Renan Larue

Renan Larue
Assistant Professor of French

Specialization

"For centuries," says Renan Larue, "generations of French writers, politicians, clergymen, and intellectuals were shaped by rhetoricians who took their own savoir-faire from the great orators of Antiquity. It was not a matter of teaching students how to manipulate their audiences or readers but, rather, how to express their ideas simply elegantly, and accurately, to reject informal speech and jargon, and to prize clarity above all else. Indeed, in the French Department, rhetoric enables students to better organize and express their thoughts and ideas, to be more efficient and clear when speaking and, most importantly, to attract and retain the attention of their interlocutors: friends, colleagues, clients, or the general public. Today, the French passion for debate and verbal sparring—especially in politics—continues to inspire cultural fascination with the art of speaking; and its role in society has never been more important.  As much as gastronomy and fashion, the rhetoric of public speaking plays an integral part in the art of French living."