Ralph Waldo Emerson Rhetorical Devices

In 1776, an important event was happening in the United States, the Revolutionary war. The thirteen colonies wanted to break away from Britain’s rule, however the chances of winning were very slim. For this reason, 1/3 of the citizens were for a revolution, 1/3 of the citizens were against it, and 1/3 of them were undecided. Thomas Paine realized that to become a free and independent nation, he would need the help of every citizen in the colonies. Because of this he wrote The Crisis No. 1 to increase the morale of the people, so that they would fight against Britain in the war. In The Crisis No. 1 Thomas Paine effectively used rhetorical devices to convince people to fight in the revolutionary war.

Rhetorical devices are often turned to because of how effectively they are able to convey ideas--Henry, Paine, and Jefferson being prime users of them. Often times, these devices are used to make ideas clearer or to provide insights for the audience. These techniques allowed Henry, Paine, and Jefferson to illustrate their hatred towards the British and effectively influence their audience to feel the same. As a result, the audience is able to be easily manipulated by their impassioned appeals. Rhetorical devices such as antithesis and repetition are commonly utilized within their works in order to push their audience to formulate strong opinions against the British.

Thomas Paine manages to include all three rhetorical appeals in one paragraph. He appeals to logos (logic) by claiming he is simply stating the facts and by asking readers to not only look at the present, but the future. Paine appeals to pathos (emotion) by acknowledging the audience's preexisting beliefs and values, and by asking them to set aside their biased opinions and to let their reason and emotions decide. By acknowledging the readers' values and referring to the "true character of a man", he establishes a common ground with his audience; this appeals to ethos (ethics), which helps the author gain his/her audience's trust based on their credibility and character.

In the revolutionary period, many authors used rhetorical devices to persuade the colonists to fight against the British and win their independence.

Elie Wiesel uses many different styles to present his main purpose, one of the most widely used is anaphora. He does this to help the audience further develop a context of the situations Wiesel went through as a child. Wiesel asserts, “ They no longer feel pain, hunger, thirst. They feared nothing. They felt nothing. They were dead and did not know it,” this creates a reaction of the audience to feel sympathy for the “musselmanners” that were left to die, it also forces the audience to imagine the horrific details of Wiesel’s childhood. Furthermore, towards the end of his speech to change tones to appeal to the audience while he questions the American government on why they chose not to intervene. He then creates another tonal shift, patronizing

Rhetoric is the study of how writers and speakers use words to influence an audience. Pathos, Logos, and Ethos are examples of rhetorical devices, where the rhetorician would appeal to an audience to prove a point. In both the Declaration of Independence and The American Crisis #1, the authors use several examples of rhetoric to persuade their audience in the 1700s, to separate themselves from England.

This was the battle started with the “shot heard ‘round the world” as Ralph Waldo Emerson observed.

"In the woods, we return to reason and faith. There I feel that nothing can befall me in life, - no disgrace, no calamity (leaving me my eyes), which nature cannot repair. Standing on the bare ground, - my head bathed by the blithe air and uplifted into infinite space, - all mean egotism vanishes. I become a transparent eyeball. I am nothing. I see all. The currents of the Universal Being circulate through me; I am part or particle of God."

Rhetorical devices are devices that are used to convey a meaning to the reader and create emotions through different types of language. Elie Wiesel uses rhetorical devices such as personification, metaphors, and rhetorical questions to emphasize and establish the theme of losing faith.

In the essay, “Education”, Ralph Waldo Emerson, a transcendentalist thinker, asserts that Education is damaged and he knows of a solution – the educators. He develops this claim by first introducing the paradox linking “Genius and Drill”, expressing his ideal method of teaching. Throughout the essay, Emerson tends to have a condemning tone against the educator but towards the end he changes it into a comforting one. Emerson’s purpose is to present an alternative style of teaching in order to persuade educators to use the teaching method by using paradoxes, rhetorical questions, and shifts in tone. He establishes an informative and didactic tone for educators who value attention to detail.

Neil Perry was not the only one to face challenges at “Hellton.” the majority of the boys did. The students at Welton Academy were under immense pressure that was placed upon them by their parents, the staff, and/or both. After attending a few of Mr. Keating’s classes, the boys began to show their true colors. Neil Perry became the leader and enforced all of Mr. Keating’s teachings, Todd Anderson was able to break out of his shell, Knox Overstreet unveiled his hopeless romantic persona, and Charlie Dalton was fearless in exploring poetry. Emerson once said, “We but half express ourselves, and are ashamed of the divine idea which each of us represented” (Self - Reliance). Here, Emerson is portraying the fear and dawdle the boys showed when asked to dispatched their dutiful ways and do things they actually enjoy. One of the many principles of Transcendentalism is the pledge to “make your own way” and the boys eventually grow ill of always knuckling under, so they shed their skin in order for their true selves to emerge.

Emerson's message is one of non-conformity and individuality. He views every man as unique within, and feels society, exterior elements and tradition are man's downfall. He urges us to be a product of ourselves, to live in the

In what ways is Emerson’s advice appropriate to a child’s first teacher – his or her parents?

Emerson elaborates upon the necessity of the scholar by describing his pivotal role in society. He first describes the responsibilities of the scholar as “to cheer, to raise, and to guide men by showing them facts amid appearances.” The description introduces the idea that the world brims with illusions intended to prey upon the weakness of the common man, and that the scholar must help him navigate this labyrinth of truths and inaccuracies. Furthermore, Emerson elucidates that the scholar’s responsibility encompasses interpreting the world around him by personifying Reason as an entity that “pronounces on the passing men and events of today,” and tasking the scholar with interpreting her observations. Emerson goes on to characterize the scholar

The chance to draw parallels, between philosophers such as John Locke with educational writers such as Howard Gardner, is important in our ever-evolving educational landscape. This program allows educators the opportunity to consider multiple perspectives in education. Exposing teachers to a variety of high quality writings creates dynamic and dimensional professionals. This type of study reduces the likelihood that a static style of teaching will be perpetuated. It provides an alterative to