Chapter 1 Discussion Question 3

The concept I found interesting in chapter one is the Five Canons of Rhetoric. The five canons of rhetoric are invention, style, arrangement, memory and delivery. I found this particularly interesting because I believe this to be one of the foundations for the study of communication. Invention covers the process of discovering information and deciding on appropriate subject matter in which to use that would lead to a conclusion. Style is where you develop the proper words or language that set the tone for your speech in order to convey your message. Arrangement is where you organize your ideas into the form that makes sense. An example of a form would be to open with an introduction, then follow with a statement of purpose, lead into the arguments, and end with some sort of conclusion. Memory is the next step. It is the ability to hold content, style and arrangement in your mind. I think this step would be the most difficult of all. The final canon is delivery in which the speaker was judged on vocal tonality and gestures. If the vocal tone and gestures were not pleasing the effect of the speech would be undermined.
The reason I found the Five Canons of Rhetoric so interesting is because I think we use them in everyday life. Whether we give a small presentation at work or speak one on one to a superior the five canons of rhetoric come into play. I know I have used this method on my parents at one time to convince them I needed a new car and it worked. I researched information on the make and model I wanted and why it was far superior to what I was driving at the time which led me to the conclusion of safety. By putting an emphasis on safety in my arrangement and style I reached my parents on an emotional level because safety is always any parent’s biggest concern for their child whether they are 2 years old or 20. By educating myself on my facts I was able to memorize and deliver my message in a way in which they agreed with my argument and conclusion. Although you must be careful with how well you sell something over because now anytime I talk of getting a new car I am reminded of my argument for the safe car I currently have. For all the above reasons the Five Canons of Rhetoric is my chosen concept for this chapter.