For next week’s lesson we are expected to read chapter four in Using English from conversation to canon by Janet Maybin and Neil Mercer. This chapter deals with the topic of rhetoric in English.
At one point the author of this article, Robin Wooffitt, explains two rhetorical formats that seem to be notably effective in especially political rhetoric. One of these formats is a so-called “Three part-list”, i.e. when a speaker tries to make a point with the use of three specific elements. For example, Barack Obama’s victory speech, which he held on November 4th 2008 in Chicago, contained numerous three part-lists. Here are just a few:
“It's been a long time coming, but tonight, because of what we did on this day, in this election, at this defining moment, change has come to America”.
“And above all, I will ask you to join in the work of remaking this nation the only way it's been done in America for 221 years - block by block, brick by brick, calloused hand by calloused hand.”
“Let us resist the temptation to fall back on the same partisanship and pettiness and immaturity that has poisoned our politics for so long.”
“America, we have come so far. We have seen so much. But there is so much more to do.”
When I read this part of chapter four, I started to think about the way I speak when I am in a heated discussion about any given topic and I began to smile to myself: I guess, I am a born politician. I love to argue and when I try to make a point, I often use a list of three. I also noticed that I had used this rhetorical device several times in the short story that I wrote for class:
“Finally a man who was interested in books, in poetry, in the written word… ”
“She didn’t know what to contribute to this meaningless chat, what to say, how to sound sophisticated.”
“She didn’t belong here, didn’t fit in, couldn’t stay – so she left.”
So, maybe this rhetorical format doesn’t necessarily have to be taught because it comes natural to us?! Maybe one should just point out that the way in which a point is presented is sometimes more influential than its content. Maybe this insight would prompt people to be more alert when the listen to speeches by politicians, priests or anyone else!?
This is spot on. Exactly what I hoped you would gain from doing the course. And it is highly commendable that you are applying the concepts when analysing your own work.
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