Rhetoric
Introduction
Martin Luther King Jr. once said, "Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter". These are not just powerful words, but they are also persuasive. They make us feel, think, and act. These words illustrate how rhetoric transforms discourse into powerful actions.
What makes speech unforgettable? The speakers and leaders can fascinate us because of the timeless art of Persuasion, as Rhetoric is not about fancy phrasing tools, but a powerful mechanism that shapes our thoughts, emotions, and decision-making.
Every day, we stitch words together to make sentences for meaningful communication. This way, dealing with words and sentences has become a common affair. We often forget the impact that we are constantly creating on our audience. This impact is explained by the term "Rhetoric," something that we do not think about consciously.
Let us carefully observe the TED Talk speaker trying to draw the highest attention from their audience, the teacher teaching in a class with pin-drop silence, or a great leader addressing a rally of people who respond to the troughs and crests of their tone like puppets. One thing is common in all of their pursuits —they are using words to create the intended impact. This intended impact is called Persuasion. Rhetoric and Persuasion are tied intimately. Rhetoric is the way of communication by which we can persuade our audience.
Definition
Rhetoric as a principle trains communicators to aim at Persuasion and information, and surrounds its focus from the speaker to the audience, encompassing both interpreting and crafting the message. It is the art of meaningful communication.
Historical Development
Rhetoric emerged in the 5th-century BC Greece, and flourished alongside the democracy of the Roman Empire. The speakers sought guidance from their teachers to debate and engage in argument with fellow citizens. Romans prioritized rhetoric as an educational discipline. Quintilian's Institutio Oratoria was monumental in teaching oratory and rhetoric skills.
Classification/Components
Aristotle taught about three rhetorical appeals:
Ethos (Authority)
Pathos (Emotions)
Logos (Logic)
Each of the component focus on different ways of connecting with the audience. It is through logic, emotion, and credibility. These are powerful tools in their own right, but when combined, they strengthen the argument and resonate more easily with the audience.
Here is the definition of each of them, along with their examples
Ethos: Ethos focuses on the credibility of the speaker as well as their trustworthiness.
Example: In a health campaign, a nurse says, 'I have delivered over 200 babies; I know and have seen which mothers thrive and which struggle.' Where vaccines make a difference.
Her years of service experience become the proof. That is Ethos working.
Pathos: Pathos stirs the emotions in Persuasion, which aims to evoke a specific feeling/response.\
Example: In a small-town rally against cutting down a big tree. Instead of holding a protest with banners and placards, a child steps up and narrates a childhood story, as, 'My grandfather used to tell me stories under this tree, so if this tree is cut down, I will lose him forever again.'
That gulping in your throat, that is Pathos working.
Logos: Logos employs logic, facts, evidence, and reasoning to persuade the audience.
Example: During a board meeting in school, a student demands solar panels. Currently, the school's electricity bill amounts to approximately Rs 60,000 per month. However, solar panels will reduce the electricity bill by 30%. Thus, over the next five years, the school will save almost ₹11 lakh, enough to start building a new library.
Here, the number speaks louder than emotions. That's logos working.
Our Special Thoughts/Comments/Suggestions/Creation
Rhetoric is a very important skill in our daily lives, from crafting compelling texts and understanding an argument to creating a lasting impression. In an era where digital feeds, ad campaigns, and political discourse are flooding the airwaves, the ability to understand rhetoric and process information becomes increasingly self-limiting. Mastering rhetoric involves aligning with both creation (speaking and writing) and interpretation (listening and reading) with intent. As you speak or draft: Am I just delivering content, or am I also shaping the emotions and beliefs into action?
Elements of Rhetoric
Introduction
Why do some of the speeches in time inspire generations while other fades away? The difference lies in elements of rhetoric, the most important principle that makes the communication impactful. Rhetoric aims at Persuasion and information; it is not about what we communicate but how we communicate. From leaders and teachers to governments, rhetoric plays a crucial role in shaping how messages are received and remembered.
Core Elements of Rhetoric's
Scholars from Cicero, Quintilian, and Aristotle identified rhetorical elements such as
Invention (finding ideas/arguments)
Arrangement (structuring them)
Style (figure of speech, word choice)
Memory (command over material)
Delivery (tone, voice, gesture)
These are the five pillars of Rhetoric, which are widely accepted as essential elements of Rhetoric.
1. Invention (Finding What to Say) - It involves generating ideas, discovering arguments, gathering evidence, and deciding what to say. Aristotle calls it the means of Persuasion.
E.g.- Imagine campaigning for a plastic ban in a housing society, you do not say, 'Plastic is banned', rather give an argument for it, as how fish are getting choked on polythene in the river, talk about the clogged drains during monsoon, and bring up health hazards due to the presence of
microplastics in bottled waters.
2. Arrangement (Disposito) - Once the idea has been collected, they need an order. Arrangement is the structure of a speech or text, consisting of introduction, body, and conclusion. A nicely arranged piece ensures flow and clarity.
E.g.- In a wedding speech, generally, the couple does not start by thanking the caterer. They generally capture the attention with a personal story, then thank their parents, and finally greet the extended family. Similarly, in a business pitch, one typically begins with a shocking statistic, followed by a solution, and concludes with a vision. The arrangement ensures that the message remains intact.
3. Style (Elocutio)- It is how something is said. Tone, rhythm, word choice, and figures of speech all contribute to shaping the audience's experience. The idea can be plain or powerful, depending on the style
E.g.- A teacher of Newton's law could say, "Force equals mass times acceleration". Moreover, with style, she might say, Imagine pushing a bicycle and a truck. It is the same effort, but the track barely moves. That is Newton for you.
4. Memory (Memoria)- During classical times, memory was about an orator to recall speech without taking the help of notes. In today's time, it is also about having a good command of your subject so that you can speak confidently and naturally.
E.g.- Think of the Indian politician repeating the same slogan, until it has etched in the public's memory, "Abki Baar Modi Sarkar", or comedian Zakir Khan's catch phrase, "Sakht Launda", until it is etched in the public's memory.
5. Delivery (Pronuntiatio)- Delivery is the presentation of a message through either physical or vocal means. Gestures, eye contact, pauses, tones, and pacing influence Persuasion.
E.g. - In a school, two students have the same script. One delivers it looking straight at the front of the audience, stresses the key words, pauses between them, and is confident. Another, with nervous eyes down, stammers and speaks in a monotone. Guess who wins? Same words, but delivery makes all the difference.
Why elements matter
The canon was invented 1,500 years ago, but it remains relevant. From creating videos for social media to pitching a business idea, communication requires the rhetorical elements: invention, style, arrangement, memory, and delivery. It is essential to master these elements to ensure that we not only speak effectively but also persuade others persuasively.
Conclusion
An element of rhetoric reminds us of Persuasion, as both are achieved through art and craft. The Ideas matter, so does the language, confidence, structure, and delivery. When preparing for a talk, drafting an article, or posting on social media, consider these five elements, as they are timeless for transforming words into influence.