In this introduction, make sure to explain both rhetorical triangles to your reader:
- (a1) who is the author,
- (a2) who was she writing to, and
- (a3) what was the subject; as well as
- (b1) who you are,
- (b2) who you're writing to, and
- (b3) what your purpose is in the RhetAn (your thesis statement).
Be as candid as possible.
And don't forget that you need an interesting hook.
Post your full intro as a comment below.
The warm Sunday afternoon in our pj’s on a comfortably full stomach explains all the heads nodding off to the droning voices of the General Conference speakers. Don’t get me wrong—I love General Conference. But sometimes the comfort of the couch can get the best of me. If you were to look into my living room over the course of a two hour conference block, you would see my family and I taking notes here, nodding off there, and snacking on chips and salsa in between. However, in October of 2009, there were about sixteen minutes where every single person in that living room held their breath and listened to the speaker with greater intensity than ever before. Jeffrey R. Holland was bearing his soul to the world of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon. It was one of the most powerful speeches ever given. He addressed all people of the world, and did so with undeniable fervor. I am just your average college student, Latter-day Saint, and common communicator who wants to figure out how Jeffrey R. Holland speaks to human souls with such profound power. If you watched or read his talk “Safety for the Soul” about the truth of the Book of Mormon, you know exactly what I am talking about. He uses excellent rhetoric to persuade anyone within the reach of his words. His authoritative voice, word choice, and seamless logic make for a powerful argument. Uncovering these persuasion strategies can be useful to understanding his message deeper and applying the same kinds of things in my own writing and communicating.
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ReplyDeleteOn August 28, 1963 Martin Luther King, Jr. gave one of the most famous speeches of all time titled “I Have a Dream”. This speech, delivered at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. in front of a crowd of thousands, addressed the severe racial injustices against the African-American citizens at the height of the Civil Rights Movement in the United States. Martin Luther King, Jr. did an incredible job conveying his message of social justice and equality with an untold eloquence and rhetoric. Many people today believe it is the best speech ever given, for anyone who listens to him cannot help but to find themselves moved by the dramatic fashion and incredible demeanor with which King delivers his speech. I am just your typical college freshman, but I will attempt to articulate why King is so successful in connecting with the American people and persuading them to join in the fight against inequality and racial discrimination.
ReplyDelete“Friends Don’t Let Friends Do Cardio.” Well I don’t know about you, but I love my cardio. So when I read the title of this article, I thought to myself, “this guy had better be pretty persuasive.” In all fairness, he wasn’t writing this to workout freaks like myself. He was writing it to the people who are working out to lose weight and be fit. So is cardio ineffective and even bad for you? Jason thinks so. While I wasn’t totally convinced, I have to say, he did certain things quite well.
ReplyDeleteIn Dead Poet’s Society, Robin Williams’ character is spot on when he declares “No matter what people tell you, words and ideas can change the world.” Passionate speeches and fiery rhetoric have undoubtadley been instrumental to shaping our world’s events. Just look at our own nation’s history; General Washington’s address to his troops at Valley Forge, Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg address, Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech. Even during superbowl Sunday, Tom Coughlin (the Giants head coach) delivered a rousing pre-game speech to his players, so rousing that it prompted Justin Tuck to say that he would go into battle for his coach following the speech. Words can have a powerful sway on us, and Barrack Obama’s 2004 speech to the Democratic convention is a prime example of one such speech which sways the emotions of the listener. Obama uses the tools of concrete examples to identify with his audience, word choice and repetition to construct a speech which captures the attention of the audience and convinces his listeners that he would be a good leader for this country.
