#rhetoric
The classical rhetorical structure is as follows:
- [[exordium]] (*opening*)
- [[narratio]] (*backstory*)
- [[propositio]] (*proposition*) and [[partitio]] (*division*)
- [[confirmatio]] (*main points*)
- [[refutatio]] (*counter points*)
- [[peroratio]] (*conclusion*)
## Past and future
The *beginning* of a speech is typically oriented [[the beginning of a speech is typically oriented toward the past|toward the past]] while the *end* of a speech is oriented [[the end of a speech is oriented towards the future|toward the future]]. Most speeches, indeed, tend to follow a past-present-future pattern of _some_ sort.
Even a speech that is mostly about the future will, for example, spend a bit of time on the past and present in the [[narratio]] or "statement of the facts" section (just so the spaker and audience [[a speaker tunes themselves to their audience|are on the same page]]).
This is related to, or even implicit in, how [[the rhetorical stasis questions help with structure|the rhetorical stasis questions affect rhetorical structure]].
## Ethos, Logos, Pathos
[[ethos|Ethos]] makes sense at [[ethos makes sense at the beginning of a speech|the beginning]].
[[logos|Logos]] makes sense [[logos makes sense in the middle of a speech|in the middle]].
[[pathos|Pathos]] makes sense [[pathos makes sense at the end of a speech|at the end]]