Understanding What You Read

Rhetoric: The art of persuasion through communication. When presented with a literary object, our opinions are not formed purely off our own ideals but rather on how we have been influenced by sources outside from ourselves. Rhetoric is made to appeal to us in various forms, whether by way of pathos, ethos, or logos. It is presented to us daily, weaving itself into everything we view and how we react to it. We are being persuaded at all times and we more often than not, do not even realize it. When we ready, we likely begin by looking for a thesis of sorts. We develop a viewpoint on a subject, often influenced by its presentation or representation in the media, and then look for evidence to validate our point. Regardless of the piece we read, we pursue it with intent. It may be a menial thing we search for, but it is a reason. No one has ever simply read something without even the slightest reason for doing such. It may be as simple as a singular hashtag, a paragraph on the back of a book, or the recommendation of one who’s opinion we value, but there is always something that conveys us to read, to delve deeper, and to understand. Although we are products of the information we consume, we must never forget, we are creatures of compulsion and have been guided to everything we have ever done by one source or another.