Rhetoric Devices

Consider the speaker’s appeals to ethos, logos, and pathos. Identify 1 example of each and explain the effect of each. (2-3 sentences per appeal)

Rhetorical strategies are techniques writers use for a particular effect. In previous classes, you might have been introduced to them as “literary devices” – others will be completely new to you. When thinking of language choices that we make when writing or speaking, think of it like this -- everyone draws from a “toolbox” of rhetorical strategies as they express ideas and evoke responses in their readers. The more “tricks” of language that you know, the more effectively you can say what you want in the most effective way.

A Walk in the Woods Chapters 5-9 Page 102-103 “Even in ideal circumstances…his expression bug-eyed and fearful.” After finishing the first nine chapters of A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson, detailing the first-hand experience of hiking through the Appalachian Trail, a certain passage displays many of the rhetorical strategies Bryson uses to develop his story and tone. In this particular passage, Bryson details the extreme distances he traveled on the trail with his companion, Stephen Katz, and the dangers they encountered due to the severe weather as they preceded with “painstaking deliberativeness”. Through Bryson’s use of simile, imagery, and onomatopoeia he creates a disheartening and ambivalent tone that reflects the struggles and endurance he underwent on the trail while captivating his audience. Bryson develops his tone and story by forming a simile to describe how one section of the trail was

Thomas Paine was the most persuasive writer for the American Revolution. He wrote to inspire soldiers under Washington that they can win the war, remain strong and fight for the freedom of their country.. In Paine’s essay, “The Crisis, No. 1,” rhetorical devices that Thomas uses are personification and emotional/logical appeal to compare and contrast victory versus defeat. Paine emphasizes that the struggle for freedom from the British through personification and that it’s important because the colonists need to continue to fight and not give up.

Many people say that war is worse than Hell because innocent people die in it. In Beah’s life, this is most definitely true. Throughout the war, Beah goes through many hardships and witnesses the deaths of innocent loved ones, and Beah’s writing reflects how he felt during these times. Beah uses rhetorical strategies like diction, imagery, and detail choice to convey the emotional process he had to undergo in order to survive.

All of these add something extra to writing. When the author makes appeals to logos, they are using logic to support their argument and convince the audience. There is also pathos which is used to appeal to the emotions of the readers. “Then he was kind, trying to hug me, console me, whispering something that sounded like regret, and I was freaking out, twisting and recoiling for the floor, preferring the violence to whatever this was, strangling a sound close to a scream, just wanting to get away,”(Thompson 111). The way the author describes emotion while appealing to pathos lures the reader into the text to allow them to recreate the feelings of Tanya Thompson within themselves.

The game I saw was the Boston Celtics on TNT. I saw the game for ten minutes, and in those ten minutes the Gatorade logo was shown a total of five times. First, it was shown two minutes into the game, there were two big containers with the Gatorade logo. The next time I saw it was a person with a Gatorade bottle. Then I saw a person with a Gatorade shirt. Then the cameras pointed at another big set of containers on the other side from the other two containers I saw in the beginning. The last time I saw it was on the backboard of the

As Toni Morrison has made clear, language can be used to oppress and subjugate other people. However, it can also be used for more honorable purposes. The four different public speeches in the United States — Patrick Henry’s “Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death,” Abraham Lincoln’s “The Gettysburg Address,” John F. Kennedy’s “Inaugural Address,” and Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream.” — were used to uplift and ennoble an audience. The authors of these four speeches utilized strong rhetorical devices like logos, ethos, and pathos in order to successfully convey their message to their audience. These speeches were given in order to protect the freedom, liberty, and equality of all people.

Question 7: A few of the rhetorical tactics that were used within the apologies to express sincerity was how they discussed that this is not what the military believes in or how they want to be represented. Not to mention they held press conferences and NATO even held an investigation into the burning incident. All of these tactics combined shows the U.S. understood the seriousness of the situation and did everything in their power to try and mend the situation.

Different songs can have different intentions on what message they are trying to send to the listener. As the listener, they are the only ones who interpret what they think about the song or if they like it or not. To me certain songs have lyrics that tell stories and teach life lessons and other songs I don’t even have to listen to the lyrics to like the song. Songs can reflect different sides to a person and may also relate to people’s lives. Through my three songs “Logic – The Come Up” and “Yung Dash – Momma I Made It” they represent the saying of “You will get knocked down but it’s your choice whether to get back up or not” as well as not letting anyone who doubts you get in your way with whatever you are working for.

In this passage Bogard begins by talking about his experiences and memories of the dark. He then proceeds to tells us how we react to light. Now in a way we all understand. After this he continues by giving us examples about how light or rather the lack of darkness in not good for us.

Rhetoric is a course in which students are taught the values of persuasion. And yet, behind this course is the utmost power to corrupt the world, changing it into a world of our own policies. This power, even though seldom discussed, has lead to many intriguing discoveries. One such discovery is how people are able to shape the world they live in simply by choosing the right words. Therefore those who would want the world to be a better place must protect this power. If in the wrong hands this power could cause serious damage. Several authors have striven to protect rhetoric and its power. Few agree on the matter of defining rhetoric, but they know that they must protect rhetoric from dark souls. A single definition of rhetoric must maintain a simplistic nature while incorporating every aspect of rhetoric. However, I argue that rhetoric is a means of persuading audiences of a situation and a particular reality through language and personal appeal. In order to prove this definition I will discuss how rhetoric creates a situation, the shaping of a different reality, the audience, the use of language, and the personal appeal. Finally, I will demonstrate the absolute need for rhetoric.

News reporters, public speakers, and other people use rhetorical strategies for writing and speaking. The rhetorical strategies that could work on me are adapting to my style and use formal authoritative quotes. The way I would influence someone to my way of thinking is by utilizing mainly formal authoritative quotes, and adapting to that person’s style.

The power of rhetoric use is very powerful in our world. It has been used strongly in the past to where it has shaped the world as we know it today. Rhetoric is persuasive speaking or writing that contains meaningful content. The use of rhetoric can be found from recording artists, filmmakers, and social media. They all want to persuade their audiences to abide by what they are trying to express.

In the Toastmasters International Speech Championship 2014, Dananjaya Hettiarachchi’s speech called “I see something” is an inspiring speech that contributes of how everyone is special in their own way. Dananjaya creates a message where everyone has potential in them to realize their speciality even if they are at their worst times. He uses many different elements such as one of the rhetorical device which is ethos and pathos. His personal story of himself enhances the topic and naturally becomes effective in his public speaking. Overall, his speech has effectively motivated people to find their own uniqueness.