Week 12

When I hear the word "rhetoric" I think about the word "persuasive" because of my English 103 class.  We learned the elements of rhetoric: ethos, logos, and pathos.  Still after having one semester of English under my belt and soon to have another one, I find the term "rhetoric" confusing.  My definition of rhetoric would be: acknolwedging ethos, logos, and pathos while writing.  In other words, while writing, acknowledge my voice, the reason why I'm writing, and my audience.  I definitely think that the things we say make up a part of rhetoric.  Also, how we say things, for example, sarcastically, as-a-matter-of-factly, sincerely, critically, etc., make up rhetoric.  I don't really think I've heard the term "rhetoric" in American society.  Other than my English classes, I've never heard it.  I do think I've found rhetoric in my subculture.  When I think about the audience Ball State Cru reaches out to, I think of a specific audience, college students.  When I think about voice, not necessarily my voice but the voice of Cru, I recall certain words and "methods" Cru uses to reach out to insiders and outsiders.  Going off of something you said at the beginning of the semester, I'm sure I will use rhetoric in my min-ethnorgraphy without really thinking about it, like it will come naturally.  I won't have to sit down and think, okay this is how I am going to utilize ethos, this is how I'm going to utilize pathos and so on.  I'm sure while writing I will realize that I am incorporating rhetoric into my mini-ethnography.