Module 5: Obstacles on the Road to Self-Discovery

Have you ever felt so strongly about something that you were moved to take a stance and appeal to those around you?  Did you get your point across?  Were you able to convince your audience to understand and agree with your point of view?  If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, you have engaged in the art of persuasion and know what it means to have successfully proven your point and won over your audience.

Those who are skilled in persuasion and rhetoric have the ability to use and manipulate language to get individuals to believe in them and understand their perspective.  They are able to evoke strong emotions within their audience or readers and motivate them to take action.  It is a skill; it is not done haphazardly, but there is a plan, research, and a purpose behind crafting an effective persuasive argument.

In this module, you will focus on persuasion and the use of persuasive techniques and rhetorical strategies in nonfiction pieces as well as fictional literary pieces.  You will encounter individuals who feel strongly about a cause, idea, or topic. As you move into our literary selection, William Shakespeare’s The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, you will experience rhetoric and the ability to effectively persuade in the midst of controversy and conflict.

Getting Started

You have used the art of persuasion before. You may have really wanted something, so you persuaded your parents to get it for you. Perhaps standing up for your beliefs caused you to persuade. You may have influenced someone to believe in the same things as you. On the discussions area, describe a time in which you used your skills of persuasion.  Post your responses to the discussions area. Then, return to the topic several times over the next few days to read your coursemates' posts. Reply to at least two of them, making sure to ask questions and encourage further conversation.

 

Key Vocabulary

To view the definitions for these key vocabulary terms, visit the course glossary

antagonist	imminent	protagonist
artisan	infirmity	rash
augmented	insurrection	replication
call to action	interred	repetition
chastisement	legacies	resolution
climax	logic	rhetor
confounded	logos	rhetoric
counterclaim	meditates	Rhetorical Triangle
demeanor	mirth	rhetorical questions
denouement	misconstrued	rising action
disconsolate	monologue	soliloquy
discourse	oration	servile
elocution	pathos	spare
entreat	persuasion	spectacle
ethos	portentous	strife
exposition	presage	thesis statement
falling action	prodigious	wrathfully
fawned	prophesy