likely lose, and is able to rally them with her rhetorical choices. She establishes ethos and uses a strong and clear tone.
General Eisenhower's Order of the Day, (1944, wright before D-Day)
S: General Eisenhower O: order right before D-Day A: His soldiers P: Bolster and rev up the soldiers so they can fight their best in the invasion S: the fight in Normandy T: confident, strong Appeal to Pathos: us:"liberty loving, brave, free, courage and devotion" them:"enemy, fight savagely, war machine, elimination of Nazi Tyranny" Logos: He gives a long list on all the triumphs of the allies against Germany
best in class
S: Margaret Talbot, staff writer for the New Yorker O: 21st century, competitive schooling more discussed and prominent A: students, teachers, parents P: to present different view on valedictorians and show that there are multiple views S: Talbot talks to many past valedictorians in order to get an idea on if it is a good idea or not T: informative, unbiased
Me Talk Pretty One Day
S: humorist playwrite and essayist david sedaris O: learning in france? A: people who enjoy a funny witty book, college students going abroad P: mean teachers can sometimes be effective, to keep with something and it will eventually get easier, to entertain S: a mean teacher teaches sedaris and his classmates to speak french T: witty, comical, light
A Talk to Teachers
S: social critic of race relations and sexual identity, James Baldwin O: 1963, at new york city during the height of the civil rights movement A: new york city school teachers P: to convince teachers to reform their way of teaching so that they teach their students to stand up to society S: new york black school children growing up in a prejudice world and what teachers can do to change their mindset T: educated, abrupt and straight forward
Superman and Me
S: spokane indan sherman alexie O: post colonialism, 21st century A: students, indian kids he wants to learn, well read adults P: confront prejudice. Important expecially for native americans to read so they can reverse stereotypes and break borders. to reform education S: indian boy prodigy learning to read in a society that believes indians should be stupid T: sarcastic and witty, educated, slightly bitter
The King's Speech (1939)
Speaker: King George VI Occasion: 1939, when Britain declares war on Germany because of Hitler's invasion of Poland Audience: The English People Purpose: He wants to spur his people into support for the war while still holding that he believes war is bad. He does this by saying that he doesn't want to fight this war, he believes war is evil but if they don't fight, an even greater evil will emerge (Hitler, Nazis, spread of his racism and fascism). Subject: World War II Tone: solemn but resolute
closed thesis
Statement of the main idea of the argument that also previews the major points the writer intends to make. ex. The Harry Potter books have become best sellers because of their three-dimensional characters, exciting plots, and complex themes.
Bush's 9/11 Speech
Subject: 9/11 terrorist attack Occasion: Right after the terrorist attack Audience: All Americans who are scared, other countries and their leaders, the terrorists→ warning them Purpose: Reassure the American People→ military is ready, police are ready, we will protect the people as a first priority, Convey Information to the People, To rally the people and raise moral, bring stability→ our country is strong and these acts of terrorism will not shatter our resolve, we will defend freedom Speaker: President Bush Tone: Strong, Humility, Solemn Reassurance. Patriotic Central Argument: To bolster the nation and reassure the people Ethos: He's the president, which gives him credibility. He talks about religion to emphasize shared values between himself and the American People. His tone is strong, assured, and solemn. He acts strong and assured to give him credibility as a strong president, assuming the people will want someone strong to help them through the attack. He is solemn to relate with the people, who will also be solemn. Logos: Everything he says is rational and spoken in clear words. He brings up the counterargument that the attack will break the people, so that he can immediately refute it by saying that "these acts shattered steel, but they cannot dent the steel of American resolve." Pathos: His speech evokes the American value of patriotism. He says things like, "our country is strong" and "no one will keep that light from shining." He also appeals to strength, and although he seems solemn, he does not appeal to pity or sadness because he wants to appear strong in the face of an attack.
claim
The argument's main idea or a position/assertion. A claim differs from a topic or subject in that a claim has to be arguable. It can't just be a simple statement of fact; it has to state a position that some people might disagree with and others might agree with (85)
claim of fact
They assert that something is true or not true. They can be resolved and verified. They become arguable when they challenge what exactly is "factual." Facts become arguable when they are questioned, when they raise controversy, when they challenge someone's beliefs. example: Women are more talkative than men
Integrating Quotations
Want to transition from your own voice to other's words and ideas smoothly and natural-sounding. Do this by integrating quotations into your own sentences. ex. Howe and Strauss indicate that five out of sive Millennials "believe their generation has the greatest duty to improve the environment" and would accept additional "civic duties" to bring about needed change (Source 2).
