Rhetoric, Persuasion & Rhetoric, Persuasion & Nationalism Nationalism

The study ranks these based The study ranks these based on how well they were liked…on how well they were liked…why do you suppose # 1 is so why do you suppose # 1 is so

well received? well received?

What is What is persuasivepersuasive about about this advertisement

? ?

Rhetoric is used, among Rhetoric is used, among other things, to PERSUADEother things, to PERSUADE

What does that mean? What does that mean?

PersuasionPersuasion

Writing or speech meant to get Writing or speech meant to get readers or listeners to think or act in readers or listeners to think or act in a certain way. a certain way. Appeals to emotions or reasonAppeals to emotions or reason Offers opinionsOffers opinions Urges actionUrges action Backed up with evidence and supportBacked up with evidence and support

Persuasive TechniquesPersuasive Techniques The Greek philosopher Aristotle believed The Greek philosopher Aristotle believed

that there were three basic ways to that there were three basic ways to persuadepersuade an audience: an audience: ethosethos, , logoslogos, and , and pathospathos. .

EthosEthos: : The Writer’s Character or The Writer’s Character or ImageImage

Greek for “custom; habit”Greek for “custom; habit” Established by Aristotle as the Established by Aristotle as the knowledge or knowledge or

expertiseexpertise a person appears to have about the a person appears to have about the subject. subject.

Writer’s ethos is created largely by Writer’s ethos is created largely by word choice word choice and styleand style.—Often uses the appeal—do this or be .—Often uses the appeal—do this or be branded as “bad” or “sinful” branded as “bad” or “sinful”

This does not mean going through the thesaurus This does not mean going through the thesaurus to find difficult and unusual words. It means using to find difficult and unusual words. It means using what you know to create an what you know to create an academic paper with academic paper with a formal wording and stylea formal wording and style.. Things to think about—Things to think about—

What kind of image do you want to project to the audience?What kind of image do you want to project to the audience? What can you do to help project this image?What can you do to help project this image? What words or ideas do you want to avoid?What words or ideas do you want to avoid? What effect do misspelled words and grammatical errors What effect do misspelled words and grammatical errors

have on your image?have on your image?

Review Rhetorical Techniques Review Rhetorical Techniques

Rhetorical QuestioningRhetorical Questioning: : asking a question whose answer is self-evidentasking a question whose answer is self-evident

RestatementRestatement: : repeating an idea in a variety of waysrepeating an idea in a variety of ways

RepetitionRepetition: : restating an idea using the same wordsrestating an idea using the same words

ParallelismParallelism: : repeating grammatical structuresrepeating grammatical structures

AntithesisAntithesis: : use of strongly contrasting ideas, words, or use of strongly contrasting ideas, words, or

images images

Logos:Logos: Logical Arguments Logical Arguments Greek for “logic, thought, word” etc.Greek for “logic, thought, word” etc. If…then syllogisms (deductive reasoning)If…then syllogisms (deductive reasoning)

ex. All men are mortal. Socrates is a man. Therefore, Socrates ex. All men are mortal. Socrates is a man. Therefore, Socrates is mortal.is mortal.

Usually based on probabilities rather than certain Usually based on probabilities rather than certain truth.truth.

Persuasion to a large extent involves convincing Persuasion to a large extent involves convincing people to accept our assumptions as probably truepeople to accept our assumptions as probably true——preparing the audience to accept your own contrary preparing the audience to accept your own contrary positionposition ex. ex. IfIf students were required to spend two years in the students were required to spend two years in the

military after graduation military after graduation thenthen they would be more productive they would be more productive members of society because they would learn discipline and members of society because they would learn discipline and responsibility as well as appreciation for liberties often taken responsibility as well as appreciation for liberties often taken for granted. for granted.

