Reflection:
By completing journal entries in English 400, I was able to learn what rhetorical devices are and how they are used in everyday life. Completing these journals helped me fulfill the course outcomes “understand the nature of public discourse/debate as determined by purpose, audience, and context” and “analyze the effectiveness of their own texts and processes for specific rhetorical situations.” Before taking this course, I had very little understanding of rhetorical devices, but this course has increased my knowledge on logos, pathos, ethos, and other rhetorical devices. These journal entries allowed me to reflect and summarize what I read in “Thank You for Arguing: What Aristotle, Lincoln, and Homer Simpson Can Teach Us About the Art of Persuasion” by Jay Heinrich. I was able to use what I read in the book to understand and outline different rhetorical devices. I am now able to understand and look for different rhetorical devices in everyday life. I can see how during interviews, arguing with individuals, or when reaching your target audience these devices and tools can be used to persuade individuals. When completing these journal entries, I looked for different videos so that I could visualize the concepts. For example, in chapter 20, I was able to find a video that showcased different hyperboles in Disney movies. These journal entries were able to help me understand and apply rhetorical devices to my everyday writing assignments and other assignments as well.