Citing Sources
You need to cite sources after direct quotes and after paraphrases. cite like this: Thoreau wrote that "most men live lives of quiet desperation" (Source 3).
rhetorical analysis
_______ uses _______ tone and ____________ diction/syntax/rhetorical tool in order to __________(purpose) you want to focus on the choices writers make to help them achieve their purpose. ex. Queen Elizabeth uses a strong, clear, and brave tone and established ethos in order to rally the troops to fight. She establishes ethos by walking among them and using the royal "we" to show that she is one of them. She also establishes ethos when she will be brave, which builds on shared values, encouraging them to be brave. She is trying to get the troops to enter with courage a battle that they will mostly likely lose, and is able to rally them with her rhetorical choices. She establishes ethos and uses a strong and clear tone.
ethos
a "rhetorical appeal" demonstrates that the speaker is credible and trustworthy emphasize shared values between the speaker and the audience sometimes, the speaker's reputation immediately brings ethos ethos = speaker's expertise, knowledge, experience, sincerity, common purpose with audience
refutation
a denial of the validity of an opposing argument. In order to sound reasonable, refutations often follow a concession that acknowledges that an opposing argument may be true or reasonable.
Begging the Question (Circular Reasoning) Fallacy
a fallacy in which a claim is based on evidence or support that is in doubt. ex. Illegal immigration is wrong because it's against the law
Either/or (False Dilemna Fallacy)
a fallacy in which the speaker presents two extreme options as the only possibel choices. ex. Either we agree to higher taxes or our granchildren will be mired in debt.
Hasty Generalization Fallacy
a faulty conclusion is reached because of inadequate evidence. ex. Smoking isn't bad for you, my great aunt smoked a pack a day and lived to 90
arguement
a process of reasoned inquiry and rational discourse seeking common ground
rhetorical precis
a) In a single coherent sentence give the following: name of the author, title of the work, date in parenthesis; a rhetorically accurate verb (such as "assert," "argue," "deny," "refute," "prove," disprove," "explain," etc.); a "that" clause containing the major claim (thesis statement) of the work. b) In a single coherent sentence give an explanation of how the author develops and supports the major claim (thesis statement). c) In a single coherent sentence give a statement of the author's purpose, followed by an "in order" phrase. d) In a single coherent sentence give a description of the intended audience
"available means"
all of the options; anything you can do or say to get what you want
concession
an acknowledgment that an opposing argument may be true or reasonable. In a strong argument, a concession is usually accompanied by a refutation challenging the validity of the opposing argument
text
any cultural product that can be read ex. ad, essay, political cartoon, photo, film, speech
pathos
appeal to emotions, values, desires, hope, or fears, prejudices evoking emotion using figurative language, personal anecdotes, vivid images choosing words with strong positive connotations
logos
appeal to logic offer clear, rational ideas thinking logically-- have a clear main idea and using specific facts, details, examples, statistics, expert testimonies to back it up bringing up a counter argument shows you understand an opposing view-- that you've considered other views
personification
attribution of a lifelike quality to an inanimate object or an idea ex. with history the final judge of our deeds
automatic ethos
automatically commands ethos because of your reputation
rhetoric in commercials
background music and images problem--> solution sentence fragments narrative repetition (anaphora) contrast between before and after using the word "and" a lot (polysyndeton)
why care about rhetoric
be wary of manipulation and deceit appreciate effective and civil communication allow each of us to communicate as effectively and honestly as possible
analysis
breaking apart the whole into its constituent parts to better understand it
allusion
brief reference to a person, event, or place (real of fictitious) or to a work of art ex. let both sides unite to heed in all corners of the earth the command of Isaiah
rhetorical triangle
called "Aristotelian triangle" speaker- of a speech, article, cartoon... persona- character a person shows to the audience audience- consider what values the audience holds subject- topic (not purpose)
diction
choice of words. Interesting or powerful vocabulary, metaphors, similes, personification, and hyperbole. Was the language formal, informal, colloquial (btwn friends), or slang? Words with strong connotation?
context (the rhetorical situation)
circumstances, atmosphere, attitudes, and events surrounding the text
metaphor
compare 2 things without like or as ex. jungle of suspicion
simile
comparing 2 things using "like" or "as"
bias
consider the speaker: what does he or she believe in? How might the speaker's position provide personal gain? Look for a range of viewpoints.
Synthesis
considering various viewpoints in order to create a new and more informed viewpoint. taking different sources and having them speak to each other, adding and combining them to prove your point
purpose (the rhetorical situation)
goal of the speaker
pacing
how fast or slow sentences are read. Ex. shorter and simpler sentences are read faster.
oxymoron
juxtaposition of words that seem to contradict one another ex. peaceful revolution
American Civil Liberties Union Poster (2000)
makes a dramatic assertion, an appeal to pathos. The poster shows a picture of Martin Luther King Jr. on the left and convict serial killer Charles Manson on the right, saying that "the man on the left is 75 times more likely to be stopped by the police while driving than the man on the right" all in caps and bold. The smaller subscript urges people to "help us defend your rights" and says that police stop drivers on skin color rather than for their driving.
