Thursday, November 13, 2008

Questioning Rhetorical Questions

I am currently enrolled in a junior level English course, entitled "Workplace Writing." My initial expectations for the class was to learn to create resumes and memos. I was expecting it to be a class that would not challenge my mind and abilities. A breeze through class that so many people pray for. The exception to this rule, being me. I live for a challenge.

Unlike most students, I am at the stage in my life where I want to be challenged in something I know I can excel in. As a music major, I excelled in something I had no formal training in. My brain was fried, I had 3 semesters left and decided that I was done. It helped plant the seed for my deep love and appreciation for all types of music, but I couldn't continue on. I moved back to El Paso to start a new life and get my focus back. I am hungry for new life lessons, having just had the biggest one yet. Moving from your well established life isn't necessarily the way to deal with your problems, it is running. In the back of my head, I knew it was running, but I had myself convinced that I was doing it for me. I can't go back on my decision now, so I am pursuing a different degree at UTEP.

Which led me to take this junior level English course. The first day we were introduced to "rhetoric" and the theory of "rhetoric." My first impression was that this class was going to be incredibly difficult and not useful to a business degree. I quickly learned that the theory of rhetoric is implanted in our every day lives, we just don't face it with acknowledgment. The past three months that I have been learning about rhetoric and discourse, I have applied what I have learned to my every day life and work. I am more aware when the word rhetoric is tossed around. I analyze it differently, it no longer means "rhetorical question" it has a deeper meaning now.

Okay, so that is nice, but what is the reason for this blog?

This blog is not only to explore how rhetoric impacts my daily life, but also my daily life through my eyes. I think it is increasingly difficult to understand how one relates to certain events. We live in a time where it is possible to get an "inside" but censored point of view. I want to make my experiences public, to hopefully solicit objective opinions from strangers and friends.

Here is to blogging...

1 comment:

Cristina Devereaux Ramírez, Ph.D said...

This is great, Jaclyn. I like your quote about "running from an established life." Hmm. I did the same thing, and I don't know if it's running from, but running in a different direction. I had a really established life in the schools here, and I threw it all away to puruse my PhD. We have something in common.

I am glad that this class has challenged you.

Look around you. What else do you as rhetorical. I'd love to see you take some of Faber's ideas, like take a quote of his and see where it takes you in your writing.