1

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I would like to humbly present this project with the grace of the almighty to Mr.
Pratyush kaushik. I would first of all like to express my most sincere gratitude
to Mr. Pratyush kaushik for his paramount support and encouragement. I am
thankful for being given the honour of doing this research paper on
RHETORIC IN SPEECH. I am thankful to the library staff and committee
members of all the conveniences which played a major role in the completion of
this paper.

Last but by far the most important, I would like to thank God for keeping me in
good health and senses to complete this project.

I present this project with a humble heart.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
I. INTRODUCTION
II. DIFFERENCE BETWEEN RHETORICAL DEVICE AND FIGURES OF
SPEECH
III. COMMON RHETORIC EXAMPLES
IV. EXAMPLE OF RHETORIC IN LITERATURE
V. FUNCTIONS OF RHETORIC
VI. HOW TO USE RHETORIC IN A SPEECH
VII. CONCLUSION
Bibliography
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I. INTRODUCTION
Giving a precise, concrete definition of rhetoric may be a somewhat difficult task as it is a
field of many aspects and scholars. Originating back to the ancient Greek and Roman
philosophers Plato, Aristotle and Cicero from Before the Christian Era, the field of rhetoric
has been studied and tested through thousands of years by millions of people. Today, rhetoric
enjoys a status of high importance and is an acknowledged field of research within the
academic world.

In classical antiquity, the definition of rhetoric was ars bene decendi, the art of speaking
well in public (Nash 1989) (Charteris-Black 2011: 7). In ancient Greece, rhetoric was also
defined as the art of writing well in prose (Bryant 1953: 403), which meant using all the
available means of persuasion to direct the truth. As more research has been conducted within
the field of rhetoric, these definitions have expanded and today it is widely accepted that
rhetoric is constituted by numerous elements, for example the rhetor (or the orator), context,
audience, persuasion, and other elements such as the five canons of rhetoric: invention,
arrangement, style, memory, and delivery (Covino and Joliffe 1995: 10).

One of the most acknowledged philosophers within the field of rhetoric was Aristotle, who
wrote the famous work Rhetoric. Aristotle defines rhetoric as the faculty of observing in any
given case the available means of persuasion [] (Aristotle 2004: 7). Furthermore, he
identifies three appeals or means of persuasion called pisteis that affect an audience: ethos,
which is the authority, credibility and moral values of the rhetor; pathos, which is the
emotional appeal to the audience; and logos, which is the appeal of reasoning and logic that
the audience and the rhetor share (Covino and Joliffe 1995: 15-17). Together these appeals
interact in the rhetorical situation to persuade the audience of the intentions of the rhetor.

Finally, Covino and Joliffe offer a more contemporary definition of rhetoric: Rhetoric is a
primarily verbal, situationally contingent, epistemic art that is both philosophical and
practical and gives rise to potentially active texts1 (Covino and Joliffe 1995: 5). Thus,
rhetoric is the ability to speak or write in a manner that will persuade your audience of your
ideas and agenda and which allows them to create their world views and change their minds
according to your words.
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AIMS AND OBJECTIVE

The objective of the research is to be familiar with the art of speech being
practiced from many years and to know its uses in speech in modern world

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

Doctrinal mode of research has been adopted that is, various literary works and
reports from the secondary sources, different websites and journals, using the
internet and primary resource, library, were used extensively in collecting the
data and information essential for this study. I have tried to be analytical in
writing this project.

HYPOTHESIS

The big idea is that in any form of writing or speech-giving the speaker or
writer must always think hard about the audience, the situation, the aim of the
speech and what the audience already thinks about the topic. Rhetoric is
centrally about how a speaker presents him or herself to an audience, and about
how to assemble stories, arguments and emotional appeals which will persuade
that audience
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II. DIFFERENCE BETWEEN RHETORICAL DEVICE AND

FIGURES OF SPEECH
A figure of speech is a use of a word that diverges from its normal meaning, or
a phrase with a specialized meaning not based on the literal meaning of the
words in it such as a metaphor, simile, or personification. Figures of speech
often provide emphasis, freshness of expression, or clarity. However, clarity
may also suffer from their use, as any figure of speech introduces an ambiguity
between literal and figurative interpretation. A figure of speech is sometimes
called a rhetoric or a locution.

Not all theories of meaning have a concept of "literal language" (see literal and
figurative language). Under theories that do not, figure of speech is not an
entirely coherent concept.

