• NON-CLINICIAN

The Gloucester Book Club met to discuss ‘The Elements of Eloquence’ by Mark Forsyth, bringing together familiar faces¹ with some new joiners who knew² little of what lay ahead.

The book defines and describes dozens of rhetorical devices.³ It covers, in 39 chapters, techniques ranging from anaphora to zeugma, each illustrated by Forsyth using a vast⁴ array of diverse examples, from Dickens to Die Hard.

To read or not to read?⁵ Everyone enjoyed the book, praising his wit, clear explanations and that each chapter cleverly introduced the next throughout the book. There was much discussion on whether it was useful. A few thought that the book acts as, and at times feels like, a classroom workbook. For some, the text aids analysis, understanding and appreciation of others’ work. Most believed, as evidenced by the brevity of its chapters and the amusing range of quotations, that it is meant purely to entertain, and entertain it does.^{6 7}

We all agreed that Forsyth explained each technique brilliantly, combining considered, relatable and diverse examples,⁸ including rather unexpected appearances from pop stars such as Katy Perry, and using of the title technique almost incessantly throughout the prose in each corresponding chapter.⁹ Some found this confusing at first, but once tuned into the pattern, it prompted genuine laughter.

The book emphasises that, at the time Shakespeare was creating his works, rhetorical tools were a key aspect of an education in English. Our English education,¹⁰ as neurologists, can be sidelined: only one member could recall studying rhetoric at school beyond alliteration or hyperbole. Forsyth seems to propose that, should any of the assembled readers master these rhetorical tricks, they could be the next Bard. Pigs might fly.¹¹ We concluded that contrary to this impression, content and context is also key.

The book was not without criticism.¹² The sheer number of concepts within its 205¹³ pages felt overwhelming and as such, few seemed to stick in our memories; the Greek names particularly seemed Teflon coated. Forsyth admits the exact definitions of these terms are contentious. This encouraged one or two members to state that names themselves are not important, after all, we thought Snoop Dogg and Bob Dylan likely had not delved into rhetorical textbooks before using ‘hyperbaton’¹⁴; they simply used what sounded good.

One or two felt the focus solely on English examples, with little drawn from other cultures, was a shortcoming. However, those in the group who spoke other languages recognised a universality to many of the themes.

While not immediately apparent, the agreed neurology angle was that communication is a key skill for all. They¹⁵ may not be helpful to litter throughout your clinic letters, but the techniques may help to make key points memorable when delivering a presentation or writing a paper. What do you think?

I penned this report with Forsyth’s tricks.¹⁶

But is it more gripping? Does it stick?¹⁷