ClaireWestlake

FinalRhetoricalAnalysis
WRTG2325
Dr.JenTalbot
December7,2014
WayWithWords
Intitlingthispaper,WayWithWords,Iwasstruckbythedefinitionofrhetoric,but
alsorhetoricsrelationshipwithethics.Forinstance,whatdoweneedtodotoberesponsible
consumersofinformationforourcommunities?Whatdoweneedtodotobeethical
practitionersofrhetoric?Howhasrhetoricbeenusedinunethicalwaysinoursociety?These
questionsaremeanttoexpandthediscussionoftherelationshipbetweenrhetoricandethics.
Ethicsisasetofknowledgeandmoralprinciplesthatgovernapersonsorgroups
behavior.Rhetoricistheabilitytoidentifythemeansofpersuasioninagivensituationandthe
practiceoffindingthemeansofpersuasion.Allcontextconstructsalogicalargumentand
providesmeaninginwritingorspeech.
Inrhetoricthereispurpose,audience,exigency,strategy,andevidence.Purposegains
perspectiveonaspecifictopicandpointofview,somethingcontributestoanongoing
conversationinthedisciplinetopersuadeareaderoftheimportanceintheircontribution.
Audienceistheinterestofothersinthatdisciplinetowardsatopicorperspectiveintheinterest
ofthereader.Exigencyisanewperspective,sometimesopinion,news,events,data,or
experience.Thisexigenceemergesfromacademicarguments,eventsthatprovideanew
perspectiveoncommonviews,ordatafromexperimentsandstudies.Strategiesextendor

providenewevidencefromanexistingargument.Theyputestablishedideasinanewcontextby
applyingatheoryormethodtoanewsetofpractices.Evidenceconsistsofreliablesources,
observation,analogy,andlogicalappeals.Thiscancomefromacademicarguments,interviews,
advertisements,politicalspeeches,orotheronlineinteractions.
Atthebeginningofthissemester,IwrotemyfirstrhetoricalanalysisonCoryCopelands
articlethatwaspublishedinresponsetothedeathofRobinWilliamsonAugust,11,2014.Cory
isthefounderofBedlam,anonlinemagazinewherefaithandculturemeet.Theiraboutreads,
weembracethechaosthatcomesfromnothavingitallfiguredout.Faith,people,culture,these
arethesubjectsandsoulsthatholdourfocusandinspireourcontent.Wedontpretendtohave
alloftheanswers,butweveexperiencedenoughtoknowweshouldbeaskingquestions.
ThedayafterWilliamsdeath,investigatorssuspectedthedeathtobesuicide.Themedia
respondedpromptly.Everyoutletwantedtoprovethattheyhadthefacts,andtheywantedtobe
thefirsttoreportit.Asresponsibleconsumersofinformation,weneedtomakesureweare
takingintherightinformationfromoursources.Especiallyinatimeofcrisisofbreakingnews,
rumourscanquicklyspreadfromthewrongsources.Asaresponsibleconsumer,helpyourself
byrelyingfirsthandoncredibleaccounts.AfewtrustedsourcesincludetheNewYorkTimes,
WashingtonPost,andCNN.
CoryCopelandofBedlamMagazinetakesthisdepressiondiseaseseriously.Heisnt
reportingonthefactsofWilliamsdeath,butmoresotheawarenessoftheissue.Thatisthe
purposeinthisrhetoricalpiece.Thetopic,suicide,isgivenapointofviewassomeonewhohas
experiencedandbattlesthisdiseasedaily.Thatswhatpeoplewiththedepressiondiseasedo
wethinkaboutdyingandwhatitwouldbelikeandthereliefwecouldhaveifwejuststoleone

