My name is Claire Greensmith and welcome to my e-portfolio. I am currently an undergraduate student at the Schreyer Honors College at Penn State University studying International Politics and French.
A student at Penn State, I have learned a great deal, both inside and outside of the classroom, including how to speak French proficiently, be assertive and eat on a budget. One of the most important skills I have come to learn is rhetoric, the ability to effectively speak to an audience.
Rhetoric is everywhere. Between music, advertisements, clothing and conversations, arguments are constantly being made to convince an audience. But just because an argument is being made does not necessarily mean that it is successful.
As an observer of the world around me, I have come to notice the successes and failures of rhetoric. In a world swirling with so many arguments, it is essential to find the right recipe of ethos, pathos and logos to effectively convey a message to an audience. Without ethos there is no credibility or reason for the audience to believe the message. The absence of pathos leaves the argument flat and the audience uninterested. Furthermore, one cannot expect the audience to grasp the argument if they cannot follow the argument’s logic in the absence of logos. These three are essential ingredients to the successful use of rhetoric.
It is my goal to become a master of rhetoric, to be able to conjure up an effective argument and leave my audience convinced. In an attempt to do this I have learned about other useful rhetorical tools; a pinch of kairos, or the most effective and opportune moment for rhetoric, and a dash of exigence, or call to action, entice the audience to pay attention and act upon what I am saying.
Like others, my use of rhetoric will not always work. There will continue to be times where the audience will not understand my logic or question my credibility. As a result, my argument will fall flat on its face. But just as it is important for the rhetor to produce a sound argument, so it is that each audience member examines it. It is my opinion that a perceptive audience helps produce a better rhetor.
With this in mind, as I continue to observe the rhetoric around me I hope to improve my own rhetorical skills. Here, in my e-portfolio, I have posted some of my uses of rhetoric. I hope that you may find them effective.
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