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Cilma Leonard
English 120
Prof. Kenigsberg
23rd. February.2014
What are they saying?
Aristotles Rhetoric and Edward P.J. Corbett and Robert J. Connors Introduction
When I first looked at this, I thought This is probably interesting. Like what can they possibly
speak about? Ive they never heard about Rhetoric until now. Is that something from the
primitive age? What is that? I began to read the work of Aristotle. Okay, Rhetoric is basically
persuasion; okay what does that have to do with anything? Aristotle gives a list of how to
master it, but I still dont understand. I should just read the other expert I have. Connor and
Corbetts Introduction which is an excerpt from their book Classical Rhetoric for the Modern
Student They broke Rhetoric down to MY understanding. Okay I kind of get it now.
Rhetoric is known and regarded to as the art of Persuasion Both of these authors talks
about rhetoric, but Conner and Corbett explains it clearer than Aristotle.
Aristotle gives a direct insight to the Rhetoric. In his work, he states different means and
effectiveness of persuasion, and Corbett and Conner expands on them. Corbett and Conner
clearly wrote to a younger generation or demographic of readers, because I was captured by how
they explained what rhetoric is. They used examples of real life situations that everyone can
relate to. Corbett and Corbetts agenda is to inform or educate youths on classical rhetoric. They
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make a reoccurring point as to why the usage of rhetoric has declined. Since rhetoric has been
used vastly before my generation, he also gives reasons for its decline.
Aristotle regards Rhetoric as the faculty of observing in any given case the available
means of persuasion. He defines it as though it has a certain dominating power like no other.
The way Corbett and Conner explained it was a better way to make sure that his audience
understands it. For example Conner and Corbett states that the second form of Rhetoric is
forensic rhetoric which they defined as the rhetoric of defense and accusation With this
information, I can immediately relate to forensic, because in our society it is in fact related to the
two points that Conner and Corbett has stated. When youre speaking to an audience of young
people, I think its better to be straight forward with your speech, just save your breath, please.
Aristotle uses such diction to stress the effective and usefulness of rhetoric. What I found
interesting about Corbett and Conners approach, was that they first give a background or the
root of the term, and then later goes on to talk about how the youths of the 19
th
century are not so
much familiar with the term because it has several connotations when used in a variety of
contexts. I found it very helpful as well as interesting that he did so because I was able to keep
up with the information.
It is very important to give a background of something especially when talking to a
young demographic, because not only are they exposed to the information, but they can better
understand what theyre learning and how and why its relevant or not. I think that is very
effective in teaching an audience something. This was what Conner and Corbett was able to
accomplish, and what Aristotle lacked to do. It is quite obvious that both authors are writing to
different generations of readers, in different time periods. Aristotle wrote to an audience that
might have been directed to a group of educated and sophisticated men, because during that time
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period in which he wrote, society was very male dominated. Corbett and Conner on the other
hand, did not divide the sexes. They write to a body of students, to educate them on the art of
Rhetoric, and states how it is relevant in our society.
Corbett and Conner state several examples as to why Rhetoric is important as well as
valuable to our society today. According to him, everyone in society is a rhetorician whether
they are aware of it or not. I sure was not aware of that, considering that this is my first time
hearing this. He states several things that happens in our lives that are supposed to be somewhat
connected to rhetoric. During election time, we are on bombarded by candidates appeals for
our vote. I can actually relate to this analysis. Although Im not an eligible voter, I see what
occurs around election time. I see that politicians give their best speeches leading up to election
date. They have all these speeches about change and a lot of things that sounds good to our ears
to persuade us on why they should get our votes. Im convinced that persuasion is very effective
in the political arena; many politicians uses different ways to reach out to voters when
campaigning.
One thing that Aristotle states is that every speaker has the ability to form what and what
does not occur in their speeches. He basically makes the point that every speaker has the power
to influence the idea or impression that their listeners have at the end of their speech. It is very
noticeable that Conner and Corbett wrote to a younger demographic of readers judging by the
tittle of their book Classical Rhetoric for the Modern Student It is quite evident that the
audience of Conner and Corbett will be more receptive to the information that has been
presented, since the writing style targets Modern Students Aristotle was right! Corbett and
Conner aced that. I actually got what he said about rhetoric. For example, a forensic speaker is
able to form a good or unpleasant opinion about the field with the content of what he or she
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speaks of. He emphasizes a lot that the audience is mainly dependent on the speakers ability to
produce the information successfully to the audience.
Corbett and Conner sums up the effectiveness of rhetoric by saying that great writers
have been under the influence of rhetoric. Every writer who wants to be successful is said to
work hard at understanding and ultimately mastering the art of rhetoric. Corbett and Conners
ideas are expanded from Aristotles idea of Rhetoric. It is clear that both speakers are of the
opinion that rhetoric is highly effective and valuable. Corbett and Conner however directs a
younger audience, addressing the fact that the youths of today who wants to be successful and
any writer of that matter has to learn, hopefully master and eventually put in use the art of
rhetoric.





















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Works Cited

http://rhetoric.eserver.org/aristotle/
https://courses.washington.edu/englhtml/junxu/ENGL_281B/documents/Corbett-Connors.pdf