I found this
week’s readings really interesting because it paid a lot of attention to things
you normally do not focus on when it comes to writing. The part that was most
interesting was how you need to change your way of communication depending on
what audience you have.
I love the
example in “Understanding Rethoric” where the character first is trying to
convince The Junior Superfan Club by using a very academically correct language
and then he swaps to a more playful tone. It is like he suddenly realizes it is
kids he is talking to and he immediately changes his tone and language to make
it easier for the kids to understand him.
I also find it interesting when they talk
about outfits and that you use different outfits for different occasions. In
the comics, the lady has one kind of outfit when she is at work as a teacher
and a completely different style when she is home with the kids, all because
she needs to communicate different messages to the listener.
When I read the “Murder!
(Rethorically Speaking)” by Janet Boyd, I found this great sentence which for
me explains a lot of what Rhetoric is all about:
“While I was surprised that he dared say such a word
in class, and I am equally surprised that our publishers have so kindly agreed
to print it, this offensive word so directly and memorably brings us to the
crux of the matter: that choosing how to express your meaning is every bit as
important as the message itself, which is really what rhetoric is.”
Since I love to
use irony and sarcasm, I do not know how many times my way of expressing my
sarcasm has lead me into trouble. Especially in writing where people cannot
hear the tone I speak with, a lot of people are having a hard time to
understand that I am teasing them as a joke and not because I am mean. The
invention of Emojis made it a lot easier but misunderstandings are still common
and you realize how important all the components are when it comes to
communicating with other people. The way you choose to express yourself can be
the difference between success and failure. You may have the greatest message
ever but you failed you adapt your way of communication and you end up having a
reader not understanding the point of your message. On the other side, you may
have flaws in your text but if you choose the right style of communication, it
will still make sense to the reader.
Adam, I agree that this week’s reading brought up things that we normally don’t think about. I especially started thinking about the different roles I have in my life and how you adapt your communication and your visual artifacts (like clothes for example) based on what social role you are in. I also enjoyed the part where the character changed his communication when he realized that he was talking to kids and that worked out better for him. I mean even the first time he was giving out the message, the content was fine and the words were ok, it was just about rhetoric and HOW he presented his message and based on his audience, that didn’t work out for him. By changing his rhetoric and way of presenting his argument, everything went on in a better manner.
SvaraRaderaGood job with your blog post, it was interesting to read on your take on sarcasm as well!