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Writing Resistance – Fall 2020

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Discussion Forum: “Rhetorical Analysis in the Real World” (DUE 9/4)

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  • “Rhetorical Analysis in the Real World: A Useful Thinking Tool” written by Phyllis Mentzell Ryder provides us with a better understanding of what a Rhetorical analysis is. We are introduced to an experience the author went through that shaped her views on language and how it affects events. The author provides us with how she classifies a rhetorical analysis and how we can approach one based on our intentions. We are then provided with strategies used by others, including herself, in order to efficiently analyze a text and understand the arguments shown. An idea from the article that stood out to me was having to work backwards from the texts in order to lay out how information and arguments are communicated through them. In order to construct a well written rhetorical analysis, we must pay close attention and think critically about the interaction in the text.

    The author of “Rhetorical Analysis in the Real World a Useful Thinking Tool” focuses on rhetorical analysis that starts from a baffling encounter with language. The author used her own experience; to better understand how language has shaped a moment and, that’s the reason she does the rhetorical analysis. The author provides us a brief description of rhetorical analysis that has two different categories. The first being puzzling encounters and the second being tricky situations. The author states that this form of exploration is a necessary tool that can help us to develop strategies for engaging with the world on our terms, even as it helps us understand how to respond when others try to set up the encounter on their terms. The article reveals some information to me to determine how a simple word of language can play a different function and change our perspective.   

    The text “Rhetorical Analysis in the Real World a Useful Thinking Tool” talks about the author’s experience at first, and how it later has engaged her to work on rhetorical analysis to help her and other people to get a better knowledge of a certain thing whether through a simple word, image, or an action. Next, the rhetorical analysis gives us to know something bigger than it seems it is as it could have various meanings, and some of them might be even more tricky and confusing than we think they are. Furthermore, some of the ideas that got my attention in this text are the description of the steps and the importance of this analysis that could let us succeed in this assignment. Also, the author provides us ideas to think critically on small details to bring us in better comprehension.

    In the article “Rhetorical Analysis in the Real World: A Useful Thinking” the author introduces a real-life situation that she was part of and how it relates to rhetorical analysis. She then discusses how there are 2 kinds of rhetorical analysis–puzzling encounter and tricky situations, and how they were applied to real-life situations. Not just in writing essays in school. She then concludes the article by giving us some advice on how to write a rhetorical analysis. An idea that interests me is when the author says, “Rhetoric means more than manipulation or empty words.” Back in high school English class, we were forced to write rhetorical essays that we had no passion in, we just knew that we had to use certain words to persuade people. With that type of mindset, it’d be difficult to write a good quality rhetorical analysis.

    Phyllis Mentzel Ryder begins her article “Rhetorical Analysis in the Real World: A Useful Thinking Tool” by inviting the reader to reflect on a personal experience she encountered that impacted her perspective on rhetoric. Once she has made the topic relatable she presents two categories of rhetorical analysis: puzzling encounters and tricky situations, the first being a situation that catches you off guard and leaves you wanting to better understand, and the latter is the desire to engage on a particularly difficult topic.  The article goes on to provide examples of rhetorical analysis and also how to approach conducting one. I am particularly interested in the concept that “We make discoveries by looking not only at one text, but at patterns across a broader context,” and that intent can become clearer by association to “borrowed, extended, or countered” ideas. In conclusion Ryder reiterates the value she finds in this writing tool and urges her audience to empower themselves by exploring not just what is being said but how it is being communicated.

    In the article “Rhetorical Analysis in the Real World: A Useful Thinking Tool”, Phyllis Mentzell Ryder shares her own thoughts and advice for those who are planning to write rhetorical analyses. Ryder begins her writing with a personal account on how rhetorical analysis became her method of thinking. She later dives deeper into the many methods that take place in rhetoric writing. There were two methods Ryder explained that are “puzzling encounters and tricky situationsI realized that I unconsciously use the puzzling encounter for most situations that I’m presented with daily. Ryder explains that this happens when “we are surprised by something we heard or read or witnessed, and we wonder how to better understand what we just experienced”. Usually when I read an article on an ongoing issue, I try to put myself in the author’s shoes. I want to see why they feel this way when they are expressing their thoughts in their piece. Ryder’s article helped me understand that I have been using rhetorical analysis for most of my life. 

