Review Of The Book 'Offense' By Jay Heinrichs

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Thank you for arguing is a book about the lost art of rhetoric and its effectiveness in persuasion. The author Jay Heinrichs uses numerous examples of the use of rhetoric whether it be from literature, out of modern day entertainment, or simply a personal experience. In the proceeding paragraphs we will briefly discuss the main points in this book, engage in a deeper understanding of chapter 19, and defend the books continued use in the educational system. In this book Heinrich attempts to takes us on a journey where we delve into rhetoric’s value to many aspects of life and effectiveness in the past to modern day speech. The first part of the book, ‘Offense”, the author explains the three steps of any argument: target the emotions of the audience, persuade their opinions, and ultimately make the audience decide something. Heinrichs goes further by explaining what Aristotle identifies as the three different types of persuasion. The three types distinctly differ in their use and target the first of which is logos, the argument by logic, ethos, the argument by character, and pathos, the argument by emotion. He then goes on to show the reader how to use each of these tactics to succeed in winning an argument. In part two, “Defense”, he not only expresses how to defend your own argument, but also how to expose fallacies in your opponent's argument. …show more content…
Part three, “Advanced Offense”, discusses aspects in your argument such as figures of speech, how to effectively apologize, and kairos- the concept of right timing. The last part, “Advanced Agreement”, discusses a five step method of oration: invention, arrangement, style, memory, and delivery, also he studies Barack Obama’s oratorical use and how rhetoric study almost completely disappeared in American schools. Heinrichs constantly uses examples of rhetoric through very respected historical figures such as, Aristotle, Benjamin Franklin, and Barack Obama as well as many times using personal experiences an example of which is at the very beginning of the chapter as details an exchange he has with his son. Chapter 19 is bay far one of the best chapter in this book as it teaches many tools of speaking with your audience and winning them over. This chapter shows the reader how to and the importance of getting the audience to identify with you as you talk. One way tool it presents is code grooming, how to use a language and manner of speech to connect to the audience. Another tool provided is reverse wording, using words that help your case, and how they can be used to get the crowd to react the way you want them to. At the very beginning it opens with a dialogue from a show many people can connect with, The Simpsons, and it uses this dialogue to express how the choice of words in speech has an affect on your audience.The biggest example it uses is George Bush and his use of code grooming and what sort of mannerisms in his speech he would use for different groups in order to get an expected reaction. With reverse words they not only uses Bush’s example but also real world situations to show its practical use. This chapter teaches a very important lesson that can be used in almost all cases of arguing, speaking to your audience. The way heinrichs explains the concepts in

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