In Chapter five, I was exposed to all the different ways analyze rhetorical arguments. When conducting a rhetorical analysis, there are several things that one must look for and think about. Evaluating the effectiveness of an argument, figuring out the purpose of an argument, and discovering which audiences the argument is trying to appeal to and just how it appeals to them are just a few aspects that need to address in an analysis.
One of the things that I, personally, found most interesting was learning how to examine arguments that use pathos to appeal to the audience. It was most appealing to me to find out that some arguments basically just toy with an audience’s emotions. They can really play tricks on the mind by basically distracting someone long enough into making the desired decision. The example used in the chapter about ads that claim people will have better lives if they wear a certain clothing brand I thought was right on the money. I say that because like mentioned earlier they distract people for just the right amount of time to get them to make the decision that they need to that certain product. It is a very effective tool.
Also, in Chapter five, I found out just how important the style in which an argument is presented can be, and how it cannot be overlooked in a rhetorical analysis. Style is one of the first things that readers and audiences use to judge whether they think an argument is credible or not. It lets the audience know what’s to come in an argument, whether it is going to be provoking, milder, and so on. All of these aspects and more have to be examined thoroughly to create a well written rhetorical analysis.
Seth Guilbeau
Chapter 2-3 Reading Response
Looking at specifically at chapter two, the one thing that I found so interesting was just how powerful the use of emotion can have in creating a connection between the writer and the reader. If you are able to create that connection with the audience through appeals of emotion, it can make your argument worthwhile to listen for them. The reason is because if an audience is able to see that you can relate to them and how they are feeling, then a bond of trust is born between the audience and writer. Once you have the audience’s trust, then more than half the work is done in the case of trying to persuade your argument to them.
Another way to gain the trust of an audience is through individual ethics and authority. An audience needs to know that they can trust that what you have to say is important to them. According to chapter three, this can be accomplished through being honest in the stories and facts that are given, or by using titles like doctor and professor, which usually automatically establish credibility. Reading chapter three, I felt I was really able to relate. I say this because if I were part of the audience I would like to know that the writer has done their homework before I decide that what they have to say is worth my time to listen to and possibly giving some thought to. Nothing accounts for more than having trust from the audience when trying to persuade them, which is why these two types of appeals are so essential.
Seth Guilbeau
Chapter 1 Reading Response
Reading the first chapter of Everything’s an Argument really got me thinking about how really everything could pose an argument through many different perspectives. Something that really popped out to me when I read it was how street signs, the headlines on newspapers, and posters are argumentative each in their own way. They create arguments by informing, which is one of several ways to create arguments that are presented in this chapter. Some of the other ways arguments are used is to convince, persuade, explore, make decisions, and many more. With that being said, informing was the one that interested me the most because seeing street signs and headlines are not usually things I expect to pose an argument. Thinking about it though, it makes sense how they create arguments because each sign or poster informs people in a way that makes them have to think if the information being presented is important. That creates arguments in itself. For example, if a newspaper headline gives information on the latest stock market free fall, it could possibly make someone that sees it start thinking another political candidate could have made things better, what is the safest option for he or she’s money, or what is the next best step for market to recover. Something as small as that headline can lead to all kinds of thoughts and arguments.
Something else that I thought was very important was the information given about how to appeal to your audience. Some of the best ways to do this are through emotional and logical appeals. Basically, through emotional appeals a writer gets better responses from the reader if emotions come into play. Logical appeals give your argument a backbone because it presents factual information to back up your argument. People will listen to an argument that has credible information. Knowing how to appeal to your audience the right way is essential to the argument.
sethguilb3 