**NOTICE: this is a “probability” but the writer never **NOTICE: this is a “probability” but the writer never questions themselves by saying “probably.” Half of questions themselves by saying “probably.” Half of persuasion is convincing the audience that you are persuasion is convincing the audience that you are the authority.**the authority.**

Pathos:Pathos: The Emotions of the The Emotions of the AudienceAudience

Emotional appeal can be accomplished in a multitude Emotional appeal can be accomplished in a multitude of ways:of ways: by metaphor or story telling or by metaphor or story telling or imageryimagery by a general passion in the delivery and an overall amount of by a general passion in the delivery and an overall amount of

emotional items in the text of the speech, or in writing. emotional items in the text of the speech, or in writing. The use of emotional appeals to alter the audience's The use of emotional appeals to alter the audience's

judgment. A common use of pathos in argument is judgment. A common use of pathos in argument is creating a sense of rejection if the audience doesn't creating a sense of rejection if the audience doesn't agree. agree.

Many refer to Pathos as the "band-wagon" appeal, or Many refer to Pathos as the "band-wagon" appeal, or trying to convince the audience to join in on the trying to convince the audience to join in on the speaker's belief. speaker's belief.

This is a major theme used in any form of propaganda This is a major theme used in any form of propaganda (everyone believes in this so you should too)(everyone believes in this so you should too)

Pathos, Logos, and Ethos Pathos, Logos, and Ethos

Describe what Describe what pathospathos is. is. Describe what Describe what logos logos isis Describe what Describe what ethosethos is. is. Identify whether this is Identify whether this is ethosethos, , logoslogos, or , or

pathospathos When we get into arguments that focus and When we get into arguments that focus and

fully engage our attention, we become avid fully engage our attention, we become avid seekers of relevant information.  Otherwise, we seekers of relevant information.  Otherwise, we take in information passively--if we take it in at take in information passively--if we take it in at all. all.

Christopher Lasch, "The Lost Art of Political Argument"Christopher Lasch, "The Lost Art of Political Argument"Logos: If…then…

IFIF we get into arguments that focus we get into arguments that focus and fully engage our attention, and fully engage our attention, THENTHEN we become avid seekers of relevant we become avid seekers of relevant information.  Otherwise, we take in information.  Otherwise, we take in information passively--if we take it in at information passively--if we take it in at all. all.

Christopher Lasch, "The Christopher Lasch, "The Lost Art of Lost Art of Political Argument"Political Argument"

Explain in 2-3 sentencesExplain in 2-3 sentences

What would inspire you to fight What would inspire you to fight for your country?for your country?

NationalismNationalism

loyalty and devotion to a loyalty and devotion to a nationnation; ; especiallyespecially :: a sense of a sense of nationalnational consciousness exalting one consciousness exalting one nationnation above all others and placing primary above all others and placing primary emphasis on promotion of its culture emphasis on promotion of its culture and interests.and interests.

In literature it is the literary In literature it is the literary movement that refers to the movement that refers to the development of our New Nationdevelopment of our New Nation

Approximately 1750-1800Approximately 1750-1800

Why do we need persuasive Why do we need persuasive documents?documents?

When Analyzing persuasion look When Analyzing persuasion look at…at…

SpeakerSpeaker AudienceAudience OccasionOccasion means of persuasion (such as means of persuasion (such as

logical, emotional, or ethical logical, emotional, or ethical appeals)appeals)

BackgroundBackground

Paine met Ben Franklin in London—Paine met Ben Franklin in London—they became friends and affected they became friends and affected American history as a result. American history as a result. How so? How so?

Common SenseCommon Sense : published in : published in 17761776 Americans must FIGHT for their own Americans must FIGHT for their own

independenceindependence Entitled Entitled The CrisisThe Crisis to inspire and to inspire and

increase the morale among troops—increase the morale among troops—what war? what war? Argued: revolution is inevitableArgued: revolution is inevitable

PurposePurpose

Paine’s main Paine’s main purposepurpose was to was to inspire Americans into action. inspire Americans into action. To TeachTo Teach To InformTo Inform To PersuadeTo Persuade To EntertainTo Entertain

Charged WordCharged Word

Words that arouse intense emotion Words that arouse intense emotion and connotative concrete images. and connotative concrete images.

