An Unspoken Tool: Review of John Schilb's Rhetorical Refusals

Abstract

The refusal to engage in a topic of discussion, thus breaking away from an expected flow of dialogue, is considered an example of rhetorical refusal. Author John Schilb explores this matter in his book, Rhetorical Refusals: Defying Audiences' Expectations. While the hypothetical situation presented above offers a very general image of rhetorical refusals, and Schilb makes it clear that there are different types, it serves to illustrate the very basic definition of the term, which also serves as the subtitle of the book: defying audiences' expectations.