Cassie Lagner- Bad Ideas about Writing

Throughout the reading, “Rhetoric is Synonymous with Empty Speech” I was coming to realize the person talking in this is the author Patricia Roberts-Miller. When writing this piece she was explaining the way she saw rhetoric and how she thought it should be portrayed. She pointed out how many people view rhetoric and how rhetoric should not be limited to one definition. She goes on explaining how Plato, Aristole, and Socrates view rhetoric and how she agrees with some of their beliefs but she also has other findings that she feels is important too. She felt they were important enough to publish them so the world can consider another view of rhetoric in a whole different way. When writing this piece, I believe her main focus was to attract an audience of students or even some writers or professors. I mainly think students was a big attraction because students like myself are still trying to grasp the idea of exactly what the “real” definition of rhetoric is. With there being many different, yet similar, definitions of this simple looking word, we tend to try and grab on to the words that make the most sense when trying to explain it. I felt her intensions were trying to make this definition as broad as possible to give the reader a chance to decide for themselves what the true definition of rhetoric is. I also feel the audience could have been directed at professors as well. This is because many professor have their opinions on what rhetoric means but some may want to see the point of views from other colleagues and see how they can expand their thoughts. I feel the main argument Patricia Roberts-Miller is trying to represent is that the definition of rhetoric does not need to be limited to one meaning. She feels that it is not just a persuasive conversation or a persuasive argument, it can be as simple as a conversation. By her mentioning over works in her writing shows that she feels all the definitions combined is what makes up rhetorical.