Chapter 1: Rhetoric Test
Rosa Parks cartoon
Appeals to logos and pathos The commentary at the bottom right hand reads, we've been holding it, the front row in heaven, open since 1955. This is a reminder that more than 50 years have elapsed since Parks resolutely sat where she pleased. The caption could be seen as an appeal to both pathos and logos. It's emotional appeal is it acknowledgment that, of course, having would've been waiting for this good woman, but the mention of the front row appeals to logic because parks made her mark in history for refusing to sit in the back of the bus. Some readers might even interpret the caption as criticism of how slow the country was to both integrate and pay tribute to parks.
How does the video define ethos? In particular, how do they distinguish from reputation, credibility, trustworthiness, and authority?
Ethos is reputation, what you are known for; credibility is do you look and act professional; trustworthy, are your motives clear, do you show the listener that you care about them as much as yourself; authority, the confidence plus a concise message, a clear and strong voice
Types of speeches
Eulogies-funeral, speaks of persons life in a positive way Commencement speeches-graduation speech Acceptance speech-oscars, Grammys, Emmys (Kurt but impactful) Sermons/homilys-at mass Keynote speeches- luncheon for foundation particular crowd Dedication speech-for properties, buildings (Gettysburg Adress)
Essays
Ex: "Slow Food Nation" Article that goes into detail about a particular subject
Political cartoons
Ex: Join or Die (cut snake) times: join the revolutionaries to break away from Britain or you'll die The pieces of the snake represents the colonies Snakes are seen as threatening Message: We can be a threat but only if we join together Message is shown by cartoon without having to say actual words
Statues
Example: Statue of Liberty- says liberty, welcome to America, freedom
Fiction works
Fictional texts have meaning and themes: said but not directly Like theme of friendship to overcome loneliness in OMAM Works of imaginative literature often have a rhetorical purpose, even if it's not immediately obvious. The most direct use of rhetoric and imaginative literature is through a speech by character or a persuasive bit of dialogue between characters.
assumptions
General assumptions Safe assumptions in Botox ad: people don't want to look old and wrinkled Safe assumptions in bath and bodyworks ad: stop and smell the happy! Assume people want to be happy/like being happy
Ad Homenim
Latin for "to the man" You attack your opponents character or personal traits in an attempt to undermine their argument. Example: after Sally presents an eloquent and compelling case for a more equitable taxation system, Sam ask the audience whether they should believe anything from a woman who isn't married, was once arrested, and smells a bit weird. Those things have nothing to do with the argument It is just a burning/roasting factor that isn't really relevant to the argument at all
Songs
Like poetry with music Powerful and moving Sends different types of messages
Coolidges two comments
Media commentators would have us to believe that Coolidge texts here, amounting to forwards, contains no rhetoric. Absolutely untrue: Coolidge is two comments were full of rhetoric, totally dominated by the textual features he had specifically chosen to use, making his text meaningful , purposeful, and effective His monosyllabic diction were perfectly appropriate for the no nonsense persona he always tried to portray Crisp, clipped rhythm of his response, forcefully underlined the simplicity of his message, and probably coincidentally, informed the reporter that their superficial questions were a bit silly and his answers to them were none of their business
Cartoons-back to school
Says it without saying it First day of school: mom trying to force kid to go to school First day of college: mom trying to hold onto kid and not let go First day of school vs first day of college: barely any words but still accurately expresses feelings Underlying message: time goes by so quickly appreciate what you have in the moment
Social media posts
Send messages using influencers, words, and images Spread quickly Creates a global connecting next work
Advertising and commercials
Send messages with images and words Example: Emma toilet paper commercial Shows that although are society is ever advancing in technology paper is still necessary (many apps can replace paper, but no app to replace toilet paper)
Aristotle quote
"Excellence is never an accident. It is always the result of high intention, sincere effort, and intelligent execution; it represents the wise choice of many alternatives- choice, not chance, determines your destiny."
Importance of rhetoric cont'd.
