English 1302 has taught me how to analyze and construct arguments that appeal to peoples emotions, logic, and trust. Rhetoric is one of the most important ideas within the majority of literature and being able to understand why an author or creator does whatever they may do in their work is a gift that can easily be shared. I’ve always known how I felt when reading things but now I understand how to make people feel the emotions I want them to feel.

Recently I have been playing Katana Zero developed by Askiisoft. The game tackles the idea of how drugs effect peoples mind and also following directions out of fear. The game does an excellent job of making the player feel distrust towards the main character’s boss and therapist. You see your therapist almost every day in the game and the therapist gives medicine they don’t really explain to you, and this leads to your character feeling lied to and betrayed. The rhetoric in this game outlines how authority figures will often tell the truth and sugar coat it. You are never directly lied to, simply coerced or influenced by the idea of a profit for you, or the idea that they will protect you from harm no matter what. This is similar to how political leaders will say what they will do, and how their attitude can prove or disprove to people if they should be trusted.

I bring up this game because without this class I never would have thought about the idea of how psychological conflict revolves around the rhetoric characters use in their dialogue. Context is everything in this game, and being able to analyze why certain people behave certain ways has given me a better understanding and connection to all stories and people alike.