Rhetorical Activity Ch. 5

Some popular slogans are conclusions or premises of enthymemes. The statement that "Elvis has left the building" is part of a long enthymematic argument whose other premises are never stated. Can you articulate them?

‘Elvis has left the building’
Taking into account that this was actually said when the King left the building, I’ll start there. Clearly, at the conclusion of a set Elvis would leave and his fans (hearts still throbbing) would be alerted as to his departure so that they would calm down and leave as well. However, I have heard this phrase used to describe 2 distinct different enthymematic arguments that are quite a bit easier to understand in passing than they are to articulate.

• ‘Elvis has left the building’ is an endpoint statement referring to an absolute conclusion. Some would even go so far as to say DEATH. I like this one best because when I think of who Elvis was as the performer and I think of the enthymeme’s intent in this regard I am immediately reminded of a phrase that fits well with this one. It’s a little Shakespeare some of you may remember: ‘All the world’s a stage, And all the men and women merely players: They have their exits and their entrances; And one man in his time plays many parts…’ When we consider these two statements together we can paint a full picture, possibly, of the arguments major premise. Each person is an actor on the world’s stage, and guess what? Even if our audience isn’t left with hearts a throbbing we will certainly have to leave the building at some point.

• ‘Elvis has left the building’ is still an endpoint statement referring to an absolute conclusion but rather than to go as far as death let’s just say FUN. I’m under the impression that when Elvis left and things calmed the cricket convention came out to harp a tune. Since it is quite hard to try and find a good literary example of this I actually turned to my mother’s opinion on the subject. According to her when the fun evacuates a time/place it leaves us with the same result as when Elvis actually left the building his concert was in. I know that at the end of a concert nowadays there is a routine party, but back then the concert was pushing the party line so when the show was over… so was the fun.

I think that the most sound and solid example is that of DEATH but only because it has the ring of utter finality that is in good keeping with the enthymeme. However, DEATH sucks and FUN is so much better so I had to include that assessment as well.