In my second week of posting on this blog, I defined rhetoric as "the process of using writing and speech to persuade someone on a particular topic" (Berry np). This definition I gave was what I had produced after taking information from the website the blog post revolved around. My definition back then wasn't too specific, and I feel that my definition now is the same. My view of rhetoric has not changed, and it still means the same thing to me. The specifics of how rhetoric works, what elements go into, and how to use it has, however, evolved.
Throughout this course, my understanding of rhetoric hasn't changed, but it has deepened. Through writing our final paper, I've learned how to apply rhetoric to real life issues. My paper, about food deserts and farmers' markets, used rhetoric to speak to a specific audience about the issue at hand and an attempt to solve it. In my original definition in week 2, I move from the definition of rhetoric into the elements of rhetoric (appeals) and the metaphor of the tree. The three appeals are pathos, ethos, and logos, and I originally stated that "these three work together to create strong arguments, and every use of rhetoric can be put into one or more of these categories" (Berry np). I still very much so agree with this, and think that it was a good point I made. The rest of my week 2 post goes into a critique of the website provided, so that information is irrelevant now.
This semester has had many assignments that has further my understanding of rhetoric, such as the final paper mentioned above, the audience assignment, and the powerpoint project. First, the final paper really taught me how all of the different angles of rhetoric fit together, and how using facts to back up arguments takes rhetoric to the next level. Second, the audience assignment showed me a different side of rhetoric I hadn't thought about before. Audience plays such a big part in how one writes. Without an intended audience, a paper can get lost in different writing forms and known knowledge. Having an audience in mind gives great direction when determining how to write a paper (which tone) and what information could be considered already known, or needed to explain. Lastly, the powerpoint assignment showed me how rhetoric can extend past words. The readability and flow of a presentation plays just as much of a part as the words themselves when using rhetoric, because without an eye-catching, interesting, easily followed presentation, you are speaking to an inattentive audience that does not want to hear what you have to say.
Over all, my definition of rhetoric has not changed from what I originally defined it as. However, my definition of rhetoric has evolved in the sense that the meaning of rhetoric can extended past its simple definition.
Berry, Lauren. "Week _ 2 _ 1/21/16 _ What Is Rhetoric?". Fight Club. Seth Strickland. Jan 22 2016.
Web. Apr 15 2016.
I would agree with how you phrased that, how your meaning has not changed but it has instead deepened. I would definitely say that is how I feel after taking this class. I still think of rhetoric the same but I tend to approach it differently based on the tools from this class. Great post!
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