quickmomenttosnuffoutourownlight.Copelandiswritingtohisaudience,thereaders
lookingforexplanationorcommentaryfollowingWilliamsdeath.Asethicalpractitionersof
rhetoric,weneedtolistenandrespond.
IrememberstumblingacrossCorysarticleonAugust12.HepostedalinktoTwitter,
andmebeingafollower,Iclickedonthelink.ManyofCorysfollowersareawareofhispast
strugglewithsuicide,Iwasnot.ButIwasconvincedimmediatelybythetitleDeath,
Depression,andMethatCoryhadsomekindofmemoryorexperiencethatrelatedtoourtragic
lossofMr.Williams.Copelandwritesforthepersonbattlingdepression.Hewantstopersuade
hisaudience,thepeoplewhoarecapableofbeinginfluencedbydiscourseandmediatorsof
change.Copelandwantsthereadertounderstandthecontextofhispiece,thatdepressionisnot
justsadness,itsactual,honesttoGodpainthatsitsonyouandcrushesyouunderitsweight,
anditdoesntgoaway.Itbindsyoutightandgivesyoupermissiontoforgetabouteverything
andeveryone.
Copelandsrhetoricisbeingusedinaveryethicalway.Exigencyisthenewperspective.
Depressionistheexigency.Bitzer,authorofTheRhetoricalSituation,definesexigenceasan
imperfectionmarkedbyurgency.Discoursecameintoexistencebecausethesituationinvitedit.
WilliamsdeathpromptedCopelandsresponsetoencourageotherstofightdepressionandpress
on.
InBitzersperspectiveofrhetoricalsituation,hearguesthatrhetoricalworksobtain
characterfromthecircumstancesofthecontextinwhichtheyoccur.aworkisrhetoricalbecause
itisaresponsetoasituation.DirectlyfollowingthedeathofRobinWilliams,Copelandknew
thatdepressiondiseaseawarenesswouldbehisresponse.Heappliedhisemotion,personal

experience,andencouragementintothesituation.Depressionisntasideeffect,itsawarthat
wefighteverysingleday,Copelandsays.Heencourageshisaudiencetofighton.Themore
peoplewhoknowwhatyouregoingthrough,themorepeoplewhowillfightwithyouandfor
you.Hewantshisaudiencetounderstandthatdepressionisnotjustsomeselfishact,itsafight,
afightthatmustbefoughteverydayforthosethatsufferfromthisdisease.Thegoalinthis
rhetoricistoencouragethedepressedtofight.
ThestrategiesinthispiececometolightasCopelandclosedhisblogpostwiththe
contactoftheNationalSuicidePreventionLifeline.Askingforhelpisntweak,itmeansweare
fightersandwerecommittingtosurviving.
Rhetoricalsituationisanideathatcommunicativeactsareshapedbytheinteractionof
multiplecomplexandchangeablefactors.Rhetoricalworksobtaintheircharacterfromthe
circumstancesofthecontextinwhichtheyoccur.ThesituationofRobinWilliamsdeathitselfis
notrhetorical,butwhenCopelandsharedhisemotions,experience,andencouragement,the
situationwasheldtorhetoricalstandards.EventhoughIamnotbattlingthisdepressiondisease,
Ifeltforthereaderwhowas.IalsofeltforCopeland.Icouldtellthiswasatopichewas
passionateabout.Hehadaheartfullofcommitmenttopersuadethefighttothosegoing
throughwhathehasoncegonethrough.ThemoreItalkaboutandwriteaboutit,themore
likelywordspreadsthatdepressionneedtobetakenseriously.Ivefoundthebestwaytocombat
thisdiseaseistotalkaboutit.Seekprofessionalhelpandgaintheirinsightintoyoursickness.
Themorepeopleweletinonthisfight,themorelikelywearetosurviveanotherday.
Rhetoricbeenusedinunethicalwaysinoursociety.Duringthewakeofthedeathof
RobinWilliams,therewasahugeoutpouringofgriefandfeelingtowardsthelossofamanthe

