The Art of Persuasion

1
The Art of Persuasion

• Rhetoric and Media

2
Rhetoric

• The use of language to accomplish a purpose
• Can be moral, immoral or neutral
• Powerful tool dating to Athens (Tisias 450 BC)
  training in verbal self-defense

3
5 Elements of Classical Rhetoric

• Invention (discovery of ideas)
• Arrangement (organization)
• Style
• Memory
• Delivery

4
Through history--

• Rome young men studied to be good citizens by
  accepting the responsibility of debating public
  issues
• Middle Agesspecialized study in preaching the
  Gospel
• 1700s used by leaders to develop democracy in
  the modern world

5
Rhetoric today

• Election year ballot races
• Sell Volkswagons
• Write effective essays

6
persona
audience
Media Message
purpose
content
7
Purpose

• What the writer wants to accomplish

8
Audience

• Who the writing is addressed to

9
Persona

• The impression the writer makes of himself in the
  writing.
• It is implicit in every decision the writer
  makes, from the words he uses, to the tone of
  voice, to the kind of paper he publishes on.

10
Content

• What the writer says about the subject.
• The Thesis the point.
• Must include the topic and your position
• Must be arguable based on evidence, not opinion

11
The appeal

• Logos logic
• Pathos the emotions
• Ethos trust (in the company, the messenger, the
  voice)

12
(No Transcript)
13
Some practice tonight

• Homework tonight Fill out a rhetorical square
  for an advertisement for something (magazine,
  newspaper). Do this on your own paper, and
  staple the ad to it if possible.