Regardless of how strong an argument could be, lack of suitable tone will not be convincing enough. Persuasion also requires a certain tone from the speaker or author. If the writer or speaker intends to create a certain emotion, he or she has to choose words to express the emotion. For an argument to sound reasonable, the writer or speaker needs to use appropriate words.Ĭhoice of words also shapes the tone or emotion in rhetoric. Rhetoric involves forming an argument and presenting evidence to support it. Rhetoric speakers and writers ought to use unique and quality language to keep their audiences listening or reading. Therefore, they might not pay attention to the message of the speaker or writer. On the other hand, poor choice of words will not be convincing to the audience. When audience pay attention, it becomes easy for the writer or speaker to communicate his or her message. Good choice of words creates a strong diction, which becomes noticeable to the audience. Choice of words is the pillar of rhetoric because a speaker’s or writer’s diction, determines persuasion. Often, people persuade themselves through making decisions internally or via divine persuasion (Campbell, and Lloyd 33). It is not a necessity for rhetoric practice to have an external audience. Rhetoric practice can be done on any aspect of communication and not just politics and public discourse. For example, rhetoric practice can happen through music, architecture and theatre arts among others. The practice of rhetoric can also happen through media and other forms of genre. It is not also restricted to writing or giving a speech. Some tend to think it is defined by medium used for communication, the topic or social location. Rhetoric speakers or writers should understand that rhetoric is defined by its function. People were trained to speak and write in a way, which will be convincing to the audience. Rhetoric practice was part of western education, especially in ancient Greece. These three appeals are essential in rhetoric writing or speaking. Those practicing rhetoric mainly use logos pathos and logos. He described it as the faculty of watching keenly in any given situation, the possible mode of persuasion. The most appropriate definition was given by Aristotle who viewed it as part of both logic and politics. It is studied formally and practiced civically. Rhetoric has played a major part in western tradition. Practicing rhetoric enhances the ability of a writer or speaker in informing, motivating or persuading certain audiences. Mostly, people practice rhetoric for good purposes. It could be done for ethical or unethical intentions. Rhetoric practice means engaging in the art of persuasion by using words.
#ENRON THE SMARTEST GUYS IN THE ROOM SPARKNOTES FREE#
Alex Gibney’s documentary also takes sideswipes at the Bush administration, which is considered to have had close relationships with the Enron top level managers, and at free market ideology. The film reveals the manner in which human greed led to the rise and eventual downfall of Enron with numerous employees, shareholders, consumers, and other stakeholders losing out in the process. The documentary is based on the novel, The Smartest Guys in the Room: the Amazing Rise and Scandalous Fall of Enron written by Peter Elkind and Bethany McLean (Gibney, 2005).Įnron: The Smartest Guys in the Room is essentially a morality saga about America’s largest ever scandal on bankruptcy. There are a wide variety of rhetoric strategies employed in the film in order to perpetuate its underpinning argument and convincing the audience. The documentary reveals that each character employed distinct methods and strategies in developing the entire scandal. The film closely follows the actions of each of the corporation’s top managers, who form the film’s main characters in coming up with the tale of a human tragedy. The main focus of the documentary is the top level managers of the corporation in developing the story, which is characterized as a human tragedy. The film investigates the company’s transactions and official documents and reveals the real causes of the company’s collapse. The underpinning objective in the documentary Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room directed by Alex Gibney is to investigate the Enron saga and exposes the various tactics employed by the management through carefully orchestrated schemes in stealing funds that finally led to the collapse of the great corporation. Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room directed by Alex Gibney