Charged WordsCharged Words

Word Associations

Liberty

Justice

Honor

Barbarous

Aphorism Aphorism

Brief pointed statement that reveals Brief pointed statement that reveals a wisdom of some kinda wisdom of some kind

Ideas are like children; there are none so wonderful as your own.

AphorismsAphorismsAphorism Meaning Purpose

The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph

Through the flame of liberty may sometimes cease to shine, the coal can never expire.

It matters not where you live, or what rank of life you hold, the evil or the blessings will reach you all.

What would inspire you to fight for What would inspire you to fight for your country?your country?

Paine’s words aroused passion Paine’s words aroused passion PositivePositive NegativeNegative Good and bad, positive and negative, Good and bad, positive and negative,

his rhetoric made a difference.his rhetoric made a difference. He used He used restatementrestatement, , repetitionrepetition, ,

parallelismparallelism and and antithesisantithesis throughout his essay which we throughout his essay which we are going to look at here.are going to look at here.

Rhetoric Device Example from text Purpose

Repetition

Restatement

Parallelism

DictionDiction

Word choice!Word choice! Purpose? Purpose?

The The Declaration of IndependenceDeclaration of Independence is one long persuasive essay:is one long persuasive essay:

PreamblePreamble: Introduction w/ thesis : Introduction w/ thesis statementstatement

PhilosophicalPhilosophical foundationfoundation: Examples: : Examples: what do we believe?what do we believe?

List of GrievancesList of Grievances: Specific : Specific evidence/proofevidence/proof

ExplanationExplanation of previous actions: of previous actions: Explain the proofExplain the proof

ResolutionResolution: conclusion, what are we : conclusion, what are we going to do about it?going to do about it?

The declaration is HIGH The declaration is HIGH TREASON, punishable by death!TREASON, punishable by death!

““Had we lost the war they would have Had we lost the war they would have been hanged, beheaded, drawn and been hanged, beheaded, drawn and quartered and, my personal favorite, quartered and, my personal favorite, had their entrails cut out and burned.” had their entrails cut out and burned.”

--Ben Gates, --Ben Gates, National TreasureNational Treasure

EVIDENCE AND STRUCTURE IS EVIDENCE AND STRUCTURE IS NECESSARY; THEIR LIVES DEPEND ON NECESSARY; THEIR LIVES DEPEND ON IT.IT.

PurposePurpose

Declaration’s main Declaration’s main purposepurpose was was to inspire Americans into action. to inspire Americans into action. To TeachTo Teach To InformTo Inform To PersuadeTo Persuade To EntertainTo Entertain

You. You.

The Declaration of…The Declaration of…

Create your own declaration for the clan of your choosing

or imagination.

Name of your rebel clan: Students of West Forsyth

Name the members of your rebel clan: Under the leadership of…

The Introduction—this statement should establish the

purpose of seeking freedom and the credibility of the freedom

seekers (your rebel clan).

We the students of West Forsyth We the students of West Forsyth declare our freedom from any and all declare our freedom from any and all homework assignments as set forth homework assignments as set forth by the tyrannical school teachers. by the tyrannical school teachers.

How is rhetoric used to How is rhetoric used to persuade? persuade?

Explain your answer, OR ask Explain your answer, OR ask me a question to help clarify. me a question to help clarify.

Faulty ParallelismFaulty Parallelism

How does this sentences display faulty parallelism?

A police officer must uphold the law by patrolling the streets, controlling traffic, catch criminals, and arresting law-breakers.

catching

How does parallel structure How does parallel structure improve your work? improve your work?

No Parallelism A police officer has

many duties.

Parallelism employedParallelism employed A police officer must

uphold the law by patrolling the streets, controlling traffic, catch criminals, and arresting law-breakers.

Types of parallelismTypes of parallelism Parallel words: He has called together

legislative bodies at places, unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their public records.

Parallel phrases: He has constrained our fellow citizens taken captive on the high seas to bear arms against their country, to become the executioners of their friends and brethren, or to fall themselves by their hands.

Parallel clauses: The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph.