A Rhetorical Analysis Of The Controversy Over The Textbooks Of Elementary Chinese

With the popularization of internet and the Chinese people's increasing participation in social affairs, there have been waves of discussions and clashes of opinions over hot topics in recent years. Since the last year, a group of teachers named the Front-line have severely criticized the lack of quality of the current Chinese elementary textbooks by major publishing houses. Responses from the accused have been published on the internet and journals respectively. The debate between the two parties has attracted a great deal of attention from various sectors of society. Through an analysis of the case, this paper discloses the rhetorical mechanisms underlying the actions taken by both sides and the effects these devices have produced, in an attempt to enhance the public awareness of how rhetoric functions, and to promote a healthy and dynamic discussion of social affairs as well. We intend to stress in particular that, to be successful in an argumentative exchange, it is vital for the arguer to focus her attention on the audience by taking full consideration of their mentality in the particular rhetorical situation concerned, trying hard to affect their emotional state, and projecting onto them the right kind of the arguer's ethos accordingly.This paper starts with an introduction of the context from which the controversy rises, an overview of the controversy and the purpose of this theis. The second chapter deals with an understanding of rhetoric in general. The third chapter presents a rhetorical analysis of the case in questions.The paper ends with the conclusions we draw on the basis of the case study.