Readings by Ball and Loewe, and Bitzer

“Bad Ideas About Writing” by Ball and Loewe

The reading “Bad Ideas About Writing” is edited by Cheryl E. Ball and Drew E. Loewe. However, the section that we had to read “Rhetoric is Synonymous With Empty Speech” is written by Patricia Roberts-Miller. After reading the passage, I believe that the primary audience is people that are interested Rhetoric and want to know more about what it is. This does not necessarily have to be students or teachers, it can be anyone that has an interest in the subject. Reading through the text, there are many different definitions of rhetoric that are stated. One of the definitions that is given expresses rhetoric as something that is an addition to the sentence. It seems as if they describe rhetoric as being sarcasm when they talk about this definition. Another definition that they give of rhetoric describes it as lying and hiding the truth in a sentence. The main purpose of this reading is to show how there are many different definitions of rhetoric. Rhetoric dates all all the way back to the times of Aristotle. Even all back they, people were still debating about the meaning of what rhetoric was. He defined rhetoric as a skill that one can obtain. This reading shows that there are many different meanings to rhetoric and how it can be used in different ways. The reading shows how Rhetoric can be used for good and for bad. This does not mean that it is bad or good, it depends on how it can be used. However, when everybody uses or defines rhetoric, we all use it one way or another.

“The Rhetorical Situation” by Lloyd F. Bitzer

The reading “The Rhetorical Situation” is written by Lloyd F. Bitzer and it is a passage from Philosophy and Rhetoric. After reading through this piece of writing, I believe that the primary audience is other students that are interested in the topic of Rhetoric. Compared to the reading above, it seems like they are being more specific with what they are talking about in terms of rhetoric so we can assume that it is not for everybody. In this reading, Bitzer puts a lot of emphasis on the fact that to understand what rhetoric truly is, that we must know when to use rhetoric. He talks a lot about what a rhetorical situation is. In the reading it describes them as “crisis situations.” In this reading, the author exclaims that rhetoric happens between two people and the situation that you are in (rhetorical situations). The purpose of this article is to insight other readers of what Bitzer believes Rhetoric is, when it is used, and how it can used.