Unit 2: Romanticism & Rhetoric

Romanticism

Mark Twain
  1. Originally named Sam Clemens
    • Wanted protection when writing satirical fiction
  2. Mark Twain means two fathoms- safe depths of riverboat
  3. Became a young reporter after working on a riverboat
  4. Began to write with vernacular/slang
  5. Huck Finn was criticized for being racist
    • Depicted life in his times
  6. 1900 America’s foremost celebrity
    • He was invited to a lot of things and reporters sought after him
    • Wore white suits to draw more attention
  7. Developed as a speaker and traveled on lecture circuits
    • His signature was eloquent and entertaining
    • Iconoclast
  8. Died April 21, 1910 “the whole world is mourning”
Comedy, Irony, and Satire
  1. Irony- presenting one idea and meaning another
    • Often is the difference between appearance and reality
    • Huck: “I ain’t scared of my father”
  2. Types of Irony:
    • Verbal- saying one thing and meaning another
    • Situational- a contradiction between what is expected and what occurs
    • Dramatic- when the reader knows more than the characters in the book
  3. Sarcasm or Satire?
    • Sarcasm is praise which is really an insult; sarcasm generally involves malice, the desire to put someone down
    • Satire is the exposure of the vices of follies of an individual, group, institution, idea, society, etc., usually with a view to correcting it
      • Makes fun of something to make a point
      • Common Types: political, social
      • Huck: parent-child laws are made fun of
  4. Other Examples
    • Hyperbole- an exaggeration of the truth for comedic effect
      • Eg. I’m so hungry I could eat a horse; I forgot to do my homework. My dad’s gonna kill me
      • Huck: Pap swears he will quit drinking then he falls off the balcony drunk
    • Understatement- ironic expression in which something of importance is emphasized by being spoken of as though it were not important
      • Eg. “Tis but a scratch”
      • Huck: it’s not a big deal that I don’t have parents
What is Rhetoric?
  1. Comes from Aristotle from classical Greece
  2. The art of using language to communicate effectively/persuasion
  3. 3 essay forms
    • Rhetorical Analysis
    • Argument
    • Synthesis
  4. Rhetorical Analysis connects a device to meaning
    • Analyzing how an author’s choice of: Diction, Imagery, Details, Language, and Syntax, to contribute to the meaning of a text
    • “Citizen Rhetoricians”
    • Logos (logic), Pathos (emotion), Ethos (credibility)
    • Definition: A close examination of texts, with the awareness of a writer’s purpose and the techniques the writer uses to achieve it
      • Writing that separates the content from the methods used to successfully convey that content
      • Prompt offers an effect; the answer should identify and discuss rhetorical techniques used to create the effect
      • Form = Function
    • Not a discussion of the content, nor does it take a side on the issue
      • Explains how the appeals are used and what effect they have
      • A clear knowledge of the intended audience identifying specific strategies used for each appeal is critical
    • The Must-Haves: Why, How, So What?
      • Why- are the choices effective and appropriate for the intended audience
      • How- what techniques does the writer choose to present the material?
      • So What- what is accomplished or created?
  5. Three Ways We Argue
    • From the Heart- PATHOS
      • Plays on the audience’s emotions
      • Often an emotional plea from the speaker
      • Specifically useful in speeches
    • Based on facts and reason- LOGOS
      • Makes a logical argument
      • Often uses statistics, historical examples, and other facts as support
      • Watch out for logical fallacies
      • Something that seems like it’s logical but it doesn’t make sense
    • Based on character- ETHOS
      • Increases credibility of the speaker
      • Makes him or her appear to be an expert
      • Might use quotations from famous historical figures and other “experts”