The rhetoric that I believe in is dialectic and didactic. I became a believer after taking the rhetoric classes at GSU. When I began, I had no real revelation of what it meant. When I thought of it, only the cliché phrase would come to mind as a 20-foot, stone block of letters: “The Art of Persuasion”. In my scramble for a vocation I chose to study the subject, because a professor recommended it to me after I told him that I wanted to tell stories, but I did not know how to filter them out of my head. It made sense, it would complement my journalism degree, and help me learn more English—which is very different from Portuguese. From “Advanced Grammar” and “Visual Rhetoric” in the spring of 2014, to the Senior Seminar on the spring of 2015, time and time again, I have been amazed by learning the history and technique of the art through each class, and now I have a much more accurate working definition/understanding of the subject. I look forward to refining this definition and my practice of the art until it becomes like a smooth stone that has been battered by running water through the years.

The learning began when I took Advanced Grammar. In this course we conducted three mini-studies (two are displayed in the portfolio) to analyze how individuals manipulate language to send messages. With these studies and a survey of language that I did in class for the Georgia State Undergraduate Research Conference (GSURC), I learned that communication is most effective when it is directly manipulated for the specific time, context and audience. Further, this class revolutionized the way I thought about rhetoric and composition by leading me to understand language first as a means of communication, which can be manipulated from a phonetic level to a discourse level, to achieve the greatest effect. The survey specifically showed that language evolved from human interaction, which began when we could not even speak, but only touch or “groom” each other. Through so much touching we found ways to “touch” each other without having to do so physically. The insight that I gathered from this class became a seed that produced a latent improvement in my writing. The Editing class that I took in the Maymester watered the seed. That is, Editing gave me a much better understanding of the grammatical and proofreading principles that I lacked during the spring of 2014.

I took Visual Rhetoric on the same semester as Advanced Grammar. This class also made a deep impact in the way that I view rhetoric and composition, because it exemplified the art’s multimodal nature. Further, it defined the role of visual semantics in the arsenal of rhetoric, as a clear and effective mode of communication, and specifically emotional persuasion. This was very evident from our first reading: an article by Hill that claimed that artificial images are so new to the human experience that our subconscious initially cannot discern between a real or artificial sign. As Berger put it, “[images] create a corridor between themselves and the viewer.”

With these classes under my belt, I came into the Fall 2014 Semester, with a micro-oriented knowledge of composition, but I did not yet know how synthesize that knowledge into a text effectively. I can venture to say that I was initially hindered, because when I first encountered a writing prompt, I would wrestle for hours with how to place just the right words in just the right syntax. I suffered with this, especially in Intro to Rhetoric, when I created a huge expectation to write compelling arguments for privacy in the digital age. As the class went on, I began to be a better writer, after being exposed to various rhetorical theories and tactics. Nowadays, instead of being overwhelmed by the good intention of creating a powerful argument, I take it by parts beginning with drafts written in the invention stage, then worrying about arrangement, style, and delivery. With each draft I enhance the argument with stronger emotional and logical appeals/strategies. Finally, I try to proofread the work, and look for irregular mechanics, to improve the overall ethos and logos of the discourse. It is important to note that this class also deliberated on the moral conduct and temperament of the rhetor.

But what is a rhetor, or an even better question what is Rhetoric? What is its exact function? We superficially learn that it is an art used to inform, persuade, and entertain, but what does that really mean? The answer to this came to me in my History, Theory, and Practice of Argumentative Writing class, where I learned about great rhetoricians such as Aristotle and St. Augustine. When I learned about Vico, his Verum Factum principle stood out to me, and I carried this perspective with me until I learned about Foucault in my research paper– a philosopher who provides what I understand as his own spin on Verum Factum. That is, that reality is very much constructed by our interpretation of what’s going on through words (I later learned this is referred to as symbolic interactionism). If we create meaning based on our interpretation, or collective interpretation of symbols, then the rhetorician who has the power to introduce, express, or manipulate symbols, in a sense, has the power to shape, or at least impact reality. So today, I understand rhetoric as the art of creating and effectively conveying meaning in the world. One must understand that effective rhetoric requires effective logos, so for one to effectively create and convey meaning, one must properly address the current episteme.

With this perspective, I went on to take my senior seminar. When I first read the syllabus I understood the class as an exploration of sonic rhetoric, as well as a venue for my transition into the “real world” by providing information about careers, and assigning a senior exit portfolio. I definitely think that those were elements of the class. I received a lot of insight into the field of social entrepreneurship through my career project. I also expanded my rhetorical arsenal by exploring sonic rhetoric and composition: the capstone project gave me a chance to study sonic rhetoric, and to compose through a sonic medium rather than paper. However beyond that, the senior seminar taught us to listen, and be mindful of the moment by forcing us to concentrate on the sound samples through the technique known as “reduced listening.” I have carried this technique as one of the most important elements of the art, because only when I am completely mindful of the moment (or as much as I can be), I can truly express and understand the truth of it. I believe that this helps with understanding the landscape and the events that occur in it, as well as with conveying it to others afterwards.

All that I have learned in the past year fascinates me. I know that I am just beginning to learn this art, and I understand that the road ahead may be long. Nevertheless, I want to continue refining my rhetorical skills through reading, learning, and practicing, to ultimately make a positive impact in society by creating art and social campaigns that conduct individuals/myself to make socially responsible and just actions.