Outline on Rhetoric

I. An Example of Rhetoric From Literrature

• Rhetoric is not limited to just non-fiction but can be used in multiple types of writings like: poetry, drama, and fiction.
• Homer's story "The Illiad" is a great example of the use of rhetoric. In the story "The Illiad," Priam, the father of the dead prince of Troy, tries to get his son's body back from Achilles. Using rhetoric he manages to sway Achilles to return the body to him.
• Priam uses ethos to portray himself as a father figure who has reached an old age, relating himself to Achilles' father. He then uses pathos and uses his elderly age to evoke a sense of sorrow from Achilles for his loss (his son). Finally he uses logos by reminding him that he should he heed to the gods and return the body.

II. Arrangement

• How the text is organized can greatly effect the way the readers is affected by the speech or text. One way is classical model which consist of a five part structure.

Classical Model:

• Introduction or exordium (latin: beginning a web) is when the reader is introduced to the subject. The introduction is also used to draw the interst of the reader.
• Narration or narratio is where the author can lay the background information pertaining to the subject. The level of detail can vary due to the audience's knowledge on the subject. The narration often draws upon pathos because it evokes an emotional response on the thesis.
• Confrimation or confirmatio is the "major part of the text" (page 14) where details to make the author's point is given.
• Reutation or refutatio discusses the counter arguements and it is a way for the author to link the author's proof and conclusion.
• Conclusion or peroratio is one or multiple paragraphs that brings the essay to a conclusion. The conclusion unites all of the ideas and answers in the essay. It often appeals to pathos and reiterates the ethos established in the essay. In essence the conclusion is what the reader will most likely remember the most.
• The classical model can be seen in use in the piece written by Sandra Day O' Connor on the need to improve upon education for students to improve the youths' understanding in literature, math, government, and citizenship.
• In the introduction she uses two (that's right this time I actually wrote out the number) paragraphs to establish thesis. In the introduction she uses ethos to show that she is a reasonable person and a concerned citizen. And the use of words like "Fierce global competittion" shows an urgency, which draws the reader.
• In the next three paragraphs or the narration, she just lays out the back ground information relating to the subject. This part is mostly appealing to logos; although she does use words like "a healthy democracy" to draw upon the emotions of the reader.
• Paragraphs 7 to 12 was the "confirmation" which gave support for the thesis.
• Paragraph 13 is used to discuss any counter arguments.
• And the final paragraph or the conclusion appeals to pathos through the use of a very emotional description.

Patterns of Developement

• Another method to arrange the writing is according to purpose. For example is the purpose to comapre and contrast, to narrate an event, to define a term.
• Narration can be used to organize your writing. Narrations can be based off prior experiences or knowledge. Chronology dictates narration giving it concrete details, a point of view, and sometime dialogue.
• Description which is similar to narration is a depiction of how something looks, sounds, smells, tastes, or feels. It is used to convey the mood. Description rarely used in an entire essay but it is used to make a persuasive argument.
• Process Analysis is the explanation of the workings of a system. Self help books are books written entirely as process analysis. The key to process analysis is to explain "a subject clearly and logically, with transitions that mark the sequence of major steps, stages, or phases of the process."
• Exemplification is a group of examples such as facts, specific cases, or instances. Aristotle said that examples are proofs that are called induction.
• Comparison and Contrast is the juxtaposing of two things that bring to light the similarities and differences.
• Classification and division is organization of a writing into major categories that maybe given to you or categories that you must create for a group of things.
• Definition is the definingof important terms that relate to the thesis. It is the first step in a debate or disagreement.
• Cause and Effect are often powerful foundations for an arguement. If you are analyzing something it is important to make a chain of causes and effects and to see the contributing factors.