Let the Word Go Forth

• Introduction
• Rhetorical Situation
• Rhetorical Appeals
• Rhetorical Devices
• Rhetorical Analysis

Unit 1 of the course introduces the topic of Rhetoric. In ancient times, Rhetoric was taught as the art of using speech to convince or sway listeners—in other words, the art of speaking effectively. Today we have expanded the idea of rhetoric to include writing and even signs and images, but its essence is the same: how do people use communication to attract or convince others?

The answer is complicated, and we have to begin with an understanding of the circumstances that give rise to communication in the first place--what we call the Rhetorical Situation. Use the links at left to navigate to the next page to begin.