All good things must come to an end....

Well it's the end of my first year here at UNCW, and although I've enjoyed it, I surely am glad it's almost over. The readings we have had in 388 this semester have really broadened my horizons as far as types of literature. We have covered material that spans over 2500 years. I came into this class thinking that it would be overwhelmingly difficult. I remember asking Dr. Atkins last semester if this course was as hard as it sounded. I remember stopping by the podium after our first day of class...making sure that this stuff wasn't over my head. Do I need to drop this class Dr. Atkins? I think it's a little late now!

Well I'm glad I stuck with it. We've studied some pretty interesting characters, from Plato and Aristotle to what we discussed today: cyborgs. Who knew you'd study cyborgs in a rhetorical theory class? I didn't! I have really enjoyed myself this semester. Our class was full of interesting people who could always find a constructive way to divert Dr. Atkins' attention away from our texts and onto who knows what. A day never went by where we didn't have a laugh. I am glad I took this course. I have learned a lot, and thanks to the readings, maybe I'll get a Jeopardy question or two...cause I studied rhetoric...and now I'm a smarty-pants!

the best...

The figure that most interests me would have to be Gorgias and his entourage of Sophists. I like it anytime a figure can change history and I believ that's what he did. He sold his knowledge for money. If it weren't for intelligent people whosold their knowledege for money, I wouldn't be writing this blog right now. So obviously some of his ideas have stuck around. He may have been shunned at the time and he may have been quite the little caniever, but he changed the way people view rhetoric nonetheless. I suppose that all Classical rhetoricians did, but I like Gorgias the best.
Also, I can appreciate early(and new Rhetoricians) that have applied their knowledge to science as well. I think rhetoric is a science in and of itself. The science of bullstinky, the schience of persuasion, the science of division. I do like Gorgias a lot though. He was the man with the plan--workin' for the man...

Burke

Well this Rhetoric thing is interesting. I am suprised to say that I find the "new rhetoricians" more confusing than the Greek/Romans. I was a bit intimidated when I started--I mean you tell someone you are reading Plato and Aristotle and whatnot and immediately they look at you like "oooohh." It was kind of nice, ya know, getting the "ohhh you must be smart" vibe. Then you tell someone you are reading Kenneth Burke and they are like..."who?" What's up with that? Burke is crazier to understand(in my opinion) than all of the old guys.

Anyway, so all of these debates about language and it's use and meaning are pretty interesting. It's kinda pointless to me, and I dont mean that in a disrespectful manner. I should come up with a better adjective, but "crazy" seems to fit the bill. I think some of Burke's ideas are broad and that is why it is so hard to grasp and realize just what he is talking about. Conley states that in relation to "new rhetoricians," "rhetoric is not seen not as a special use of language that could in special circumstances win approbation on asthetic or social grounds, as in the older bellettristic tradition of the 'ancien regime'. It is rather, the study of all approbation."

I am sure that is a broad description of how these rhetoricians thought, but it is said in a way that helps me understand their purpose a little better. This blog thing does work! YAY!