"It is part of my job as informed citizens and consumers to understand how rhetoric works so that we can be wary of manipulation and deceit, while appreciating effective and civil communication. And it is essential that each of us communicate as effectively and honestly as possible."-Conversations in American Literature
Straw man
A fallacy committed when a person simply ignores a person's actual position and substitutes a distorted, exaggerated, or misinterpreted version of that position You are "grasping straws" to make your argument Example: Bill and Jill are arguing about cleaning out their closets. Jill said that they should clean out the closets because they were getting a bit messy. Bill asked why because they had just went through the closets last year. He asked her why they have to clean the closet every day. Jill says that she never claimed anything about cleaning the closets every day. She then accuses him of wanting to keep his junk forever which is ridiculous. Bill is using straw man because Jill never said anything about cleaning the closet everyday Jill is using straw man because Bill never said he wanted to keep his junk forever
According to the character of Aristotle in the video, what were the rhetorical malfunctions that Bell committed?
According to the character of Aristotle in the video, the rhetorical malfunctions the bell committed were that he was missing ethos and pathos. In ethos, the fact that the great concert hall host Joshua's concert transfers a trustworthiness to Bell. People trust the institution, therefore they now trust Joshua as well. The subway station however is not trusted for his musical talent. People do not typically expect to find great art or music in the subway station. The station gave no trust Joshua. In pathos, the concert hall is designed for an emotional bond between an audience and it's artist and it's layout and structure, whereas the hustle and movement of a subway platform is not conducive to the emotional connection between performer
Appeal to tradition
An appeal that says that because something is old or we've been doing it forever, it must be accurate or based on evidence Example p: Acupuncture has been used for many centuries (doesn't mean its good or works) Bull run OLLA legacy Only appearing to tradition in an argument is not enough
Rhetorical malfunctions
An error in either of the proofs of persuasion: ethos, pathos, logo Used incorrectly Ex: PETA ad- I'f you feed your child a burger, you're commuting child abuse Joshua Bell in subway station
Lyndon B. Johnson speech to Congress
Appeals to ethos The very fact that he is the President of the United States gives Johnson the authority and ethos to speak on the subject of civil rights, yet he also addresses the nation in a reasonable manner while emphasizing the shared values that unite us as Americans. He uses OUR and WE to include himself as one of the people by the same time delivering a commanding challenge. He enjoyed his audience to transcend concerns for growth abundance welfare and security that democracy gives us and instead focus on the values and the purposes and the meaning on which democracy depends. He bolsters his ethos through appeals to religious faith and patriotism by quoting the Bible, Thomas Jefferson, and Patrick Henry, well continuing his use of the first person plural we. President Johnson brings ethos to his speech by the nature of the office he holds, but in stating that we are met here tonight as Americans, all our people, he constructs ethos through appeals to shared American values.
What is meant by the videos definition of logos " that the idea makes sense from the audience point of view"?
This means that the perspective of the audience is considered, so the idea seems more convincing to them. For example, it makes sense to the audience to pay a lot of money to see a world renowned man, whoever he may be, play in a prestigious place, but it doesn't make sense for them to stop in the middle of a subway station and watch what appears to be some random musician playing in a dirty and run down place . The location plays a key role in how the audience interpret the situation and it's ideas, and so does the first impression of the person , which offers an insight on their credibility.
How did people respond to Bell three days later in the subway station?
Three days later people responded to Bell in the subway station by walking right past him and ignoring him. Some stopped for a brief moment and looked, but then continued on their day. One or two people threw a dollar in his basket, and that was surprising for Bell considering that most people did not even stop. It is also ironic because at the theater hall he made thousands of dollars, instead of these measly dollars
non sequitur fallacy
a conclusion is drawn that has no logical connection at all The Latin words "non sequitur" literally mean "it does not follow". There is a divide between the premise and the conclusion, which results in a fallacy. Example: Snickers ad with Betty White No matter how many snickers bars you have, you want get any younger or (better) I washed my car so it will probably rain today: no correlation no matter how many times it happens or you say it
Logical fallacy
an error in reasoning. You need to be able to identify them in order to intelligently refute arguments as well as build effective ones. At first it may sound like a good idea, but it really isn't
Exigence
an issue, problem, or situation that causes or prompts someone to write or speak (AKA CONTEXT)
Hasty Generalizations
drawing conclusions based on insufficient or unrepresentative evidence Examples: If the speed limit goes up, more people will die on the roads. This is not always true, people can wear seatbelts and drive safely and not die will increasing their speed Susies ex boyfriend was a jerk. All guys are jerks. One situation does not prove all It it's my a matter of faulty reasoning, it is a matter of an insufficient amount of evidence Could be true after further research
Rhetoric texts
Essays, political cartoons, cartoons, photographs, advertisements, commercials, statues, paintings, emojis, fiction, poetry, speeches tweets, memes, social media posts
Thanksgiving cartoon
Appeals to pathos The expression on the shoppers faces range from fear to anger to greed, all with wide eyes and crazed, a stark contrast of the peaceful closed eyes of the family in the top panel. There's a frantic movement such as a man pushing a cart with his baby in it others clutching big boxes of would be purchases, and two people fighting over an LED television set. The symbols and characters above that peoples heads are familiar from cartoons are signs of harsh languages. The open thanksgiving sign reminds us that what the people depicted are doing instead of sitting with family and friends are on a traditional Thanksgiving table. Is this the first image of a true depiction of Thanksgiving dinner when we all know various conflicts may surface and it is not necessarily perfect? Perhaps not, but it is the ideal of how many of us would like to think life was then. And regardless of whether it reflects everyone's reality, the cartoonist makes his case that peace and togetherness of the first image is preferable to the frantic materialism in the second. He engages our emotions by settling to very different scenes, juxtaposing them, and using color and font to make the argument that desperate material striving threatens traditional family values.
