What is rhetoric and how do rhetorical devices work in a speech?
Rhetoric is simply the art of speaking impressively. Rhetorical devices work to gain the audience’s attention, give emphasis, cue a reaction and help the audience remember what is said. So, welcoming the finalists in the 2008 Masters Snooker tournament, instead of just introducing them as Ronnie O’Sullivan and Mark Selby, it was much more effective to say ‘Rocket Ronnie’ and the ‘Jester from Leicester’. It sounds better, gives an intriguing image and is memorable. This is rhetoric. Here’s another example. Almost all good speeches finish in the future. So Barack Obama’s inauguration speech ended with the image of delivering the ‘gift of freedom’ to future generations. Again, this is rhetoric. Should the speaker have notes? A full script can make you look a bit more prepared. Without a script you can look more spontaneous, especially for a small speech. I personally think the worst thing of all is to have a handful of notes or postcards, as it looks fiddly and amateurish. What kind of ro
