Walk outside; what do you see? More than likely, in some manner, there's an example of rhetoric. A poster, a flyer, a billboard, an advertisement. Bright images with big fonts. All of these examples utilize the same strategy: appealing to the senses to convey a message. On campus, such examples include things like the FCA posters and Greek Life flyers seen everywhere. But what exactly are they trying to say? With rhetorical analysis, we can break down these things to their core components and discover just what the true message is.
The Greek Life flyer, for example, depicts a picture of two people smiling and having a good time. Fraternity and brotherhood, as well as sororities and sisterhood, is emphasized by the ideal of unity from a common bond. The design of the flyer itself utilizes a modern, flashy yet simple structure that catches the eye.
But just how much rhetoric is seen by the average student as they traipse through their daily life? Passing through the student Unions, they'd see bulletin boards with messages designed to catch their attention, or even symbols and logos on everything from clothes to computers and school equipment. The message is nailed into the student's mind, of ideals and ideas trying to be handed to them, ever constantly. The vending machines try and catch the eye (and appetite). The movie theater tries to sell tickets for its latest screenings. Even the very classes that students attend us rhetoric to catch the student's eye as they learn and retain knowledge.Rhetoric surrounds us, every moment of every day, trying to persuade us, the student body and all others. It's an effective medium, because it is so heavily used in every medium possible. Whether it goes realized or not, rhetoric is one of the most base forms of commuting information and ideas.
Those are great examples!
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