Rhetorical Triangle, Part 2

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Welcome to celebrate creativity - and this series is Conversations with Shakespeare. Rhetorical triangle - part two

In the previous podcast we talked about the three central parts of a rhetorical triangle - think of the rock group ELP or Emerson Lake and Palmer from the 70s and you have E for ethos P and L for logos. Hope you've got that down

Now the three aspects of rhetoric shown on the sides of the triangle are: -and stay with me

Purpose
Purpose is the author's reason for the argument or statement. It is used to connect ethos and pathos. The author or speaker's purpose typically reflects personal or societal circumstances. Three common persuasive purposes are to assert, effect change or negotiate. Again, using the vaccine conspiracy theory as a model - the purpose - always unstated - is to divide and cause unrest.

Tone
Tone is the overall attitude and approach the author has in conveying their argument. It connects ethos to logos. Word choice is the main vehicle for establishing tone. Some common examples of tone in persuasive writing include complimentary, nostalgic or ironic. Saying a law is wrong and saying that same law is inequitable might mean the same thing - but the words wrong and inequitable are generally used with different audiences that you want to reach.

Style
Style is the method that the author or speaker uses to convey their message to the audience. It connects logos and pathos. Style usually describes the order of ideas. When we get into rhetorical devices, you will see how those devices can determine the style of the words used to persuade. An author's choice in delivery method — whether that be a written essay, a speech or a fictional story — is also a part of style.

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