Rhetoric originated as the study of the ways in which a source text can be
transformed to suit the goals of the person reusing the material. For this goal,
classical rhetoric detected four fundamental operations that can be used to
transform a sentence or a larger portion of a text. They are: expansion,
abridgement, switching, transferring.

Repetition [rhetorical device], is just the simple repeating of a word, within a

sentence or a poetical line, with no particular placement of the words, in order
to emphasise. This is such a common literary device that it is almost never even
noted as a figure of speech.
Today, as never before, the fates of men are so intimately linked to one another
that a disaster for one is a disaster for everybody."
(Natalia Ginzburg, The Little Virtues, 1962)
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The distinction is basically artificial. Historically, the notion of the "figures"

originated in Graeco-Roman education. This educational system included
"grammar" as the main part of the secondary curriculum. Ancient grammatical
studies consisted of explication of the poets (what we now would call literary
studies) and the art of correct speech (what we now would term grammar and
introductory composition). Rhetoric was one possible path of tertiary education,
and focused on the art of advanced prose composition.

Figures of speech or "literary devices" were studied in both grammatical and

rhetorical contexts, and thus overlapped literary and rhetorical contexts to a
great degree. The main difference between the two is that while all the devices
learned in the grammatical classroom were also used by rhetoricians, some of
the persuasive strategies used in speeches were not introduced until the
rhetorical level of schooling. However, the term "rhetorical devices", meaning
such elements as climax, isocolon, anacolouthon, metaphor, or alliteration, is
normally applied to figures of speech and thought which are used in both
literary and rhetorical works. Such persuasive techniques unique to rhetoric as
the enthymeme or the epicheireme are forms of argument, but not necessarily
"devices" in the sense of figures of speech.

Rhetorical devices are used to convey a particular meaning with the aim of
persuasion or provoking an argument about a topic. These devices are mostly
used in an argumentative or oratory environment were eloquence is necessary.
Rhetorical devices are not strongly guided by grammatical mechanics but are
mainly concerned with arrangement, style, delivery, memory and invention.
These devices include sarcasm, metaphors and irony among other constructs.
For instance a statement by Abraham Lincoln when he stated that his political
rival "dived down deeper into the sea of knowledge and come up drier than any
other man he knew is well placed to show use of rhetorical devices. This
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statement uses both irony and a metaphor to persuade the audience that the rival
did not benefit from education.

Literary devices are used to create the compression of ideas and uniqueness of
expression that envelops story in metaphor, imagery and symbolism. Literary
devices are attended to directly in the analysis, interpretation and appreciation
of literature while they indirectly guide, generate and enhance (foreground)
feelings, moods, tones, suspense and expectations for the reader of literature,
which includes theatrical drama and poetry (in poetry, literary devices are called
poetic devices).

Examples of literary devices include the literary element of plot, which is the
sequence of events that determines a story, and the literary technique of
flashback, which reveals plot in an a-chronological pattern and generates
suspense. Mood is another literary element (also called atmosphere) that
governs how a reader responds emotionally to a story and its setting (compare
the mood of Poe's works with the mood of Austen's works). Another example of
a literary device is the literary technique of oxymoron. For instance, in the
phrase terribly beautiful the two words are used together to add emphasis but
refer to each others' opposite meaning creating an oxymoron of contradictory
meaning.

Figure of speech: 'A mode of expression in which words are used out of their
literal meaning or out of their ordinary use; for instance, hyperbole, simile,
metaphor.'

Literary device: 'a literary or linguistic technique that produces a specific effect,
esp. a figure of speech, narrative style, or plot mechanism.
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III. COMMON RHETORIC EXAMPLES

Here are examples of rhetorical devices with a definition and an example:

