Conclusion

Throughout English 400, I have successfully completed multiple journal entries that focus on rhetoric, a common good project that highlights all of the course concepts that I learned this semester, and lastly, a rhetorical analysis which focused on the rhetorical nature of a piece of media. I have learned so much about what it means to be an active citizen and how leaders utilize their rhetoric to efficiently and effectively address their audience. I am a leader in three organizations I am involved with on campus and I hope to use the skills and concepts I have learned in this class to be a stronger leader, someone that people look up to and hope to be more like. Prior to taking this class I had never heard the words ethos, pathos and logos. I now understand what they mean and how critical they are to the English language and the roles of active citizenship and leadership. I had also never really understood the concept of rhetoric and I have learned about it extensively and put its elements in use through the various assignments I have completed this semester. In the future I plan to incorporate elements of rhetoric in my daily life with my occupation as a literacy specialist. I plan to work in an elementary school and make children ages five through eleven better readers. I also plan to become a more active citizen and engage with my community in a positive and effective way. My hopes are to get involved with local politics and vote more in non-presidential elections and even student government elections on campus. I have learned that small things done with great effort have the ability to make a change.