Persuasive Rhetoric

Techniques of and definitions associated with persuasive

speaking and writing.

Rhetoric

• Rhetoric: the art of communicating ideas

• Persuasive rhetoric: reasoned arguments in favor of or against particular beliefs or courses of action.

• Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God is an example of persuasive rhetoric—Edwards was attempting to persuade his congregation to be “born again” to be saved

Effective persuasion

• Should engage both the mind and emotions of the audience

• Make your audience think the problem is important enough for them to care about

• Shows that the writer’s position has a firm moral basis

There are three basic types of appeals in persuasive arguments:

1) Logical appeals2) Emotional appeals3) Ethical appeals

Logical appeals

• Provide rational arguments to support writers’ claims– Deductive approach: start with

generalization or premise then provide examples

– Inductive approach: start with examples then draw a conclusion

Emotional appeals

•Often based on examples of suffering or potential threats.

•Often include loaded language—language rich in connotations and vivid images (brilliant –vs- smart or hideous –vs- ugly)

Ethical appeals

•Based on shared moral values

•Call upon the audience’s sense of justice, right, and virtue

Techniques used in persuasion

1) Identify your theme/purpose-- Lets your audience know what

your main idea is—what action or belief you would like them to take

2) Identify your audience-- ALWAYS use language and

arguments appropriate to your audience!

Techniques cont’d

•Tone: the author’s attitude or feelings toward his or her subject matter–Conveyed through diction (remember loaded language?), details, and direct statements

Techniques cont’d

• Elevated language: people tend to give more credence to someone who sounds intelligent

• Rhetorical questions: Questions that don’t require answers—the answers are considered obvious

Techniques cont’d

•Repetition: repeating a point to emphasize its importance–Expressing ideas in the same way also shows the audience that those points are connected

Other definitions

• Allusion: a reference to a person, place, event or literary work with which the author believes the reader will be familiar– Patrick Henry warns colonists not

to be “betrayed with a kiss” (a Biblical allusion to the Apostle Judas, who, with a kiss, identified Jesus to Roman soldiers)

Other definitions cont’d

• Simile: comparison using like or as– Abigail Adams writes that power

and liberty are like heat and moisture

• Metaphor: comparing one thing to another NOT using like or as– Adams writes “our country is…the

first and greatest parent.”