    In the article “Rhetorical Analysis in the Real World: A Useful Thinking Tool” written by Phyllis Mentzell Ryder, shares with her audience a personal moment when she realized her way of thinking was connected to rhetorical analysis. Phyllis Mentzell begins to inform her readers about the two strategies she uses when she comes across a difficult situation, puzzling encounters and tricky situations. The strategy ” Puzzling Encounters”, explains how an encounter can leave you wanting to further your understanding, while the “Tricky Situations” involves the desire to engage in a specific topic. Furthermore, Ryder goes on to explaining her stance on approaching a a situation using her methods. An idea from the article that interests me is the fact that I tend to use the “Puzzling Encounters”, when I come across something that interests me I feel the need to further educate myself on it.

    Miranda I liked the way you described it. It is very straight forward. You just described the main point and that’s is very important.

    Edward,

    we basically share the same information. We are in the same thought. I like your last line that a simple word of language can play a different function. You have a very upper level thought.

    The author, Phyllis Mentzell Ryder, of the article “Rhetorical Analysis in the Real World: A Useful Thinking Tool” talks about how rhetorical analysis is useful for more than just “academic purposes”. She categorizes this method based on what made you want to explore the world in this manner. The first being, to better understand something we may have heard, read, or witnessed and the second, when trying to approach a difficult topic while successfully grabbing the audience’s attention. Rhetorical analysis serves as a tool to uncover the “deeper assumptions, values and issues” in these situations. The author also points out that this method can be used in a negative matter, to deflect or to further in disagreement. One thing that interested me is that there aren’t that many published “how-to” types of rhetorical analysis, like the ones the author used as examples in the “Starting from a Puzzling Encounter” section. Why?

    In “Rhetorical Analysis in the Real World: A Useful Thinking Tool”, by Phyllis Mentzell Ryder, the idea about why we use rhetorical analysis is described into further depth. She uses examples in her everyday life to help the public understand that it’s not just another academic topic, but something we use in the real world without giving it a name. There are numerous events in which we find ourselves either analyzing the way to approach a scenario or we take an experience and analyze small details to paint a bigger image. This being classified as a puzzling encounter and tricky encounter, which is something that grabbed my attention. It’s interesting to think that every single time I found myself overthinking about how I would handle a situation before actually being present in it, would be considered a rhetorical analysis. In addition to whenever someone is considered an open-minded person, it’s usually due to the fact that they consider all factors about why the opposing person would ever think the way they do.

    In “Rhetorical Analysis in the Real World: A Useful Thinking Tool” by Phyllis Mentzell Ryder, shares her own thinking to help us better understand and learn rhetorical analysis. Rhetorical analysis is not only an academic topic, but also a real life situation.Ryder gives examples of rhetorical analysis by sharing her own life challenges. The first one is ” Puzzling Encounters”,which alludes to what exactly happens each time you hear, read, or witness something and feel befuddled. The other is “Tricky Situations,” which gives us a deeper understanding of what happens when we encounter them. By explaining each of these two situations to illustrate her position, the author brings rhetorical analysis to life, it carries the outside of the issue  to a more profound degree of comprehension. In my position, I prefer to focus on “tricky situations” since it gives me a superior comprehension of the more profound significance and understanding of the issue.

    Your analysis clearly explains what “puzzling encounters and tricky situations” are, so I can clearly understand its main idea,and I like your personal perspective.

    Phyllis Mentzell Ryder’s article “Rhetorical Analysis in the Real World: A Useful Thinking Tool” starts with an anecdote and reflection that introduces how prevalent rhetorical analysis is in everyday life. Ryder then presumes there are two starting points in rhetorical analysis. The first is giving a response to a “puzzling encounter” and the second is wanting to receive a response, with the goal of understanding a person or idea. What I found most intriguing was how Ryder describes rhetorical analysis as being used to “uncover the network of values, assumptions, and expectations that shape how people experience”. This brought me to understand that someone’s use of language is so infused with their background that everything they say connects to them as a person. This also meant that the way I respond needs to be considerate of this background if I want to successfully engage and respond to them.

    That is an amusing way to think of “overthinking”, but I do agree that it is to a degree a form of rhetorical analysis. By thinking about all the possible responses to a situation it requires a good amount of prior analysis and understanding.

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