either/or (false dichotomy)
Assuming there are only two options when there are many Example: Unless colleges continue to offer need-based scholarships, no one who is poorly will be able to attend college. This is not true, there are other alternatives such as an academic scholarship or funding by another person If you don't let me go to horror nights, my social life is over! (Its not really over, you have many more options)
Rhetorical triangle
Audience: beliefs, values, knowledge, experiences Up to message: information, argument, reasons, evidence, data, structure Down to communicator: ethos (credibility), authority, correctness, appearance, eloquence
Examples of logical fallacies
Bandwagon, eiether or fallacy(false dichotomy), appeal to tradition, hasty generalization, non sequitur, straw man, ad hominem
Cartoon- facebook
Bunny and dog walking, bunny says "I worry that Facebook is killing meaningful communication", and dog says "like." Underlying message: meaningful communication is lost with technology
Rhetoric-any means we use to send a message
Coolidge, 30th potus, laconic wit: reporter emerged as he was leaving mass "What was the sermon about" Coolidge responses "Sin." Reporter persisted "what did the preacher say about sin?" Coolidge retorted "he's against it." What does his response say without actually saying it? Says: leave me alone. I should be able to go to church and not have stupid reporters questioning me His use of Kurt words sent a good, clear message-stop talking to me
Photographs
Do not need words to send a message Ppl wearing masks Sailor kissing his wife Refugees Moon landing Marilyn Monroe
SOAPS example
Einstein's letter to Sixth Grader Phyllis Wright Subject: Explicit- Do scientists pray? If so, for what? Implicit- the nature of faith Occasion: receipt of a letter about science and religion from a sixth grader Audience- phyllis Wright and the world (safe to assume, child will share letter And would he put in newspaper) Purpose: to respond to Phyllis sincerely while expanding her horizons about the merging of science and religion (subject differs from purpose) Speaker: Albert Einstein- Old and young (explains to her in terms she can understand)
Tweets
Messages even with limited characters Ex: Pope Francis- Let us pray for peace: Peace in the world and in our hearts
Painting
Michelangelo's the creation of man Painting from the Sistine chapel God is transferring knowledge to Adam God and angels shaped like brain God breaths life into man
Speeches
Nixon's "The Checkers Speech" Appeals to pathos with children and puppies Takes away attention from watergate and political party in need of funding Good distraction "I Have a Dream speech" MLK
How does the video define pathos?
Pathos is the emotional connection. Stories are in effective human tool for creating an emotional connection. A speaker must create the right emotional environment for their message to be conducive.
Context
Refers to the "situation" that generates the need for writing Context is affected by: -time period-seasonal, After an event, before -location-where is ad seen, where is speech said, setting of book -cultural significance- what generation, group of people, about what? Is it relevant to that group?
