Kerisha Goode
Final Reflection Paper
13 December 2016

Coming into the class, I already had a pre-established idea of what Rhetoric was due to Rhetorical Traditions II (ERH 202). Prior to that, I had taken part one but dropped it because I didn’t quit understand what was going on. Here in Rhetorical Traditions I (ERH 201) now, I’ve come to know where this term Rhetoric came from and how the rise of it became popular in Ancient Greece, which was because of the Sophists. Their unique rhetorical theory and practices changed the conversation and context of Rhetoric in areas such as education, government, and political power. Because of this, the understanding I have gathered from both classes is that idea that Rhetoric, in any cultural context, focuses on the relationship between the speaker and the audience.
When I look back at my definitions of Rhetoric In ERH 202 I described it as a coordination of social action. As Herrick says, it’s a use of symbols to describe a way to communicate meaning. I also mentioned Aristotle’s definition that Rhetoric is the counterpart of dialectic. Comparing that to my definition here in ERH 201 in the beginning of the semester, I said that Rhetoric is the ultimate expression of thought. It is the different forms of communication by which the speaker tells the audience a story. When I look at the two definitions, I find one consistent commonality between them and that is they both focus on the audience. Both in Contemporary Rhetoric and Classical Rhetoric the focus and purpose for the audience has not change.

Rhetoric as I now know can be traced back to Greece during the early 5th century BCE. An orator in Sicily, Corax, trained citizens in judicial arguments so they could defend their claims in court. This rise of teaching public speaking quickly flourished and became so popular, it was adopted by other Greek City-States like Athens. Once the Sophists caught wind of this expansion, they to became teachers of this art. They provided their services to anyone able to pay their fees, unlike others. In Ancient Greece Rhetoric helped push more towards a democratic reform. Political changes were underway, a major shift occurred in its leaders and their leadership positions. After the Sophists appeared their government changed from aristocracy to a democracy. The social class system was reestablished, all free born male citizens gained equal rights and granted the opportunity to speak freely in public assemblies, and formal education became center for the middle class. The Sophists were a product of their time, and they believed they could teach this art to those who could afford it. This was a simple means of persuasion to the audience by the Rhetor.
I also see this in Rome and Renaissance Europe. Rome’s education was centered around rhetoric and depended on written texts, spoken word, and memory. This was similar to the sophists who taught and believed the same. Even Rhetoric in the Renaissance, which was known for writing and persuasion. The ability to persuade your audience was considered to be a path to political power.
Today, for myself entering the class with some ideas about what Rhetoric is and now having a better understanding of it and its origins. I can clearly identify the use of Rhetoric everyday in the world around me. In courses throughout the semester like Cultural Rhetorics of Appalachia, it has now been much easier for me to identify Rhetoric. People within the region speak differently to each other than outsiders. This goes for any discourse community. Here at VMI the way first class-men speak to Rats, member of the commandant staff, and other members of their class is completely different. This shift in audiences causes the speaker to change the way they speak therefore it can be more persuasive, similar to the Sophists.
Different uses of Rhetoric changes depending on your audience. I recall earlier in the year when looking at political campaigns the types of Rhetoric used when trying to reach different minority and majority groups. When looking at presidential candidates social media accounts, I noticed a difference in the way each candidate attempted to connect with their audience. For example, Hillary Clintons Instagram account was geared toward a younger generation, an abundance of women, and African Americans. She did this through the use of language and persuasion. By using words of phrases only members of that discourse community might be aware of or even discussing certain topics related to that particular group derived the relationship between her, the speaker, and her intended audience.