Rhetorical discourse
Our first project in 11th grade humanities this year was a rhetorical discourse project. As individuals we were supposed to take on an ideological perspective on an issue that’s important to us. For the exhibition we delivered our ideas orally using speeches, spoken word poems, TED talks, raps and open letters. This year we included a piece of paper encouraging responses from the audience in the program because rhetoric is and invites a response. Topics chosen ranged from education to abortion to economic responsibility to youth voting.
Our voices, our democracy
The camera died during my speech at exhibition, so my video was lost.
Project Reflection
Our first project in 11th grade humanities this year was a rhetorical discourse project. As individuals we were supposed to take on an ideological perspective on an issue that’s important to us. For the exhibition we delivered our ideas orally using speeches, spoken word poems, TED talks, raps and open letters. This year we included a piece of paper encouraging responses from the audience in the program because rhetoric is and invites a response. Topics chosen ranged from education to abortion to economic responsibility to youth voting. I gave a speech dictating that teenagers should have the right to vote and our opinions should be heard. My project took the form of a list of semi detailed bullet points that I used as a guide onstage to expand upon and reflect upon.
My rhetoric was designed to inform the audience and also to challenge their beliefs. It tested their ideas by presenting an opinion that many people either haven’t considered or refute the ideology of. I talked about how teenagers should have the right to vote, and I know many audience members disagree with that, probably going back to my point about the “stuck-up stubborn opinions of those older.” I spoke to both my peers and to the audience, targeting responses to the general audience and specifically to parents.
As a teenager I feel like my opinion isn’t very important to many adults. Going to Animas I’ve had the fortunate experience of meeting and interacting with adults who value teenagers opinions very highly. I also understand that most of the world doesn’t value youth opinions as much as we do. I connected to this because I want to be an informed teenager with a valuable voice, but it’s hard for me to feel motivated to invest the time when I know no one is listening to me. At the dinner table at home I’ll try to connect to the political and global conversations, and it’s difficult because I don’t understand what’s happening and when I contribute my thoughts they’re shot down because ‘I don’t know what I’m talking about.’ While that may be true, if someone spent 5 minutes having a real conversation with me then they’d see I have important ideas and unique perspectives. I loved learning about all the topics my peers chose, and I enjoyed all the brain research I conducted, and other rhetoric I examined.
It was challenging to find good solid evidence, and to incorporate it into my project seamlessly where it added to my argument. Because my rhetoric was so opinion based it was hard to find a way to help the audience connect and consider my perspective. There are so many factors, many that disagree with my perspective, and many different scenarios. Throughout the project when peers in other classes asked me about my topic and I explained it, some of them disagreed and said that my perspective was a bad idea. It’s hard to convince an older audience of a topic like this, when many of the peers I’m advocating for aren’t convinced themselves. I feel like I didn’t really convince anyone of my perspective, and even if I did there’s not much that can be done about it. The problem is that so many of my peers aren’t responsible, or aren’t convinced that change is difficult to initiate. If I were to do this project again, I might focus more on a personal level instead of referring to teenagers in general. If I convince the audience personally my rhetoric would be more effective.
I have learned so much throughout this project. I learned about rhetoric and how to use it effectively. I learned all about fallacies and the strategies politicians use to confuse and subdue us. Things like jargon, gobbledygook, and double speak. I learned that the American experience is different to everyone, but that financially we’re struggling as a nation because the cost of living has increased, while wages have stayed constant. As a young American, my ideologies are shifting, but through this project I realized have more liberal opinions. I’ve come to understand how important fighting for your beliefs and rights is. This project has taught me so much.
My rhetoric was designed to inform the audience and also to challenge their beliefs. It tested their ideas by presenting an opinion that many people either haven’t considered or refute the ideology of. I talked about how teenagers should have the right to vote, and I know many audience members disagree with that, probably going back to my point about the “stuck-up stubborn opinions of those older.” I spoke to both my peers and to the audience, targeting responses to the general audience and specifically to parents.
As a teenager I feel like my opinion isn’t very important to many adults. Going to Animas I’ve had the fortunate experience of meeting and interacting with adults who value teenagers opinions very highly. I also understand that most of the world doesn’t value youth opinions as much as we do. I connected to this because I want to be an informed teenager with a valuable voice, but it’s hard for me to feel motivated to invest the time when I know no one is listening to me. At the dinner table at home I’ll try to connect to the political and global conversations, and it’s difficult because I don’t understand what’s happening and when I contribute my thoughts they’re shot down because ‘I don’t know what I’m talking about.’ While that may be true, if someone spent 5 minutes having a real conversation with me then they’d see I have important ideas and unique perspectives. I loved learning about all the topics my peers chose, and I enjoyed all the brain research I conducted, and other rhetoric I examined.
It was challenging to find good solid evidence, and to incorporate it into my project seamlessly where it added to my argument. Because my rhetoric was so opinion based it was hard to find a way to help the audience connect and consider my perspective. There are so many factors, many that disagree with my perspective, and many different scenarios. Throughout the project when peers in other classes asked me about my topic and I explained it, some of them disagreed and said that my perspective was a bad idea. It’s hard to convince an older audience of a topic like this, when many of the peers I’m advocating for aren’t convinced themselves. I feel like I didn’t really convince anyone of my perspective, and even if I did there’s not much that can be done about it. The problem is that so many of my peers aren’t responsible, or aren’t convinced that change is difficult to initiate. If I were to do this project again, I might focus more on a personal level instead of referring to teenagers in general. If I convince the audience personally my rhetoric would be more effective.
I have learned so much throughout this project. I learned about rhetoric and how to use it effectively. I learned all about fallacies and the strategies politicians use to confuse and subdue us. Things like jargon, gobbledygook, and double speak. I learned that the American experience is different to everyone, but that financially we’re struggling as a nation because the cost of living has increased, while wages have stayed constant. As a young American, my ideologies are shifting, but through this project I realized have more liberal opinions. I’ve come to understand how important fighting for your beliefs and rights is. This project has taught me so much.