The
canons of rhetoric are extremely valuable in speech, even today. The first of
the five, invention, is basically ensuring research is made on the subject. One
cannot hope to make an argument in front of a knowledgeable audience if they
themselves do not know of the matter they are speaking on. Additionally, the
style one speaks with to an audience is just as important: Using simple terms
or words when speaking to a smart crowd might make them bored, while using
larger words and terms for a more layman crowd might confuse them if they don’t
know the meanings of the different words you use.
The
arrangement of the speech is also important, and is rigorously emphasized in
all forms of communication nowadays: Speeches and essays being two prime examples.
A speaker shouldn’t speak on history in an order other than chronological, as disordering
the context of history is just a bad decision in general. Additionally, if
attempting to disprove a statement, one doesn’t simply start with what is
believed to be the truth, but instead takes individual steps to show the
fallacy, and then finish with the truth being the conclusion.
Memory
is a definite necessity when speaking to a crowd. Simply reading from a speech
in some manner can detract from the final canon, delivery, and is thus
important. Even if it isn’t as important as it was back when the written word
was much less prevalent than the spoken word, it is still important when making
a speech. Memory is important mostly because of how it can affect the delivery
of a speech in general. If one is static and unmoving throughout the speech,
the audience can become bored, while moving too much can distract the audience
as well. Additionally, attempting to emphasize unimportant parts of a speech is
just as distracting as moving too much.
I was interested to read about The Five Canons of Rhetoric in our reading this week in Chapter One. I have always prided myself in being able to write papers well during my college career, but I have a fear of public speaking. During my paper writing process, I use the first three parts: invention, style and arrangement. I first must decide on what I want to write about, what I feel knowledgeable about and a topic that I feel I can express thru my writing well. Then I must decide what kind of style I will use when writing the paper. Is it informational? Persuasive? Then I must arrange my paper into the best format: introduction, body and conclusion. Turning my paper into a speech would require the final two parts: memory and delivery. I would need to memorize my paper and be able to recite it without sounding monotonous or boring. And most importantly, I would need to deliver my speech to the audience in a way that would capture their attention and emotions. For me personally I believe delivery is the most important part of your speech because it holds the power as to whether or not you will get the attention of your audience.
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