Thank You For Arguing
Emily Long
Mrs. Ward
English 11AS
August 26, 2014
11 AS Summer Reading Project
Thank You For Arguing: What Aristotle, Lincoln, and Homer Simpson Can Teach Us About the Art of Persuasion is a title written by the not-so-famous, (but extremely well-versed) Jay Heinrichs. Although the title is indeed a mouthful, it serves its purpose in drawing the reader in. Also; the extremely long title is a little hint of what Heinrichs entails in his book, an endless supply of information on how to correctly and influentially utilize rhetoric, the art of persuasion.
The book is divided into five sections, each one being subdivided into different strategies on how to use rhetoric to your advantage, in any given situation.
The first section, Offense, teaches the reader how to use rhetoric to their advantage. Advice such as, mastering the art of agreeability, (agreement by character, agreement by logic, and agreement by emotion) is given and this is tremendously valuable because it’s important to always have the control in an argument. Heinrichs wants us to use the tool of agreeability and our audience to gain that power.
Another piece of advice Heinrichs gives is to control the mood, sway your audience’s perspective in your favor. The section describes how emotion is consequential from experiences and expectations. The better you can describe a sensation, or certain outlook to an audience, the more emotion you can stir up, thus getting them onto your side. This is why telling a detailed story is recommended to change someone's mood.
“Don’t engage in name-calling. Don’t rant. Aristotle said that one of the most effective mood changers is a detailed narrative. The more vivid you make the story, the more it seems like a real experience, and the more your audience will think it could happen again. You give them a vicarious experience, and an expectation that it could happen to them.” (Heinrichs 83)
He uses the instance of the classic comedy film Ruthless People. Danny DeVito sends
Mrs. Ward
English 11AS
August 26, 2014
11 AS Summer Reading Project
Thank You For Arguing: What Aristotle, Lincoln, and Homer Simpson Can Teach Us About the Art of Persuasion is a title written by the not-so-famous, (but extremely well-versed) Jay Heinrichs. Although the title is indeed a mouthful, it serves its purpose in drawing the reader in. Also; the extremely long title is a little hint of what Heinrichs entails in his book, an endless supply of information on how to correctly and influentially utilize rhetoric, the art of persuasion.
The book is divided into five sections, each one being subdivided into different strategies on how to use rhetoric to your advantage, in any given situation.
The first section, Offense, teaches the reader how to use rhetoric to their advantage. Advice such as, mastering the art of agreeability, (agreement by character, agreement by logic, and agreement by emotion) is given and this is tremendously valuable because it’s important to always have the control in an argument. Heinrichs wants us to use the tool of agreeability and our audience to gain that power.
Another piece of advice Heinrichs gives is to control the mood, sway your audience’s perspective in your favor. The section describes how emotion is consequential from experiences and expectations. The better you can describe a sensation, or certain outlook to an audience, the more emotion you can stir up, thus getting them onto your side. This is why telling a detailed story is recommended to change someone's mood.
“Don’t engage in name-calling. Don’t rant. Aristotle said that one of the most effective mood changers is a detailed narrative. The more vivid you make the story, the more it seems like a real experience, and the more your audience will think it could happen again. You give them a vicarious experience, and an expectation that it could happen to them.” (Heinrichs 83)
He uses the instance of the classic comedy film Ruthless People. Danny DeVito sends
Cited: Heinrichs, Jay. Thank You For Arguing. New York: Three Rivers Press, 2007. Text.