Alliteration - the recurrence of initial consonant sounds eg- rubber baby

buggy bumpers
Allusion - a reference to an event, literary work or person eg- I cant do
that because I am not Superman.
Amplification - repeats a word or expression for emphasis - eg- Love,
real love, takes time.
Analogy - compares two different things that have some similar
characteristics - eg-He is flaky as a snowstorm.
Anaphora - repeats a word or phrase in successive phrases - eg-"If you
prick us, do we not bleed? If you tickle us, do we not laugh? (Merchant
of Venice, Shakespeare)
Antanagoge - places a criticism and compliment together to lessen the
impact - eg-The car is not pretty but it runs great.
Antimetabole - repeats words or phrases in reverse order - eg- ask not
what your country can do for you ask what you can do for your
country. (J F Kennedy)
Antiphrasis - uses a word with an opposite meaning - eg-The Chihuahua
was named Goliath.
Antithesis - makes a connection between two things - eg- That's one
small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind. (Neil Armstrong)
Appositive - places a noun or phrase next to another noun for descriptive
purposes - eg-Mary, queen of the land, hosted the ball.
Enumeratio - makes a point with details - eg-Renovation included a spa,
tennis court, pool and lounge.
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Epanalepsis - repeats something from the beginning of a sentence at the

end - eg-My ears heard what you said but I couldnt believe my ears.
Epithet - using an adjective or adjective phrase to describe - eg-
mesmerizing eyes
Epizeuxis - repeats one word for emphasis - eg-The amusement park was
fun, fun, fun.
Hyperbole - an exaggeration - eg-I have done this a thousand times.
Litotes - makes an understatement by denying the opposite of a word that
may have been used - eg-The terms of the contract are not disagreeable to
me.
Metanoia - corrects or qualifies a statement - eg-You are the most
beautiful woman in this town, nay the entire world.
Metaphor - compares two things by stating one is the other - eg-The eyes
are the windows of the soul.
Metonymy - a metaphor where something being compared is referred to
by something closely associated with it - eg-The knights are loyal to the
crown.
Onomatopoeia - words that imitate the sound they describe - eg-plunk,
whiz, pop
Oxymoron - a two word paradox - eg-near miss, seriously funny
Parallelism - uses words or phrases with a similar structure - eg-I went to
the store, parked the car and bought a pizza.
Simile - compares one object to another - eg-He smokes like a chimney.
Understatement - makes an idea less important that it really is - eg- The
hurricane disrupted traffic.

Now we see how these different examples of rhetorical devices work. We can
use rhetorical devices in our own writing to create more interesting or
persuasive content.
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IV. EXAMPLES OF RHETORIC IN LITERATURE

In the context of an homage to the memory of Cham Perelman, it is doubtless

legitimate to assume from the outset that the reader has a good knowledge of the
structural and historical aspects of rhetoric. I will therefore not insist on the
complexities which lay hidden under the word rhetoric, nor on the series of
circumstances and ideological slippages which, following the Renaissance, led
to the reduction of these complexities to a single office: lexis-elocutio, that is,
style or, more strictly speaking, tropes and figures, reduced in turn to the
metaphor-metonymy binomial, then, finally, to the presumed metaphoricity of
all discourse. This progressive shrinking and dispersion of rhetoric are of great
importance in the history of modern Western culture, particularly if one
considers their relation to the advent of literature: we will take the concept of
rhetoric in its widest definition the one established in Aristotle, Cicero, and
Quintilian. By stressing the dialectical topics of inventio and argumentation in
general, the work of (Ch.) Perelman and (L.) Olbrechts-Tyteca forcefully
contributed to re-establishing a balanced picture, especially in French-speaking
countries where such a reorientation was urgently needed. Some recent works
(Harry Caplan, Paolo Rossi, Frances Yates, etc.) have also restored to the realm
of rhetoric the lost province of memory, particularly in its relations to invention,
so that one may now speak of rhetoric without fear of the terrible
misunderstandings that still prevailed in recent times when French-speakers
were rediscovering rhetoric through Du Marsais and Fontanier, and even
Jakobson and Lacan.
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V. FUNCTIONS OF RHETORIC

