extra credit

Dr. Killingsworth's presentation reaction:

The lecture on rhetoric and Walt Whitman's use of animals was very interesting; I admit it was much better than I had expected. I entered the room not knowing much aobut Walt Whitman and barely recalling what type of poet he was. About a third of the way into Dr. Killingsworth's lecture, I could remember lines from Whitman's poems that we had to memorize in middle school and half way through I thought about those lines differently, in terms of rhetoric and underlying implications. By the time his lecture was over, I had stopped thinking about Walt Whitman and had moved on to thoughts of rhetoric in everyday life and even of becoming a rhetorician one day...or at least reading some essays or books by them. Dr. Killingsworth gained my curiosity by talking about the purpose of each detail from a "yahonk"ing animal to something as simple as a name and how these details are what makes or breaks any good piece of literature. His excitement about the topic was easily noticed, enhanced the atmosphere, and probably added to my level of interest. Side comments and examples relating to rhetoric such as calling civilization "syphilization" and referencing popular movies such as Enchanted also added to the lecture's attraction. Overall, the lecture opened my mind to a different way of thinking, I learned a lot about animism, animation, language, wording, religion, life, and Walt Whitman, and I am definitely glad I went.