connotation
meanings or associations that readers have with a word beyond its dictionary definition (denotation). They are usually positive or negative, and they can greatly affect the author's tone. ex. plump v. fat v. obese
archaic diction
old fashioned or outdated choice of words ex. beliefs for which our forebears fought
asyndeton
omission of conjunctions between coordinate phrases, clauses, or words ex. we shall pay any price, bear any burdn, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and the success of liberty
antithesis
opposition, or contrast, of ideas or words in a parallel construction. ex. We shall support any friend, oppose any foe...
juxtaposition
placement of two things closely together to emphasize similarities or differences ex. we are the heirs of that first revolution. Let the words go forth that the torch as been passed to a new generation of Americans--born in this country
Logical Fallacy
potential vulnerabilities or weaknesses in an argument . Come from a failure to make a logical connection between the claim and the evidence.
rhetorical question
question posed for rhetorical effect rather than for the purpose of getting an answer ex. Will you join in that historic effort?
anaphora
repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive phrases, clauses, or line ex. not as a call to bear arms, though arms we need-- not as a call to battle, though embattled we are
alliteration
repetition of the same sound beginning several words or syllables in sequence ex. let us go forth to lead the land we love
rhetorical appeals
rhetorical techniques used to persuade an audience by emphasizing what they find most important or compelling. The three major appeals are ethos, logos, and pathos
What I learned
roy chast - main point: you need to learn through your own experiences what is important to you and what is moral, because school only teaches one view and it may not be the correct view (learn all these subjects even if they are useless to you. Be good.) - be good: repeated theme. What does it really mean to be good? Is it really what your teachers tell you? Is it really to conform? uses: - repetition of phrases (be good) to emphasize that it may not mean the right thing. Juxtaposes "be good" next to "pay attention" and "do what teacher says" to emphasize that being good just means to conform and not think freely. - up through sixth grade, I learned a lot of "stuff." relays all of these unrelated facts that appear trivial when strung together. point: Not learning important stuff. - sort of a form of syntax: puts main point/thought process on the top in a box, then sub points underneath as a cartoon to emphasize the main point - uses a thought bubble rather than a box to write "i don't care about any of this" to put it apart from the rest, make it stand out
Eleven
sandra cisneros - main point: you've been all ages, but sometimes you are forced into a situation where you have to act your age, where you have to take responsibility even thought responsibility can be a big ugly sweater. - you've been all ages, you can act 7 sometimes, you can act 4 sometimes - personal writing- internal monologue - tone: innocent, youthful uses: - informal youthful and innocent tone to emphasize the age of the narrator - metaphors: sweater to responsibility - "not mine, not mine, not mine, but Ms. Price..." repetition and informal in order to show youth, relatable: this is how people actually think... with unconnected sentences.
parallelism
similarity of structure in a pair or series of relates words, phrases, or clauses. ex. Led both sides explore, Let bod sides formulate proposals, Let both sides seek to invoke...
induction
specific to general. particular to universal. We know this to be true, so therefore all this might be true. They don't conclude if an argument is true or untrue, rather if its weak or strong. Example: the theory of gravity is strong ex. scientific method
deduction
start with a universal truth, and apply it to a specific case. ex. all pizzas are delicious, so this pizza must be delicious.
SOAPSTone
subject occasion audience purpose speaker tone
Ad hominem Fallacy
switching the argument from the issue to the character of the other speaker.
why a text can be anything from an ad, to a political cartoon, to a film...
texts are cultural products that can be "read." this means that they aren't just consumed and comprehended, but also investigated. Texts are trying to convince their audience of something.
counterargument
the an opposing argument to the one a writer is putter forward. Rather than ignoring a counterargument, a strong writer will usually address it through the process of concession and refutation.
rhetoric
the faculty of observing, in any given situation, the available means of persuasion
audience
the listener, viewer, or reader of a text. Most texts are likely to have multiple audiences
speaker
the person or group who creates a text. This might be a politician who delivers a speech, a commentator who writes an article, an artist who draws a political cartoon, or even a company that commissions an advertisement
propaganda
the spread of ideas and information to further a cause. In its negative sense, propaganda is the use of rumors, lies, disinformation, and scare tactics in order to damage or promote a cause.
subject
the topic of a text. what the text is about
occasion (the rhetorical situation)
time and place the text was written/spoken
images and pathos
use striking imagery and writing to go with it
Straw man Fallacy
when a speaker chooses a deliberately poor or oversimplified example in order to ridicule and refute an idea ex. "We should let women have access to abortion" "Oh, so you want to kill babies??"
Faulty analogy Fallacy
when an analogy compares two things that are not comparable. ex. We euthanize elderly dogs; we should euthanize old people.
counterarguement thesis
while some people think X is true, Y is actually true. ex. Although the Harry Potter series may have some literary merit, its popularity has less to do with storytelling than with merchandising.
syntax
word order. constructions: Parallelism, juxtaposition, antithesis. sentence types: compound, complex, periodic, cumulative, imperative. Also the pacing: does the writer reveal details quickly or slowly. Do they build suspense?
humor and pathos
wrap something that challenges our beliefs in something we like/makes us feel good
