AP Lang Reading (August 22, 2017)

For today’s homework we were assigned to read pages one through ten of our textbooks. From this reading, I was able to further my knowledge of rhetoric, I learned how to effectively approach the concept of a rhetorical situation, and I covered the rhetorical appeal that is Ethos.

Debunking some people’s foremost perception that rhetoric is used for trickery, manipulation, or deception, the textbook shares the true definition of rhetoric. Aristotle defined this word as, “the faculty of observing in any given case the available means of persuasion”. Essentially, rhetoric is a thoughtful, reflective activity that allows for effective communication. In fact, every text (ranging from essays to political cartoons) uses rhetoric and can be investigated; therefore, we must work to understand how rhetoric works.

The first step to analyzing rhetoric, is understanding the occasion, context, and purpose. Occasion is the time and place the text was written or spoken. Context is the atmosphere, attitude, and events surrounding the text. Purpose is the goal the speaker wants to achieve. Another important aspect of the rhetorical situation can be represented by the rhetorical triangle. This diagram displays the relationship among the speaker (creator of a text), audience (receiver(s) of a text), and subject (the topic). To summarize, one way to remember all of these things and to approach the concept of the rhetorical situation is by remembering SOAPS: Subject, Occasion, Audience, Purpose, and Speaker.

In addition to understanding how to assess a rhetorical situation, we should understand how to use the tools of rhetoric to persuade an audience. One such way is through Ethos. Greek for “character”, ethos are used to demonstrate that the author or speaker is credible and trustworthy. One could establish ethos by expertise, knowledge, experience, sincerity, and common purpose/values with the audience. For example, the use of the word “we” instead of I in a speech uses ethos to unity the audience with the commonality that they are all one.