Rhetoric
Refers to the art of finding and analyzing all the choice involving Language that a writer, speaker, reader, or listener might use to send his or her message This definition, a paraphrase of one offered by Aristotle in the first systematic textbook on the subject, The art of rhetoric, written in the fourth century BC, incorporates not just the textual features, but also the art of finding and analyzing, and if appropriate, using-those features
Memes
Relate important messages through relevant images or jokes of pop culture
Importance of Rhetoric
Rhetoric is not just for Roman senators in Togas It is for all of us around the world Relevant back then and relevant now " those who understand and I can use the available means to appeal to an audience of one or more find themselves in a position of strength. They have tools to resolve conflicts without confrontation, to persuade readers or listener support their position, or to move others to take action."-Conversations in American Literature People who know how to use rhetoric correctly have power
ethos logos and pathos
Rhetorical malfunctions prove that all three, ________________, are un needed in order for success
PETA ad ineffective rhetoric
Since my people would've not thought of this connection, it's bonus might have the shock value and make them stop and think. But during a particularly unappetizing burger and a plum looking kid, PETA represents an image of childhood obesity that might want to make the viewer grabbed a burger from the child before she gets in her mouth. The smaller print calls for a vegan diet, obesity, asserting that replacing burgers with vegetables a healthier alternative, a claim Few people would find questionable. But that's not the only way to interpret this ad. Claiming that allowing a child to eat a hamburger is the same as committing child abuse is a serious allegation, and it could be seen as a hyperbole. If you read the large print as an unfounded exaggeration, then add purpose is lost. It's unlikely that anyone would argue with the heinous act of fight the fat, act of child abuse might not seem logical to every viewer, which could undermine the ad's effectiveness
Emojis
Small pictures that can display emotion without the use of words
Cartoons-technology
Son shows mom the snowman he made on his phone Underlying message: technology is taking over Kids are too attached to electronics He thinks that all there is building a snowman is an app Real experiences are irreplaceable
SOAPS
Subject, Occasion, Audience, Purpose, Speaker
Rhetoric by Aristotle
The ability, in each case, to see all of the available means of persuasion What do you have on hand to strengthen/supplment you argument for persuasion
Rhetoric
The art of discourse The art of effective or persuasive speaking or writing, especially the use of figures of speech and other compositional techniques (such as visuals)
How did people originally respond to Joshua Bell in Boston's Symphony Hall?
The people originally responded to Joshua Bell in Boston symphony hall in January 2007 by filling up the theater to its maximum capacity, paying well over $100 per seat. This showed that many people wanted to be there to enjoy his music and they were willing to sacrifice a lot of money to be there.
Context in Lou Gehrig speech
Timing-he has just been diagnosed with ALS, yet was still thankful for family and supporters, made speech all the more special, makes him a bigger hero Location- baseball field fil, of fans (claim to fame was baseball) Cultural significance understanding fans Baseball culture, family atmosphere Purpose of speech- to thank his fans and his teammates, but he also wants to demonstrate that he remains positive. He emphasizes his past luck and presents optimism and downplay his illness. He makes a single reference to the diagnoses and does so in a strong straight forward language of an athlete, he got a bad break. There is no blame, no self-pity, no plea for sympathy. Throughout, he maintains his focus, to thank his friends and teammates for their support to get on with watching the ball game. Gehrig response as a true Yankee, not just a member of the team but also with the can-do Yankee spirit of America, by acknowledging his illness and excepting his fate with dignity, honor, humility, and even a touch of humor
How does Alice Water's "Slow Food Nation" pièce appeal to logos?
To develop a logical argument for better, healthier food for everyone, Waters refutes the counter argument of any food that is not fast cheap and easy is elitist. She does that buy redefining terms such as cheap, eating well, expensive, and cost. She explains in a step-by-step fashion the smokescreen of price that many people used to argue that mass produced fast food is a best alternative for all but the very wealthy. She points out that organic foods seem elitist only because industrial food is artificially cheap. Waters is asking her readers to think more deeply about the relationship among availability, production, and distribution of food; she appeals to reason
Audience
To what group is this directed?
Bandwagon
Urging the audience to accept a position simply because a majority of people hold that opinion Example: Everyone is going to the Freshman/Sophomore Formal this year. Not actually everyone is going but it compels you to go and be like "everyone" else Can also include celebrity endorsements: Pantene with Selena Gomez/Proactive with Kendall Jenner if it's is good enough for them, it must be good enough for you
Occasion
What is the current situation? Context
Subject
What is the piece about? Superficially meaning
Poetry
Whitman's "When I heard the Learn'd Astronomer" Powerful messages in a touching moving artistic way that utilizes the available means
Speaker
Who is the speaker or writer? Do they have ethos in the subject?
Purposen
Why was the piece written? (Motives)