Hart and Daughton wrote that throughout history, great rhetoric has been poetic
as well as pragmatic. But it does not simply involve diurnal scribbles and
poetic verses. It quite frequently involves careful attention to the messages of
daily life (Hart & Daughton 2). One must recognize the importance of kairos
(the right time or opportunity) and heed rhetorical artifacts, the leftovers of
rhetorical acts that serve as records that remain and can be reexamined after
discourse. This further bolsters the sturdy belief that rhetoric can serve not only
as a pedestrian art form, but also as a socially-bettering medium of
communication. Great rhetoric regardless of underlying themes or central
aims successfully expresses ones thoughts and emotions, and also draws on
our most basic human commonalities and uses simple language with elegance
(Hart & Daughton 6).
Focusing on such principles, consider the role of arguably the greatest rhetor of
the current era, President Barack Obama. He must analyze situations,
understand his constraints, adapt to his audiences, and convey policy
recommendations and kairotic discourse. All the while, he must pose and
defend an exigence, a controlling and organizing principle Bitzer described as
an imperfection marked by urgency a defect, an obstacle, something waiting
to be done an exigence is rhetorical when it is capable of positive
modification and when positive modification requires discourse or can be
assisted by discourse (Bitzer 6-7). Obamas speeches mainly function as
pragmatic forms of rhetoric, because they offer answers to the questions of the
nation. But in a poetic way, his rhetoric also asks new questions, exploring
them with the audience as a sort of public mediation of thought and action. The
presidential role exemplifies the duality of effective rhetoric.
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Rhetoric does not manipulate audiences, but rather offers them choices. It aims
not to exploit, but rather to help the listener or reader explore the rhetors
perspective. The rhetor must narrow the audiences options for making these
choices, so ethos (the rhetors character), pathos (the rhetors appeal to the
audiences emotions), and logos (the rhetors appeal to logic) are all imperative
to the effectiveness of delivery. The user of rhetoric peddles choices, even
though most people naturally resist making choices unless forced to do so. And
if forced to do so, people also naturally resist having their search for a solution
constrained by someone else (Hart & Daughton 7). The rhetor must help by
offering choices, examples, or endorsements without appearing gauche,
overbearing, or unworthy of the audiences support.

Rhetoric is a cooperative art, because it requires the rhetor and audience to

come together in a joint effort. It cannot be done in solitude by sharing
communication, both rhetors and audiences open themselves up to each others
influence (Hart & Daughton 8). Great rhetoric caters to the core values and
recognizes the central constraints of the audience. This makes each piece of
rhetorical discourse temporary, because the ever-changing world requires an
ever-evolving and adapting sense of language and dialect from the rhetor. As
Lloyd Bitzer said, rhetoric is only deployed when it can make a difference
(Hart & Daughton 9). But if the audience does not shape the delivery, the
conveyance will suffer and even if the rhetorical situation is perfectly
considered, and the discourse carefully crafted, it cannot change the way the
entire globe thinks.

However, rhetoric does better the global society because it helps us learn what
other people think and also learn our own minds about things (Hart &
Daughton 9). Rhetorical discourse uncovers an individuals internal truths and
personal perspectives. And by conveying a message, and communicating ones
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knowledge, both the rhetor and the audience learn about their own life, as well
as each others role in life. By helping the collective members of society adapt
to each other, and aiding a better understanding between the worlds diverse
cohabitants, rhetoric further assists the act of peddling new choices for positive
change. Again, rhetoric exhibits its sheer power.
Plato recognized in Gorgias that language is a powerful force for moving
people to action, going so far as to say that language could work on a persons
spirit as powerfully as drugs worked on the body. He taught his students that
language could bewitch people, could jolt them out of their everyday awareness
into a new awareness from which they could see things differently hence its
persuasive force (Crowley & Hawhee 23). Why, then, did Plato refuse to
accept rhetorics definitive power amongst persuasive discourse?

With the communication of the last five pages of analysis, utilization of

research as support, and developed theories of my personal definitions of
rhetoric, I have personally engaged with you, the reader, through the art of
rhetoric. I have established a reliable situated ethos, because my character and
credibility has hopefully already been verified as positive in class and
throughout my academic career. I have also constructed this paper by
employing invented ethos, by structuring my arguments with support from
literary and rhetorical figures as well as everyday instances and examples. I
have utilized the all-important appeal to the readers emotions, pathos, by
drawing on the common values of the everyday individual analyzing rhetoric
through the scope of ones life progression, their president or leader, and the
world around them. And of course, I have appealed to the logic (logos) of the
reader by forming and conveying my beliefs based on what I have read,
researched, and learned through studies and classroom dialogue. By
communicating my views with you, I have engaged in my own form of
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rhetorical discourse, and have undoubtedly changed the way you think in many
ways. This, again, is the fascinating art of rhetoric.

Rhetoric empowers writers and public speakers, and elongates the time that
those writers and speakers draw upon. With every word they create, and affect
audiences with, the world moves. The people of the world change with the
everyday use of rhetoric. And if such change continues to include successfully
convincing others to make positive choices, rhetoric will retain its ultimate
power by continually facilitating education, adaptation, compromise, and
coexistence throughout audiences across the globe.

