Waller 1 Anna Waller Dr.

Cox Rhetorical Theory 18 March 2014

A Reflective Analysis of the Aristotelian Influence in the New Domestics Collective Website
We have a lot to learn from Aristotle, the father of rhetoric, who defined rhetoric as the art of finding in any given case the available means of persuasion. Compiled from the notes of his afternoon lectures circa 350 BC, the major contribution of Aristotles On Rhetoric is that it presents rhetoricthe counterpart of the dialectic in terms of a systematic method. In this way, rhetoric is made into a practical, open-access problem-solving tool that is as useful today as it was over 2,000 years ago. Thus, in the spirit of Aristotle, I will first present a list of the concepts and elements that I took away from On Rhetoric. Next, I will analyze how I utilized aspects of these elements in my own exhibition of forensic/ceremonial discourse, a website called the New Domestics Collective. List of Aristotelian techniques I gleaned from On Rhetoric: I. The Five Cannons of Rhetoric 1. Invention 2. Organization (arrangement) 3. Style 4. Memory 5. Delivery II. The Three Genres of Rhetoric 1. Deliberative/Political (Book 1, Chapter 4-8) 2. Ceremonial/Epideictic (Book 1, Chapter 9) 3. Judicial/Forensic/Legal (Book 1, Chapter 10-15) III. The Two Forms of Persuasion 1. Non-artistic (Book 1, Chapter 15) 2. Artistic (Book 2, Chapters 18-26), two types: a. Paradigm (inductive argument) b. Enthymeme (deductive argument/rhetorical syllogism) IV. The Three Persuasive Appeals 1. Pathos (Book 2, Chapters 2-11) 2. Ethos (Book 2, Chapters 12-17) 3. Logos (Book 2, Chapters 18-26)

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Influence of the Five Cannons of Rhetoric

The cannons that proved most helpful to me in terms of creating the New Domestics Collective website were the cannons of invention, style, and delivery. Invention Invention is about discovery or creating meaning out of data. Aristotles topoior topics refer to the places a person goes to find information about an argument. Another way to think of the topics is that they are like tools of a toolbox, which are appropriate for different projects (arguments). Thus, I used the topoi to discover new places that I could go to find information for my argument on the value of new domesticity. I meditated on both the common topoi of definition, comparison, relationship, circumstance, and testimony, as well as the specialized topoideliberative, ceremonial, and judicial genresto parse together elements of my reasoning. Once the structure of my argument was intact, I used the practice of dissoi logoi in order to uncover the two-foldedness of my argument and address opposing viewpoints (in my case, the beliefs that domesticity is menial, antiquated, or oppressive). Style In On Rhetoric, Aristotle asserts that the virtue of style is clarity. Let the matters just discussed be regarded as understood, and let the virtue of style be defined as to be clear (speech is a kind of sign, so if it does not make clear it will not perform its function) and neither flat nor above the dignity of the subject, but appropriate [prepon], he states in the opening of Book III, Chapter 2. Clarity as my charge, I attempted to write my argument in such a way that would evoke mystery, or what Aristotle says of well-written composition, the unfamiliar quality[which] escapes notice and will be clear. I also found useful Aristotles description on metaphor: Metaphor especially has clarity and sweetness and strangeness, and its use cannot be learned from someone else (Book III, Chapter 2). I tried to weave metaphor into my content naturally, especially in terms of integrating the photographs with the various web pages. I believe this is evident in that each photograph is a visual metaphor for the content of each section. For example, the photo of me feeding the hearth on the homepage relates to the metaphor of domesticity as care for hearth and home. Delivery On expression, Aristotle remarked, For it is not enough to have a supply of things to say but it is also necessary to say it in the right way, and this contributes much toward the speech seeming to have a certain quality (Book III, Chapter 1). Aristotle reasoned that we should pay attention to delivery, not because it is right but because it is necessary. With his advice in mind, I opted to use the digital rhetorical platform of a website to present my message. My reasoning was that I wanted to illustrate the modernity of domesticity and prove thatfar from the belief that domesticity isolates individualswith the internet, people from all over the world can meet, share domesticity stories, and give advice.

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Influence of the Genres of Rhetoric

Aristotles insight on judicial and ceremonial genres of rhetoric gave me both structure and methods of invention for creating the New Domestics Collective website. Through Aristotles explanation of judicial rhetoric in Book 1, Chapters 10-15, I learned to analyze past events (the history of domesticity) in order to defend my argument (the value of domesticity) and ultimately lead my readers to justice (the freedom to choose domesticity without ridicule). In the same way that ceremonial rhetoric often occurs naturally without too much thought or effort from the rhetor, so did the ceremonial aspects of my website arise. Though I intended the website to be more of an informative defense than a praise piece, I couldnt help but take advantage of the kairotic opportunity to celebrate the victories of the new domesticity movement in the present tense.

Influence of the Forms of Persuasion

In my website, I used both artistic and non-artistic forms of persuasion. As Aristotle describes, an artistic form of persuasion is a logical argument invented by a speaker himself while a nonartistic form of persuasion includes direct evidence (such as facts, testimony, or documents) not invented by a speaker. The artistic means I used in my website entail my uses of logos, ethos, and pathos that can be evidenced in my choice of medium (website), personal testimony in the blog web page, and visual rhetoric as seen in the photos and arrangement of headings. I also used examples of nonartistic means such as statistics, facts, and quotes to provide support for the sections and history that I didnt have as much or any ethos to stand on (for example, Im in my early 20s and have never been a housewife). From On Rhetoric, I also learned about and utilized the concept of enthymeme as a method of artistic persuasion. By learning that enthymeme is a form of deductive argument, I was able to create syllogisms. Below are a few syllogisms I attempted to convey in my argument of the values of domesticity: Syllogism 1: Warrant:

Data: Claim:

In the last 100 years, we have witnessed a departure from domesticity that has changed family structure and led many people to live in a constant state of emergency For thousands of years, domesticity has been a cultural norm that has provided stability and increased quality of life for the family unit Individuals should reclaim domesticity

Waller 4 Syllogism 2: Warrant: Data: Claim:

Domesticity is a practice that increases quality of life Practicing domesticity entails making a home safe and secure Individuals and families that practice domesticity have a higher quality of life; therefore, domesticity is not solely a practice for females

Syllogism 3: Warrant: Data: Claim:

The beauty of post-feminism is that it provides a way for individuals to choose their own definition of success The womens liberation movement gave women choice Individuals (especially women) shouldnt be discriminated against on the basis of their choice to practice domesticity

Influence of the Persuasive Appeals

The persuasive appeals, as evidenced by their extensive coverage in Book II, are at the heart of Aristotles systematic approach to rhetoric. As a cord of three is not easily broken, each strandpathos, ethos, and logosoffers a unique strength of its own. Pathos Aristotle defined pathos as the appeal to the audiences emotions. I attempted to appeal to my audiences emotions by using a pink orchid color and photos with a rustic cabin and downhome backdrop to stir impressions of a fresh femininity. In terms of content, I chose an openaccess medium and tried to employ inclusive language throughout which would invite readers to take part in the Collective. Ethos To create ethos, or appeal to my audiences perception of my credibility, I chose to focus on illustrating my goodwill and character. I chose to focus on these two aspects instead of my prior reputation and wisdom because I worried that the audience would be less inclined to accept my authority as a new domestic since Im not a housewife, nor do I consider myself an expert in the domestic arts. However, I used this deficiency in my experience to my advantage by showing the audience that I care enough about this issue to defend it even though I have little to gain personally. The foremost instance of ethos I attempted can be seen in the opening post of the blog with my own domesticity narrative. I believe this blog post demonstrates my ethos in that it shows I am willing to be vulnerable and reveal my age and inexperience. The goal of the blog post was to admit, Hey, I know its weird in this day and age, but theres something in my soul that wants to nurture a family and home one day. Lets help each other find freedom in this choice and learn more about the domestic arts. Logos Logos, as Aristotle defines it, is the strategy of appealing to an audiences sense of rationality and logic. As mentioned previously, it was necessary for me to use logos to build up my ethos in places where it was weak. Therefore, my argument demonstrates that I read and referenced

Waller 5 the latest research on the topic of domesticity. This can be seen on my Timeline page, in my statistics on quality of life in the US, and, most notably, the quotes from the scholar and originator of the term new domesticity, Emily Matchar.

Contributions and Limitations of Aristotelian Rhetoric

The greatest contributions of Aristotelian rhetoric are that it provides a practical method that anyone can use to create effective arguments. As Aristotle relates, these tools are especially useful for people who have not had a comprehensive liberal arts education. The trick, and mark of a skilled rhetorician, however, is using the right tool for the right job. The greatest limitation that I encountered with Aristotelian rhetoric was that it seems to be less effective in persuading those who stand in adamant opposition against an argument. Since rhetoric breeds resistance, this is where new rhetorical strategies come in to achieve negotiation and mediation. Aristotelian and new rhetoric are complementaryAristotelian rhetoric bringing time-tested methods of invention and structure and new rhetoric helping rhetoricians see new ways to negotiate truths and transcend conflict.

Conclusion
Even though Aristotle was principally concerned with the practical essence of argument, he recognized that rhetoric is not merely the what but the how. From equipping citizens in ancient Greece to be their own lawyers to helping an enthusiastic new domestic start an online community 2,000 years later, Aristotles On Rhetoric proves the most comprehensive textbook to help rhetors discover the tools to both invent and present arguments that can stand the test of time.