Response to Myron Oliver's It's Alive

As I read Myron Oliver's blog dated April 13, 2011, I receive a vivid description of the Rhetorical Triangle's three main components of Logos, Pathos, and Ethos. Logos is represented by a lumberjack imposing and steady.  Ethos is depicted by Barack the owner of a hardware store building ideas out of nowhere. Pathos is illustrated by Paula, a widow running a general store, whose message is followed by others.  These characters illustrate the rhetorical triangle in a personified form.  I was interested and intrigued by his descriptions. I felt the triangle coming alive. I envy his descriptive, energetic writing.  I will work to make my writing more creative like his.

References

Oliver, Myron. "It's Alive!!!". n.v. Myronslog.blogspot.com. Blogspot.com. Web. 14 Apr. 2011.              http://myronslog.blogspot.com/

Rhetorical Triangle as the Deathly Hallows

                        I began reading the Harry Potter book series to my son when he was in the first grade.  As he grew older, we would buy a copy of the book the day it debuted and would fight over who would read it first. I would win, of course, being older and bigger- let alone his father.  I would relish in the adventures and would discuss and debate the tales with my son. I know that to compare the rhetorical triangle to the last book in the Harry Potter series would seem absurd.  The Deathly Hallows is a symbol representing the three Peverell brothers, Antioch, Cadmus, and Ignotus,  who fought with death (Rowling 2007). The symbol is a equilateral triangle with a vertical line bisecting a circle (Rowling, 2007).  The triangle is representative of the Cloak of Invisibility which allows the wearer to be attuned to his logical reactions and feelings to remain quiet until he would throw off the cloak and announce his presence (Rowling, 2007). The Cloak of Invisibility is represented by logos. Logos is the "clarity" and "consistency" of the argument's logical message (Ramage, 2010).  The circle in the Deathly Hallows illustrates the Resurrection Stone (Rowling, 2007).  The Resurrection Stone when used would revive the dead as a ghost like being to have contact with the living (Rowling, 2007). The Resurrection Stone is like pathos appealing to the emotions of the user. Pathos captivates the emotions of the audience to speaker's message (Ramage, 2010).  The vertical line in the Deathly Hallows depicts the Elder Wand (Rowling, 2007).  The Elder Wand is an all powerful wand that delivers ethical justice in Harry's hand (Rowling, 2007).  Therefore the Elder Wand is the ethos or the ethical appeal which projects the speaker's character to the audience (Ramage, 2007).

            As we go through life the appeals of logos, pathos, and ethos accompany us as the Cloak of Invisibility, the Resurrection Stone, and Elder Wand accompanied Harry Potter on his journey.  It is essential that we use them carefully and judicially whenever we use rhetorical arguments in our daily lives.

References

Ramage, John D., John C. Bean, and June Johnson. Writing Arguments: A Rhetoric with    Readings. 8th ed. New York: Longman, 2010. Print.

Rowling, J.K. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. New York: Arthur A. Levine Books, 2007.             Print.

Pathos Creation in Writing and Speaking

            Pathos is one of the three types of persuasive appeals pertaining to the listener's emotional sympathies (Ramage, 2010). A writer who employs pathos will attempt to cause the reader to feel and see what he sees (Ramage, 2010). When a writer switches the appeal from the logical side to an emotional side, pathos is invoked (Ramage, 2010). Pathos is compelling the listener to pay attention to an event and not to turn away (Ramage, 2010). This drawing attention is effective after a natural disaster some recent examples is the Haitian earthquake, the British Petroleum oil spill, and the Japanese earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear power issues.  Each of these disasters is imprinted on our psyche by the pictures and news appeal to the event. Pathos allows us to imagine ourselves within each situation. In order to employ pathos one uses concrete language, examples, illustrations, narrative dialogue, and images (Ramage, 2010). Concrete language adds life to the message and emotional appeal. Examples or illustrations provide reinforcement for and argument and is elicits an emotional response (Ramage, 2010). By using an example, the reader will remember the argument more readily than dry statistics and become emotionally invested in the process. Narrative dialogue uses first person accounts whether hypothetical or true evokes pathos in an argument (Ramage, 2010). Images appeal to the emotions of viewer to augment the imaginative and emotional reaction.

            An example of a pathos appeal using concrete language, examples, narrative dialogue, and images is the Sarah McLachlan ASPCA commercial. The resulting spoken and pictorial dialogue is haunting and effective use of pathos.  Most recently, the Japanese disaster draws attention in my mind that 'we are them'. Excuse my poor choice of grammar and word choice. We walk around with our electronic devices, live in large metropolitan areas, and are dependent upon technology to see us through our day.  Although, they are more prepared than we are with their natural disaster drills. Pathos creates the urge to give, help, and care about others in bad circumstances.

            References

Ramage, John D., John C. Bean, and June Johnson. Writing Arguments: A Rhetoric with    Readings. 8th ed. New York: Longman, 2010. Print.

Seeking the Truth Through Arguments

            Ayn Rand said "The truth is not for all men, but only for those who seek it" (Ayn). The way that I seek the truth is through research, reflection, moral judgment, and argument. Argument is "a creative and productive activity" that allows one to use "high levels of inquiry and critical thinking" (Ramage, 2). I like to argue. I often argue. I believe that through argument I have gained much knowledge.  I learn many things on a higher level by listening and interaction with others. I try to surround myself with friends that are educated, articulate, and thoughtful. This allows me to internalize and clarify my true beliefs on a subject. Argument must have "two or more conflicting assertions" and must seek problem solutions through "reason" (Ramage, 11).

            An argument must also seek clarity and logic in order to seek persuasion through solutions (Ramage, 11). Listening actively must also be employed to gain perspective of the other participants and indeed your own. In fact when one attempts to argue, their own perspective and opinion is clarified as well as the other participant's opinion (Ramage, 11).

            The general purpose of an argument is to seek truth; the argument is a "process" and also a "product" (Ramage, 12). The process would be the method of interaction through which the participants each pursue the truth (Ramage, 12). The "product" is the parts of the interaction each participant shares with the other (Ramage, 12). Arguments are also a type of "inquiry" in which the truth is sought (Ramage, 13)

            Since Rand stated that "The truth is not for all men, but for those that seek it" (Ayn). I will remember to continue to seek it through argument; this is supportive by my natural inclination and personality. Continuing along this path, I will seek the attainment of truth by clarification through inquiry, research, reflection, and moral judgment.

Works Cited

"Ayn Rand Quote". ThinkExist.com. n.d. Web. 3 April 2011.           http://thinkexist.com/quotations/truth/3.html

Ramage, John D., John C. Bean, and June Johnson. Writing Arguments: A Rhetoric with    Readings. 8th ed. New York: Longman, 2010. Print.