VI. HOW TO USE RHETORIC IN A SPEECH

Your loved ones were daring and brave, and they had that special grace,
that special spirit that says, Give me a challenge, and I'll meet it with
joy. -Ronald Reagan- The Space Shuttle "Challenger" Tragedy
Address

Former President Reagan uses alliteration to highlight the spirit of the seven
that died on the Challenger. His alliteration captures the audiences
attention and makes that statement more memorable. By alliterating special,
special, spirit, and says, Reagan captures the audiences attention and
emphasizes that the seven that died on the Challenger were heroes.

Allusion

There's a coincidence today. On this day three hundred and ninety

years ago, the great explorer Sir Francis Drake died aboard ship off the
coast of Panama. In his lifetime the great frontiers were the oceans, and
a historian later said, He lived by the sea, died on it, and was buried in
it. Well, today, we can say of the Challenger crew: Their dedication
 15

was, like Drake's, complete. -Ronald Reagan- The Space Shuttle

"Challenger" Tragedy Address

Here, former President Reagan uses an allusion to reference the

Challenger crew to Sir Francis Drake. He uses this allusion to connect one
tragedy to another, but also to show that the Challenger crew should be
honored in the same way as Sir Francis Drake because of their dedication.

Amplification

Let both sides explore what problems unite us instead of belaboring

those problems which divide us.

Let both sides, for the first time, formulate serious and precise proposals
for the inspection and control of arms, and bring the absolute power to
destroy other nations under the absolute control of all nations.

Let both sides seek to invoke the wonders of science instead of its
terrors. Together let us explore the stars, conquer the deserts, eradicate
disease, tap the ocean depths, and encourage the arts and commerce. -
JFK Inaugural Address

The repetition of let both sides in former President Kennedys speech

amplifies his desire for peace and unity. When says let both sides for the
first time, Kennedy explains that he wishes for unity instead of division. As
he repeats the phrase for a second and third time, he adds on that all sides of
the word should succeed together in scientific discoveries and other
accomplishments. By using amplification on his first idea, he places greater
emphasis on peace and unity: the big picture of what he is trying to say.

Analogy
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To apply any other test -- to deny a man his hopes because of his color,
or race, or his religion, or the place of his birth is not only to do
injustice, it is to deny America and to dishonor the dead who gave their
lives for American freedom. -Lyndon Baines Johnson- "We Shall
Overcome"

Here, Johnson uses analogy to say that to deny a man because of race is to
dishonor the dead who gave their lives for American freedom. He compares
the two people in order to show the connection between the dreamer and the
dead who gave their lives for American freedom. The people who fought for
freedom died to give the dreamer rights, and Johnson uses analogy to show
that by denying the dreamer, you dishonor the heros sacrifice.

Anaphora

We'll continue our quest in space. There will be more shuttle flights
and more shuttle crews and, yes, more volunteers, more civilians, more
teachers in space. Nothing ends here; our hopes and our journeys
continue. -Ronald Reagan- The Space Shuttle "Challenger" Tragedy
Address

Former President Reagan uses anaphora here by repeatedly saying more

before saying a different group of people. By putting more before every
different group of people he mentions, he creates equal importance between
all of them and to show that many more different kinds of people will go into
space. By having the more repeated, Reagan emphasizes also that, despite
this tragedy, the quest into space will not stop.

Antithesis

"Let us never negotiate out of fear, but let us never fear to negotiate."
JFK Inaugural Address
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Here, former President Kennedyuses antithesis with inverting statements, to

show that America will not be threatened by opposition, but at the same
time, will be willing to negotiate. By inverting the first statement into the
second one with an antithesis, he creates a very memorable and clever
sentence and which is successful in displaying his view of what America
should be.

Apostrophe

And I want to say something to the schoolchildren of America who

were watching the live coverage of the shuttle's take-off. I know it's hard
to understand, but sometimes painful things like this happen. It's all
part of the process of exploration and discovery. -Ronald Reagan- The
Space Shuttle "Challenger" Tragedy Address

By interrupting his address to speak directly to any schoolchildren who

might have watched the Challenger tragedy, former President Reagan uses
apostrophe. Instead of continuing with a normal address, Reagan speaks
directly to schoolchildren in order to explain how bad things happen, but
America must continue to explore and strive to discover new things even in
the face of danger.

