Ideological Criticism

In Chapter 7 of the book Rhetorical Criticism: Exploration and Practice the Fourth Edition, the author Sonja J. Foss prefaces her explanation of Ideological Criticism with a basic definition to outline the idea of ideology. Foss offers the reader an example to think of ideology as a language, so to speak. With this language one perceives the world in a particular fashion, funneling all external happenings through previously held ideas which allows a person to compare, categorize, and make sense about the matter. This language is developed through life experiences in a formulations of ideas that reflect "fundamental social economic, political, or cultural interests."

Neo-Aristotelian Criticism

World:

"Rhetorical Criticism: Exploration and Practice", the Fourth Edition book by Sonja K. Foss covers the topic of Neo-Aristotelian Criticism in Chapter Three. With Neo-Aristotelian Criticism being the first method of rhetorical criticism, it was unclear how this approach differed from that of literary criticism. It was necessary to differentiate between the two. Many of those intellects who specialized in communication hoped to progress the field, developing a unique identity so as to offer a specific approach to analyzing and criticizing culture.
Neo-Aristotelian Criticism looks to analyze certain aspects of the artifact in question that focus on the speaker. These aspects that a critic must look at include "the speaker's personality, the public character of the speaker or the public's perception of the speaker, the audience, the major ideas presented in the speech, the motives to which the speaker appealed, the nature of the speaker's proofs, the speaker's judgment of human nature in the audience, the arrangement of the speech, the speaker's method of speech preparation, the manner of delivery, and the effect of the discourse on the immediate audience and its long-term effects" (22). While looking at these elements the critic performing the rhetorical criticism must consider the speaker's means of communicated with the specified audience.
As reported by Foss, there are three basic steps in using the Neo-Aristotelian method to analyze an artifact which include reconstructing the context, applying the canon, and assessing the effects. In reconstructing the context it is important to survey the background of the speaker, analyze the occasion of the event which the artifact was presented, and by examining the audience who is being subjected to the rhetorical artifact. Next a critic would apply the canon of classical rhetoric. The characteristics of the canon are invention, organization, style, delivery, and memory. Lastly, in assessing the effects of the artifact, the critic interprets whether the intended goal of the rhetorical device was achieved and how effective it was in achieving that goal.

Introduction

Salutations:

I would like to welcome everyone as we undertake a task certain to bring relentless adventure and heaps of understanding into our academic lives. By way of logging entries onto this website, I look to enlighten not only myself, but also the legions of readers who will stumble across the works I will assemble in the coming months. My search for answers in the ever shrinking universe we live in along with my fascination of human society has led down this path to study the ancient way of the rhetor in the name of the acquisition of knowledge. The wondrous world of "civilized" humans meticulously and painstakingly developed over the past centuries has been directed by the ways of rhetor's and the artifacts which they create, whether it be speeches, writings, art, architecture, or media. I look to, as required of a student of this course, gain a general understanding of rhetorical criticism and (with the instructor willing) gain some hands on experience in writing rhetorical criticism of my own.
Until next time, this is "Rhetor's World" and you are living in it...