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I first recall hearing the word “rhetoric” in Mrs. McAfee’s 10th grade English class. Perhaps I had heard the term thrown around in previous English classes, but this time it stuck with me. While I don’t recall her exact words, Mrs. McAfee said that words have meaning and power and that good writing has the ability to influence, motivate, and inspire a reader. I remember these words so vividly because that was when I realized that I wanted to be a writer. I was amazed by just how much difference one could make with well-written words. 

 

According to Kennedy (1994), rhetoric is derived from the Greek word rhetorike, which describes public speaking in a democratic society under a constitutional government (p. 3). Similar to what Mrs. McAfee said more than 20 years ago, Kennedy said that rhetoric describes the power of words and how these words can affect a situation (p. 3). 

 

Mrs. McAfee’s words had a profound impact on me and were the reason why I became a journalist in the U.S. Navy. As a military journalist, the words that I use have a tremendous impact on public perception and support. Support from the taxpayers is vital to the continued success of the U.S. military. If we are viewed as ineffective, the defense budget could be affected, thus affecting military readiness. 

 

When I am writing a news story, I use the first three steps of what Kennedy (1994) calls the five parts of classical rhetoric without realizing that this is what I was doing (p. 4). With the first part, invention, I think about what I am going to write about and what I want to convey. Second, arrangement, I decide how I want to present the information. In a news story, I use the inverted pyramid style, but in a feature story, I use a less formal arrangement. Third, I decide the tone of what I am trying to convey. These three steps help me write effectively and concisely. 

 

Kennedy (1994) said, “Finally, linguistic, philosophical, and critical studies in the twentieth century have pointed to the conclusion that there is no such a thing as nonrhetorical discourse” (p. 10). Kennedy is right rhetoric isn’t something that is merely reserve for the political or academic areas, but it is a critical part of everything that we do. Rhetoric isn’t something I only use in my professional life but is also a large part of my personal life. As a parent, I use rhetoric to encourage my children to clean their room, work hard in school, and be kind to others, among many other things. I also use rhetoric when evangelizing to people around me.

 

Kennedy discussed the history of rhetoric and how it was established, which makes me think of a few questions regarding how rhetoric will be used in the future. How has rhetoric changed since it was formalized in the fifth century B.C.? Is rhetoric still being used as the classical thinkers intended, or have we lost the art of rhetoric?

 

Kennedy, G. A., & Kennedy, G. A. A. (1994). A New History of Classical Rhetoric [PDF] (First Edition). Retrieved from http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/liberty/detail.action?docID=793223