Summary and Response

The main topic of Keith Grant-Davie’s essay is rhetoric and its characteristics and what

rhetoric can do. He says that rhetoric is used for and factored by many things. It involves the

audience of the speech or writing, the events surrounding it, the rhetor, and the objective of the

rhetorical situation. The audience forms to hear or read the rhetor and is then enabled to act what

the rhetor has said. The events surrounding the rhetoric contribute greatly to the debate and style

of the debate. Grant-Davie used a real-life example of townspeople frustration over a sign

constructed in a outdoor recreation area. This example demonstrated the events and many other

details of a rhetorical situation. The rhetoric of a speech or writing focuses not only on one

objective, but on many. Talking about one event may actually be a door into a whole national

issue, and rhetoric brings that to light. All of these factors play into the demand of the discourse,

or as Grant-Davie calls it, exigence.

In a community, rhetoric is something that is everywhere. Grant-Davie explains that

constraints to rhetoric either benefits or hinges the rhetorical situation. In the cases of

community, constraints are important. For example, having a lot people in a community is a

constraint because they could either 1) disagree over the ideas too much, or 2) agree with each

other and be mobilized to act. Rhetoric can always sway a community.

Personal Response

While writing my research proposal, I noticed that the rhetoric of my chosen community

is very colorful. They use comedic announcements and stern proclamations to express their
points of views. There is no restriction to words they can use either, because there are many

swear words to show that they aren’t messing around when it comes to this issue.

Before reading Grant-Davie’s essay, I had no idea about all the details that go into

rhetoric. After reading it, however, rhetorical situations make a lot more sense now. During

many parts of the essay, I was reminded of our current political landscape and how many

politicians use rhetoric to their advantage. I thought about the 2016 election campaign speeches

and the 2020 election speeches that are being made now. All these speeches contribute to the

discourse of politics, just like the essay says rhetoric would do. This essay expanded how I will

listen to and read speeches now. Next time I hear one, I will look out for the rhetorical

characteristics.