The Essential Guide to Rhetoric

Imagine a presidential candidate arguing in a televised debate for sweeping domestic reform; fighting an uphill battle, the candidate carefully chooses every word to reflect themes discovered by months of polling. A family watch¬ ing the debate changes the channel, flipping from station to station, and lands on a commercial for a luxury car. The commercial features images of a highly manicured couple sitting in an even more highly manicured leather interior. The message is clear: buying this car signals success and status to one's friends and neighbors. Earlier that day, a defense attorney argued passionately in front of a jury for a client who was probably guilty. Daydreaming, the client looked at the flag in the courtroom and nostalgically remembered when elementary school classes opened with the pledge of allegiance. What connects these seemingly unrelated events? In each instance, whether through media, direct address, memory, or otherwise, people are being per¬ suaded to act, think, and do certain things through language or symbols. And that process, perhaps, at least in part, is what makes up the study of rhetoric. ## DEFINING RHETORIC What exactly is rhetoric? One of the persistent problems in defining and thinking about rhetoric is that people use the term in so many different ways. Consider this definition from The American Heritage Dictionary. Rhetoric, n.: la. The art or study of using language effectively and persuasively, b. A treatise or book discussing this art. 2. Skill in using language effectively and persuasively. 3a. A style of speaking or writing, especially the language of a par¬ ticular subject: fiery political rhetoric, b. Language that is elaborate, pretentious, insincere, or intellectually vacuous: His offers of compromise were mere rhetoric. 4. Verbal communication; discourse. 1 The core idea behind each part of this definition is that rhetoric has some¬ thing to do with the relationship between language and persuasion. You can see many examples of these variations of rhetoric if you look around a bit. Tune in to CNN or Fox News, and you will hear political pundits exchanging accusa¬ tions that their opponents' statements or promises are "mere" rhetoric -that they are insincere or intellectually empty. In a public speaking class, you may learn that rhetoric is essentially about style, or the ability to present yourself and your ideas persuasively. In a communication studies journal, you may find rhetoricians (people who formally study rhetoric) using the term rhetoric to label the word choices, styles, and argument strategies in a speech, movie, Web

Gaining an understanding of rhetorical theory and its practical applications is a critical component to effective and competent communication. The Essential Guide to Rhetoric provides an accessible and balanced overview of the core historical and contemporary theories. It uses concrete, relevant examples and jargon-free language to bring these concepts to life. The guide helps students move from concept to action with discussions of invention, the traditions of trope, argument and speech, among others. This handy guide is an excellent addition to the public speaking class, extending and deepening crucial concepts, and an indispensable supplement to the rhetorical theory class.

"Professors and scholars William Keith and Christian Lundberg believe that an understanding of rhetorical theory and its practical applications is a critical component of effective and competent communication. This is why their booklet The Essential Guide to Rhetoric provides an accessible and balanced overview of core historical and contemporary theories through concrete, relevant examples and jargon-free language, helping students move from concepts to action. Designed to complement a wide variety of courses, this guide offers instructors a flexible option wherever coverage of rhetoric is needed." -- Publisher's description