ReplyDeleteFrom the moment that the decision was made, something changed. Not everyone can see or feel what that change is, at least not yet. However, years later, most people have seen the effects of the decision made in Roe v. Wade, whether they know it or not. This decision did not offer women the “freedom” to choose an abortion for themselves; it cheapened human life by thrusting it into the hands of anyone and everyone. Jessica Wadkins, Trudy Chun, and Catherina Hulburt are members of the Concerned Women for America. They wrote an article that would interest and inform any reader who was confused about or ignored the harsh effects of abortion. They list facts and tell personal stories that show how abortion impacts everyone and everything in society: men, women, kids, crime rate, religion, and the value of the human life. After I read what these women had to say, I decided that they gave a fair argument. I may be a typical BYU student who would oppose abortion anyway. But, this argument can relate to anyone who wants to preserve what’s left of moral values in society. There is something very real that appeals to the reader of this piece, all because of the writing of those three women. I will highlight the specific ways in which their speech is persuasive and appealing, as well as the factors they could change in order to make an appeal to even the most avid supporter of abortion.
ReplyDeleteIn the talk, “Your Happily Ever After,” President Dieter F. Uchtdorf a member of the First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints addresses the young women of the church. President Uchtdorf explains to the young women that each of them has a loving Heavenly Father who wants to give them their eternal “happily every after.” I may just be an average college, Latter-day Saint student, but this talk has had a huge impact on my life. President Uchtdorf mentioned many wonderful things that go into having a “happily ever after.” He said that the road would not be easy, but it would definitely be worth it. I want to write this paper to my roommates. I know that my roommates have all had ups and downs in their life; I would want to write this paper for them to show them that there is hope and one day everything will work out. When we were young, we all had our favorite princess or Disney story. Each time I would watch Snow White or Sleeping Beauty I would wish that one day I would have a story like theirs. Would it not be nice to have our stories end with “and they all lived happily ever after?” President Uchtdorf suggests ways in which we can obtain our “happily ever after.”
ReplyDeleteI'm sure that you have either had to read or will have to read some sort of paper or article by someone very influential to what you are studying. I know I have. What I would like to know is: Who decided that using big words and an overly professional voice is the best way to get your point across? We are all aware of how important you are, or we wouldn't already be reading this article. In my opinion, the best and most effective way to teach or to share information is through your actions- what you do when nobody is watching. In his Stanford Commencement Address in 2005, Steve Jobs does this perfectly. Everyone knows who he is and what he's done, and in his position it would be perfectly acceptable to adopt that air of authority, but he doesn't. Because he makes his words so personal, he is able to reach the graduates of Stanford in a way that could not have been possible otherwise. I am writing this paper to show that even after all the education and training that society demands for success, the best way to gain respect is to treat others like the human beings they are.
ReplyDeleteJust days after the horrendous attack on the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, President Bill Clinton gave his Oklahoma Bombing Memorial Prayer Service Address that helped to comfort this nation. He gave solace to the citizens of this nation, but he especially gave comfort to those citizens that lived in Oklahoma. President Clinton addressed the families that were impacted by the bombing and tried to help ease the passing of their loved ones. Another thing that was accomplished in his speech was helping the fearful people reach a point of calmness that they had not had since the bombing. He spoke eloquently about this great nation and its ability to come together in times of need. Speaking on the unity and compassion the people of our country have in times of need, President Clinton provided the citizens of Oklahoma the comforting things they needed to hear. I may just be your average college freshman at Brigham Young University, but I am from Oklahoma and have seen firsthand the devastation caused on that day in April back in 1995. I have walked through the memorial they have built and seen the 168 chairs they have sitting out for those that lost their lives. I want to help others who have gone through tragedies like this where they have lost a loved one and want them to know that they are not alone in their trial. There are many people in this nation that suffer because of the acts of other people, but by uniting the mourning process is made easier.
ReplyDeleteOur world at times can seem very dark and bleak. The road we travel can get bumpy, and we can become disheartened. President Uchtdorf addressed this very topic to the members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in the 2007 October General Conference. He claimed that this time, though it is not always what we hope or expect, is a time to rejoice! College students like myself who are swamped in midterms and projects, might not exactly agree with such a statement. Although after reading and studying this message I must admit I was completely swayed in my opinion and believe his words. My hope is that all of you, studious college kids, will come to see that we should adhere to this talk of hope.