Climax

I would go on, even to the great heyday of the Roman Empire. And I
would see developments around there, through various emperors and
leaders. But I wouldn't stop there.

I would even come up to the day of the Renaissance, and get a quick
picture of all that the Renaissance did for the cultural and aesthetic life
of man. But I wouldn't stop there.
 18

I would even go by the way that the man for whom I am named had his
habitat. And I would watch Martin Luther as he tacked his ninety-five
theses on the door at the church of Wittenberg. But I wouldn't stop
there. Martin Luther King Jr.- Ive Been to the Mountaintop

Here, King uses climax by increasing the importance of his words as he

continues to speak. By continuing to add more in each paragraph, he keeps
the audience interested and also excited to hear what else he is going to do.
He continues to say but I wouldnt stop there. By saying this and adding
more details, he builds intensity in his words, which impact the reader on a
deeper level.

Ellipsis

This much we pledge -- and more. JFK Inaugural Address

By saying and more instead of listing more ideas he believes Americans

should honor, former President Kennedy uses ellipsis. His exclusion of
additional words and phrases not only puts emphasis the ideas he said
before, but also forces the reader to think of other ideas they should pledge
to. Kennedy includes the ellipsis to keep the audience thinking, and because
he tells them there are many more ideas to pledge to instead of listing them
all, he is successful.

Hyperbole

"Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall
pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend,
oppose any foe, in order to assure the survival and the success of
liberty." JFK Inaugural Address

Former President Kennedy uses hyperbole by exaggerating Americas

strength. By exaggerating and saying that America can pay any price or
 19

bear any burden, Kennedy creates an exaggerated sense of pride in the

reader for their country. Kennedy tries to convey that America has the
strength to press through difficult times, and his use of hyperbole makes him
successful. Instead of just saying that America is strong, he exaggerates to
say that it can meet any hardship, and while the reader knows that in
actuality this is not true, the hyperbole helps create an image of strength.

Metanoia

Now the trumpet summons us again -- not as a call to bear arms,

though arms we need -- not as a call to battle, though embattled we are -
- but a call to bear the burden of a long twilight struggle, year in and
year out, rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation, a struggle against
the common enemies of man: tyranny, poverty, disease, and war itself.
JFK Inaugural Address

Here, former President Kennedy uses metanoia by recalling statements he

makes, and explaining them. Instead of having read the sentence, Now the
trumpet summons us again not as a call to bear arms not as a call to battle
but a call to bear the burden, Kennedy adds in the phrases with
though to show that America needs many things, but above all we must
concur tyranny, poverty, disease, and war itself.

Metaphor

The energy, the faith, the devotion which we bring to this endeavor will
light our country and all who serve it. And the glow from that fire can
truly light the world. JFK Inaugural Address

The metaphor former President Kennedy uses here compares the energy,
faith, and devotion used to uphold freedom, to a fire that lights America.
Kennedy then goes on to say also that this fire can truly light the world. He
 20

uses this metaphor to show Americans that their efforts to create unity and
freedom will not only affect America, but the entire world as a whole.

Rhetorical Question

Can we forge against these enemies a grand and global alliance, North
and South, East and West, that can assure a more fruitful life for all
mankind? Will you join in that historic effort? JFK Inaugural
Address

Former President Kennedy includes this rhetorical question to call the

audience to action. By asking if they will join in the historic effort, Kennedy
forces the audience to think about what they are willing to do for their
country and at the same time, he inspires them to be more American.

VII. CONCLUSION

Careful use of rhetoric in a speech is an effective way of generating

audience surprise, and this results in them being active participants. One
form of rhetoric is when you make a statement which leads in one direction,
and then follow it up with a statement that pulls in the opposite direction.

For example, suppose you are trying to motivate your sales department:

Financial analysts in our industry predict that sales are going to be down
next year. But does that prediction apply to us? [ and then you go on to
show why it does not]

In the above example, the rhetorical question followed a contrasting

statement. But this pattern can be reversed with the rhetorical question
preceding a contrasting statement. For example:
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Why would anyone care about the polling data, when it has proven to be
inaccurate in the past? The primary reason is that polling firms have been
using entirely different methods this time

Bibliography

Websites

http://www.history.com/speeches

http://www.press-pubs-uchicago.edu/founders

http://www.great speeches.wordpress.com/

http://teachungamericanhisttory.org/library

http://www.historyplace.com/speeches//previous.htm
22