Blog #6 - Lindemman's Chapter 4

 In reading this week's reading, I can definitely attest that I still was a bit quizzical on what rhetoric truly encompassed. At first, I thought of just composition and its influence on how we theorize composition. However, I now can understand that rhetoric is nearly all encompassing. I would bring up the garish example of how influential it might be. Even negatively, such as the case of Hitler, who was an excellent orator, and as a meager painter, was able to garner so much attention and created such a vile revolution in history; it was not that was a fabulous painter that got him recognition, it was how he spoke and how he was able to draw the crowd in through abusing rhetoric. However, as much as rhetoric could have been viewed negatively, I like that Lindemman elaborates that is served its purpose positively. An example of this is the Declaration of Independence, which was a unique document used to represent a shared notion for all peoples. I think the ornateness of its diction caused it to be seen as a much more valuable item in literary history. I enjoyed that Lindemman connected with how rhetoric developed in various stages through time. I think overall it was an enjoyable read.