ReplyDeleteThroughout the early 20th century, many leaps and bounds were being made in science. One of the chief discoveries was made by a man named Albert Einstein. Everybody is aware of Einstein's famous equation, E=MC^2. However, Einstein's theories were dismissed as being ridiculous for many years. Somebody in our time who perhaps has theories just as groundbreaking and ridiculous as Einstein's is Stephen Hawking. Hawking is an astrophysicist who has released several groundbreaking theories. Currently, he is actively seeking to explain the origins of the universe, just as many other people in his field are. In a lecture that Hawking gave in 2005, he discussed the origins of the universe and why there must have been a beginning. I am not a physicist, although I do love physics. Stephen Hawking is, in a way, a personal hero of mine. Not everybody believes that there was a Big Bang that started the Universe, and still others will not listen to Stephen Hawking because he is an atheist. However, Hawking provides a very compelling argument for why there must have been a beginning and why it would have been a "Big Bang", and just because Hawking does not believe in a God, that is not reason enough to entirely discount this great scientist.
ReplyDeleteBehind the stethoscope and complex abbreviations, doctors are human too and however obvious that sounds, many people see doctors in the same way the Greeks saw the fates, flawlessly poised with the thread of life in one hand and their scalpel in the other. Since its inception, this view went unchallenged and no one spoke out against it, even though it attributed to sleep deprivation and chronic stress as physicians stove to meet the impossible standard. Then Brain Goldman, a daring physician, gave the memorable and persuasive speech “Doctors make mistakes. Can we talk about that?” Even though I am a college student interested in the medical field and potentially predisposed to topics like Goldman’s; his speech targeted all audiences of all ages. Anyone living in what he called the age of the “redefined physician." Goldman’s paper didn’t slowly chip away at centuries of misconceptions layer by layer, but in one powerful call to action, attempted to overturn the way the world sees physicians and because of its purpose, contains rhetorical devices that any aspiring writer could learn from.
ReplyDeleteEverybody hates somebody. At least, according to Robin Hemley they do. He claims that no matter how nice and happy and perfect people seem on the outside, there is almost always a little bit of spitefulness and hate inside of them. Sometimes it may be buried deep; sometimes it may be blatantly obvious. Apparently, millions of Americans walk around every day pretending like they really do love everybody, but underneath the smiling façade lies a hateful person that wishes the whole world ill. We, as an LDS culture here at Brigham Young University, would probably tend to disagree with Hemley’s opinions if asked. Our religious leaders instruct us to love everyone, pray for our enemies, turn the other cheek, and be selfless. We try to be Christ-like, but do we always succeed? As a student analyzing Robin Hemley’s essay “No pleasure but Meanness,” I noticed that he uses sentence structure to make a casual, personable feel to the essay and identify with the reader. He uses personal examples in order to establish credibility and authority with the reader, but those same examples can seem biased. His evidence is humorous (and sometimes self-deprecating) and easy for normal people to relate to, because although we won’t admit to it, most of us all have the feelings of dislike that he describes. He uses strong words—well one strong word in particular—to create a strong emotional response in the reader, which response can vary depending on their mindset. However, Hemley does not exhibit good logos. His reasoning is sometimes over generalized and he does not acknowledge any counterarguments. In additional to this, he is quick to generalize the whole population in his opinions, assuming that everybody feels the same way that he does about hate.
DeleteElder Holland has always been a favorite speaker of mine. Every year in General Conference I look forward to hearing his talk, and every year after he is finished I remember why I was so excited in the first place. When I first read his talk “The Grandeur of God” I was very impressed. It was given in 2003 when I was only 11 so I wasn’t able to remember it at all. I think the thing that impressed me most about this talk was that it was about something I had never thought about before; in fact, I’m willing to bet that most of us Latter Day Saints haven’t directly thought about or studied how Christ’s life was an attempt to help us grow closer to and understand our Father in Heaven. After reading this inspiring piece, I discovered a few of the reasons Elder Holland is such an incredible speaker: he uses words that have a powerful affect on the reader, establishes an authoritative voice by merging his voice with other trustworthy and knowledgeable sources, and uses critical thinking by completely covering the topic, leaving no room for the reader to doubt that his argument is valid.
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