Context:

After learning about the humble beginnings, history, and present-day uses of rhetoric in my Introduction to Rhetoric class, we were asked, as a final project, to develop our own definition of rhetoric and to furthermore present that information in a way of our choosing.

 

As a lover of all things blog and fashion-related, I decided to convey my definition of rhetoric, “simply speaking eloquently and strategically” through a blogger’s lense. I wanted to portray a seemingly-dull project topic to my projected audience into something that women between the ages of 18-30 could apply into their real lives.

 

Rhetorical Decisions:

This was a piece that I relied heavily upon the idea of perspective, or the idea of stepping into someone else’s viewpoint to better convey your own. This project in particular was very difficult to complete because I had to personify a centuries-old idea that would pertain to 18-30 year-old females who would be found reading a fashion or lifestyle blog.

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I mainly used perspective when deciding upon the language and style I wanted to use. I was forced to think of rhetoric from a non-academic viewpoint while explaining the definitions in an accurate manner. I utilized perspective even when deriving my definition to furthermore appeal to my young-adult audience. I made sure that my definition was easy to understand and was a quote that this defined audience would resonate with; being “eloquent and strategic” is, what I believe, something that all young adults strive to be. I then wanted something to capture my audience’s attention. I utilized first person perspective, grabbing titles, my personal experiences, and applicable real-life situations to better relate to actual situations they may be having in life.

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I believe that utilizing perspective in this piece worked because it showcased that I can explain rhetorical devices not only from my personal academic perspective, but that I can alter my point of view to appeal to a wide variety of audiences. Sure, this was probably a relatively easy age group, especially because I am a 21-year-old female who enjoys blogs. But, this exercise forced me to counter-argue and ask myself a multitude of rhetorical questions. To get to the root of an audience, it is necessary to know what makes them tick, furthermore incorporating the overarching social perspective. 

 

Reflection:

By being able to analyze the social perspective of young adult women in a particular category and utilize the first person perspective to my advantage, was better able to convey a message that resonated with the greatest amount of people possible. Utilizing this skill in addition to thinking about the social, individual, and theoretical situation of an audience makes it easier to convey a message, and a more effective way to understand what readers or listeners want to hear.