bigscreentreasured.Celebritiesusedtheirsocialmediaaccountstoexpresstheirsadnessand
shock.LiketheexamplewithCopelandsarticle,hisdeathreignitedathoroughdiscussionabout
ourmentalhealthcrisis.
Buttherewasalsoanoutpouringofterribleresponsestohisdeath,thatsomeonewho
decidedtoleavetheirethicalreasoningtofindanewangle.ABCofferedliveaerialfootageof
Williamshome,aprivateresidencewithagrievingfamilyinsideofit.Whatinformationwas
ABCtryingtoprovideevenafterthefamilyrespectfullyaskedfortheirprivacy.ABCreleaseda
statementaboutthelivestreamshortlyafteritsairing."Whenwerealizedtherewasnonews
valuetothelivestream,wetookitdownimmediately.Ourintentionwasnottobeinsensitiveto
hisfamily,friendsandfans,andforthatweapologize."
JusthoursafterWilliam'sdeath,FoxNewsreporterShepardSmithsharedastoryabout
WilliamsreadingabooktooneofhisdaughtersandaddedhisowncommentaryonasOneof
thechildrenhesoloved,oneofthechildrengrievingtonight.Becausetheirfatherkilledhimself
inafitofdepression.SmiththenwentontocallRobinWilliamsacowardforcommitting
suicide.It'shardtoimagine,isn'tit?Youcouldlovethreelittlethingssomuch,watchthem
grow,they'reintheirmid20s,andthey'reinspiringyou,andexcitingyou,andtheyfillyouup
withthekindofjoyyoucouldneverhaveknown.Andyet,somethinginsideyouissohorribleor
you'resuchacowardorwhateverthereasonthatyoudecidethatyouhavetoendit.Robin
Williams,at63,didthattoday.Smithhasapologizedsincethelivereport,statingthathewas
justjustwonderingaloudwhatcouldhavemadethismanwanttoenditall.Anditremindsus
thatweallhaveresponsibilityasfriendsandneighborstohelptakeresponsibilitytopreventthis
fromhappening.

Ifsocietyhadnotcalledattentiontoeitheroftheseresponses,apologiesmaynothave
beenissued.Manysourcesandaccountsusedthistimetoplacetheiropinionandsuggestionsas
towhyandhowWilliamscommittedsuicide.Theseareunethicalpractitionersofrhetoric.This
isrhetoricbeingusedinunethicalwaysinoursociety.
Ourwaywithwordsisveryimportant.Everyoneofusareethicalpractitionersof
rhetoric.Everyoneofusarelistening,readytorespond.Wemustparticipateinthenews
happeningaroundusandberesponsibleconsumersofinformationforourcommunities.

RhetoricalRationale
Inmyargument,Idemonstratedmyunderstandingofvariousrhetoricalconceptsand
strategiesthroughtheuseofethos,logos,andpathos.Rhetoricalsituationshapedthecontentand
formofmyargument.
Rhetoricalsituationisanideathatactsareshapedbytheinteractionofmultiplefactors.
Rhetoricalworksobtaintheircharacterfromtheircircumstancesofthecontextinwhichthey
occur.Fromthatdefinition,Bitzersays,aworkisrhetoricalbecauseitisaresponsetoa
situation.Toproduceactionorchangeintheworld,theworkmustperformatask.Discourse
comesintoexistencebecauseofaconditionthatinvitesutterance.
Aristotledividedpersuasionintothreecategoriesofethos,logos,andpathos.Ethosisthe
source'scredibility.Doestheauthorhaveauthority?Istheauthorscharacterconvincing?We
believepeoplewetrustinrespect.JustasIdiscussedinmyargumentthroughtheexampleof
ShepardSmithandABCinthewakeofRobinWilliamsdeath,becarefulwhatsourcesyouare
listeningto.Istheauthorworthlisteningto?Pathosisemotionalappeal.Theauthorisappealing

tothereadersemotions.CoryCopelandaddressedthispersuasiveelementverydirectly.
ThroughtheuseofhispersonalstoryandemotionalconnectiontothedeathofWilliamsand
suicideprevention,hewasabletoinviteacertainutteranceintoaconversation,adiscoursethat
mightnothaveotherwisebeeninvitedwithoutthedeathofWilliams.Logosisthelogicusedto
supportaclaim.Whatistheauthorsuseofreasoning?Inmyanalysis,Iwritetonotonlyhelp
othersbecomeawareofsuicideprevention,butalsoincreasetheirawarenesstowardsthemedia
theyaregoingtofortheirtimelyandbreakingnewsinformation.
Throughmyrhetoricalanalysis,WayWithWords,Iwasabletodiscussrhetorics
relationshipwithethics,whatdoweneedtodotoberesponsibleconsumersofinformationfor
ourcommunities,whatdoweneedtodotobeethicalpractitionersofrhetoric,andhowrhetoric
hasbeenusedinunethicalwaysinoursociety.Thesequestionsexpandedmydiscussionofthe
relationshipbetweenrhetoricandethics,intoaconversationthatalsosupportedAristotlesethos,
logos,andpathos.