The Gift Of Gab

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Rhetoric was not a word I was familiar with until this class. So when Hector Zavala, my student counselor says, “You placed in college level Rhetoric 101,” I was not sure what to say other than, “…okay.” After years of being drilled with exercises teaching proper grammar, by the time I reached high school, I dreaded going to my English classes. I wanted to be inspired, I wanted so be shown how to open my mind to question the unquestionable, to push the envelope. Finally, after years of practice, I was able to grasp the grammatical aspect of the English language. This for me was a great relief because it definitely was not easy. I know how to put down thought to paper, for me, that is the easy part. But often my mind is plagued with fragments of thought provoking ideas, so fleeting in their nature, that they disappear just as fast as they come. This can be a big hindrance when it comes to the art of persuasion. The “gift of gab” is not one of my many fine attributes. My opinions that once were so crisp and clear are now watered down by what is acceptable by society. It is hard to be...

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