What is Rhetoric you may ask? Rhetoric is the skill of using words to convince or influence people. Rhetoric is often used to add more meaning to what is being said, whether they’re trying to persuade someone, share information, or express their ideas. It is found in speeches, writings, normal conversations, and etcetera. Simply put, it is how we communicate to get people to understand or agree with what we think.
Rhetoric helps us read better by teaching us how to really look at how the writer is trying to influence us. With the understanding of techniques like ethos, pathos, and logos we can see their persuasion. This helps with gaining a better sense on whether what they’re stating is strong, weak, logical, or emotionally driven.
We can come to understand their goals, the audience they are trying to speak to, the parts where they are trying to be persuasive, and their biases. Understanding this gives us more awareness when reading. Rhetoric can also help us with understanding their style and tone, which helps us learn that the way something is said affects the message.
Overall, rhetoric helps us think deeper rather than just reading what is in front of us. Instead of just reading, we are questioning, analyzing, and absorbing the text.
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