In order to explain my thoughts on the history and theory of rhetoric, I myself, have chosen to being my blog posts with my story of misunderstanding and disconnection.
It all begins with the word rhetoric its self and my experience with the term in Mark Schlenz's Advanced Composition class fall semester of last year. You see, Mr. Schlenz would use the word often, day after day in fact, when referring to the work we were being assigned. I never understood what he was talking about so finally I decided one day to look into theory of rhetoric on my own. After my failed attempt of grasping rhetoric I worked up the courage to ask my professor in class what it meant the next time he used the term.
"Your serious? What is rhetoric? Are you sure that you should be in the writing major? C'mon Madeleine, you are much smarter than that."
Completely mortified, from that point on I felt that I was a writing major that didn't belong, pushed out onto the cold streets by those who identified with the big words and advanced concepts of the composition world. From that moment on I was a writing major who had gone rogue, with a special vendetta against the word rhetoric and those intolerant of abstract learning methods in the writing major.
In the assigned reading I identified with Jackie's story in so many ways. Her 'frustration and outrage' toward curriculum, her desire for 'learning experiences that can be much more easily accessed.' And my feeling is this: I don't ask that the history or theory of rhetoric be "dumbed down" by any means, I ask that this theme and ones like it be normalized and taught in a way which students could relate.
Like Jackie, I would like to consider myself and 'academic activist' for this cause. Fighting to 'defy gravity of disciplinary boundaries.' Perhaps I may seem like the arch nemesis to the Super Man of rhetoric. But I identify myself as the Super Girl of non-traditional writing students! WHAM! Down goes the obscurity of the definition of rhetoric. ZAP! Methods of study and explorations of topics are different for all! ZING! Your experience of learning advanced concepts or writing are catered to how you see the world of writing and where you want to go with it.
Let's answer question like "what does it mean?" and "why do I need this?" first! And dive into historical foundations of the term and extensive graphs cannons, pillars and all of that other nonsense last. let us find "provocative, innovative, cross-disciplinary perspectives and connections" to these concepts and ideas.
Throughout this course I plan to take the material assigned to us and gain an understanding of that material my way. Each writing major is very different, we shouldn't all learn the same.
Maddy, I can sympathize directly and completely with you; I was also in that professor's Advanced Composition class (last Spring semester, though) and I know exactly what you're talking about.
ReplyDeleteI am just as lost on the concept of rhetoric as you are. I feel that, compared to many of the students in the class, I know nothing, probably partly because I am that kid that hesitates to take part in discussion. Despite the disrespectful answer you received when you spoke to your professor last year, I really want to tell you how much I admire your ability to ask the question that everything is thinking, and yet, nobody will dare to speak.
"Each writing major is very different, we shouldn't all learn the same." - Beautifully put, though I think I personally would say 'don't' instead of 'shouldn't.' As I'm reading through the material we've been assigned, I find myself applying rhetoric to the path that I have chosen in the writing major, and what that means for a possible career/the impact of what I write will have on others. But I'm also interested to see how others learn about the subject and apply it to their own crafts. We're so diverse - I think the conversations and discussions we go onto have in this class will be as well.
It seems to me that every time I've asked that question the response begins with, "Well..." and is followed by a pause and thoughtful glance. The answer he should have given you is that, there is no single simple answer to that question. Rhetoric is many things, let's begin understanding. I've never had a class with this professor, nor any interactions, so I cannot speak to his character, but I wonder how he might have responded if someone would have followed your question with, "So, professor, do you actually have a valid answer to her question?" I'm guessing maybe it is possible that he didn't actually have an answer at hand. I'll back you publicly and admit that my understanding of "what it is" is fuzzy, picked up over time in context and let you know that you're not in a minority in having a lack of definition. None of us really know how to say the simple magic words that make the subject crystal clear. To me, it's the lifelong discovery of the answer to that question that makes rhetoric so interesting.
ReplyDeleteFirst of all I hope Dr. Schlenz didn't actually say that to you. That seemed extremely mean haha. I am in the same boat you are. That boat is not knowing how to specifically use rhetoric to improve your writing. Looking at Kelly,s comment and gathering all the knowledge that I have learned so far I would have to say that rhetoric is possibly the most broad topic in the history of school. It almost seems to me as if rhetoric is not even meant to be done by the author when he or she is writing. A good academic paper challenges popular ideas with an idea of your own. This challenge then needs to be supported by evidence you have found or concluded. You obviously know this since you are a writing major. My argument is that since you have studied and completed so many academic papers that you are probably using and mastering rhetoric without even knowing it. At least that is what i hope for myself.
ReplyDeleteI love the idea of "academic activists." That struck me too when I was reading both the book and your post. It is interesting how much a good teacher can make a difference and how much a teacher you might not get along with as well can create tensions within your education. It is important in education to be constantly questioning, especially in rhetoric courses (Socratic method anyone? Or Asphasia method anyone?). In being an academic activist I am excited to see how you take this class forward in your ideas. As being someone in tune with politics and how the media works you can help broaden our(the rest of the class)mind frame. I think the the more important question to start out with is, "How does rhetoric reflect itself in my life, personally?" By identifying as women the authors find away to bring rhetoric towards themselves, we sound find things we identify with in order to find our own way in.
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