Should rhetoric be valued and taught in high schools around the nation? Rhetoric, being the art of persuasion, has the potential to benefit many students in various ways. The knowledge of this art can raise awareness of persuasion tactics used by different groups, whose goals are to influence the decisions of an audience, which in turn may promote increased academic success when related to a student’s education. Rhetoric can be applied to almost every aspect of life. As Jay Heinrichs, author of Thank You For Arguing, states “Whether you sense it or not, argument surrounds you. It plays with your emotions, changes your attitude, talks you into a decision, and goads you to buy things” (Heinrichs, 19). Therefore, having a basic knowledge of
