All 4 Uses of
rhetoric
in
The Mill on the Floss
- "Dear heart!" said Mrs. Tulliver, shocked at this sanguinary rhetoric, "how can you talk so, Mr. Tulliver?†
Chpt 1.2
- Mrs. Pullet sat down, lifting up her mantle carefully behind, before she answered,— "She's gone," unconsciously using an impressive figure of rhetoric.†
Chpt 1.7 *
- Then I used to have drawing-lessons; and there were several other books we either read or learned out of,—English Poetry, and Horae Pauline and Blair's Rhetoric, the last half."†
Chpt 3.5
- The successful Yellow candidate for the borough of Old Topping, perhaps, feels no pursuant meditative hatred toward the Blue editor who consoles his subscribers with vituperative rhetoric against Yellow men who sell their country, and are the demons of private life; but he might not be sorry, if law and opportunity favored, to kick that Blue editor to a deeper shade of his favorite color.†
Chpt 3.7
Definition:
-
(rhetoric) the use of (or study of using) words to make a point -- typically implying skillful useeditor's notes: Rhetoric is used with many connotations. "Effective rhetoric" has a positive connotation, If someone says something is "just rhetoric," they're implying that the words may make a good surface impression, but they are lacking in substance.