The Essential Guide to Rhetoric

by Keith, William M.; Lundberg, Christian O.

• ISBN13: 9780312472399
• ISBN10: 0312472390
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2008-02-22
• Publisher: Bedford/St. Martin's

Summary

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. Book jacket.

Table of Contents

Preface	p. v
Rhetoric in Theory	p. 1
The Rhetorical Tradition	p. 3
Defining Rhetoric	p. 3
Rhetoric in Practice	p. 4
The Origins of Rhetoric	p. 5
Rhetoric in Ancient Greece	p. 5
Rhetoric across the Ages	p. 7
Rhetoric Today	p. 8
Identity and Power	p. 9
Visual and Material Symbols	p. 9
The Public and Democracy	p. 10
Rhetoric and the Audience	p. 11
The Audience's Role	p. 11
Classical Strategies for Thinking about Audiences	p. 12
"Reading" an Audience	p. 12
Timing	p. 13
Are Audiences Made or Found?	p. 13
From Audiences to Publics	p. 14
Defining a Public Audience	p. 15
Three Ways of Talking about Publics	p. 16
Adapting to Audiences and Publics	p. 17
What Is Adaptation?	p. 18
How to Adapt	p. 19
The Role of Language	p. 19
Choosing Rhetorical Language	p. 20
The Power of Language	p. 20
Ethics, Audiences, and Publics	p. 21
Situations and Speech Types	p. 24
Aristotle's Three Types of Speeches	p. 25
Cicero and the Speaker's Intent	p. 26
Looking beyond Classifications	p. 28
Lloyd Bitzer and the Rhetorical Situation	p. 28
Michael McGee and the Cultural Context	p. 29
Rhetoric in Action	p. 33
Argument and Persuasion	p. 35
Proofs: Ways of Being Persuasive	p. 35
Logos	p. 36
Ethos	p. 38
Pathos	p. 39
Topoi: Tools for Discovering Arguments	p. 40
General Topoi	p. 41
Special Topoi	p. 42
Stock Issues	p. 44
Presumption and Burden of Proof	p. 44
Legal Stock Issues	p. 46
Policy Stock Issues	p. 46
Fallacies	p. 47
Challenging Traditional Rhetoric	p. 50
Kenneth Burke and a New Definition of Rhetoric	p. 50
Burke and Identification	p. 53
Organization	p. 55
Organizational Patterns	p. 55
Parts of a Speech	p. 57
Sample Speech	p. 58
Style	p. 62
Figures	p. 62
Antithesis	p. 62
Repetition	p. 63
Progression (Klimax)	p. 65
Other Figures	p. 65
Tropes	p. 66
Metonymy	p. 67
Synecdoche	p. 68
Metaphor	p. 68
Why Tropes Matter	p. 69
Rhetoric in Contemporary Life	p. 71
Rhetoric and Public Speaking	p. 71
Rhetoric and Online Communication	p. 72
Ethos and Online Presentation	p. 72
Online Organization	p. 73
Rhetoric and Reasonable Politics	p. 73
Glossary	p. 75
Notes	p. 78
Index	p. 80
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