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I'm a writing tutor at the college I attend, and while working I hear the same question repeated over and over again in different forms but it essentially breaks down to this: "What is Rhetoric?"

A lack of focus on critical thinking development in the American Educational system has lead people to the point where they are first learning about this concept in college. I am no exception as I was introduced to this concept only a few years ago. However, ever since then I have become an avid lover and dedicated student of the art of persuasion. My favorite genre, of course, has been visual rhetoric because I am a visual/textual/kinetic learner. Lucky for me, this isn't a common learning combination. So I am unique for my job and easily able to communicate with visual learners struggling with the textual examples required in our English courses.

I'm a translator of sorts.

For these students I generally pull up videos of Gandhi speaking and then bring up a few of Hitler giving political speeches. Just watching the clam nature of Gandhi as he sits and speaks as opposed to the passionate gestures of Hitler will often instantly convey the concept to these students. By using these readily identifiable iconic figures, I have been able to reach the majority of visual learners on the importance of knowing how to analyze rhetoric and how these men employed varying levels of ethos, logos, pathos, and kairos to further their causes.

There are certain students who cannot even understand the meaning of rhetoric at that level. Their minds refuse to acknowledge a difference of delivery between the two figures despite the drastic difference, and how that affected the message.

Until now I just ended up trying to explain it until my face turned blue, but now I think I've found the solution.

Behind door number 1:


Behind door number 2:


Pop culture, Alanis Morisette.. how I adore thee.