The Dr. Bobby Show

Hello, all! I'm Dr. Bobby, "The Best Assistant Professor Who Never Was" and I created this brief preview because changes are coming to the show. Thank you for leaving comments and providing feedback!

Welcome back! I’m Dr. Bobby, "The Best Assistant Professor Who Never Was," and today we begin a brand-new series diving into Aristotle’s On Rhetoric — a cornerstone text in the history of rhetoric and communication studies. 📚 In this video, we explore Aristotle’s foundational ideas about rhetoric as the counterpart to dialectic, the crucial roles of persuasion, the concepts of enthymeme and syllo...

Plato’s Gorgias Part 4 | Rhetorical Tradition (3rd Ed.) Welcome back to our deep dive into Plato’s Gorgias ! I’m Dr. Bobby, “The Best Assistant Professor Who Never Was,” and today we’re continuing our analysis of Socrates’ rhetorical sparring with Callicles. In this episode, we explore how Socrates challenges Callicles on his shifting definitions of superiority, the role of rhetoric in public disc...

📖 Plato’s Gorgias Part 3 | The Rhetorical Tradition (3rd Ed.) 🎤 Hello, friends! Dr. Bobby here—“The Best Assistant Professor Who Never Was”—and today, we’re diving deeper into Plato’s Gorgias as we continue exploring rhetoric, persuasion, and citizenship through Socrates' legendary debates. 💬 What’s in this episode? Socrates challenges us to think about desire, action, and choice in persuasion....

🔹 Plato’s Gorgias – Part 2: Rhetoric, Power, and Persuasion 🔹 Welcome back! “I’m Dr. Bobby, the Best Assistant Professor Who Never Was,” and today, we’re continuing our deep dive into Plato’s Gorgias! In this episode, we examine the complex role of rhetoric, its influence on civic life, and the ongoing battle of persuasion between Socrates, Gorgias, and Polus. 📌 What You’ll Learn in This Video:...

🎙️ Plato’s Gorgias : A Rhetorical Cage Match 🎙️ Hello, everyone! I’m Dr. Bobby, the Best Assistant Professor Who Never Was , and today we’re diving into Plato’s Gorgias ! 🏛️ Plato—NOT to be confused with Play-Doh—was a Greek philosopher whose writings shaped philosophy and rhetoric, even though his student, Aristotle, would later surpass him. But here’s the twist: whenever Plato wrote, he did so t...

What is a Sophist? How does Isocrates critique them, and what does that mean for education today? 🤔📖 In this episode, Dr. Bobby, The Best Assistant Professor Who Never Was , unpacks Isocrates’ Against the Sophists from The Rhetorical Tradition (3rd Ed.) and explores its implications for rhetoric, pedagogy, and the role of educators in shaping knowledge. 📌 In this video, we explore: ✅ How Isocr...

Research isn’t about finding what we expect—it’s about discovering what we didn’t know we needed. 🧐📚 In this episode, Dr. Bobby, The Best Assistant Professor Who Never Was , dives into the research process, using Spaceballs (1987) to highlight how knowledge builds upon itself in surprising ways! 🚀🎬 📌 In this video, we explore: ✅ Why no idea is truly original ✅ How research connects what’s k...

Revision isn’t just fixing typos—it’s about seeing our work with fresh eyes and making meaningful changes. 📝🔍 In this episode, Dr. Bobby, the best Assistant Professor Who Never Was , breaks down the revision process using the multiple endings of Clue (1985)! 🎭🔪 📌 In this video, we cover: ✅ What revision really means in writing ✅ How Clue (1985) demonstrates different outcomes while keeping...

Ever wondered how a strong counterargument works? In this episode, Dr. Bobby, “the best Assistant Professor Who Never Was,” breaks down counterarguments using Return of the Jedi ! 🌌✨ 📌 In this video, we cover: ✅ What makes a counterargument effective ✅ How Obi-Wan Kenobi responds to Luke’s challenge about Darth Vader ✅ Why anticipation, addressing objections, and overcoming them are key 🎬 F...

Ever wondered how Ferris Bueller’s Day Off perfectly demonstrates Aristotle’s three modes of persuasion—Ethos, Logos, and Pathos? 🤔🎭 Join Dr. Bobby, "the best Assistant Professor Who Never Was," as we break down Ferris’ expert rhetorical skills in persuading his parents (and us!) that he’s too sick for school. 📌 In this video, we cover: ✅ What Ethos, Logos, and Pathos mean in rhetoric ✅ How F...

🎭 Audience Awareness – Casino Royale & The Art of Communication Hello! "I’m Dr. Bobby, the best Assistant Professor Who Never Was!" and today we’re diving into Audience Awareness —one of the most essential (and trickiest) skills in rhetoric and composition. Understanding who we’re addressing and how we communicate with them is key, whether in speech or writing. To illustrate this, we turn to...

🚗 The Great Gatsby: Part 5 – Tragedy, Truth, and the Green Light In this episode, we dive into the intense falling action of The Great Gatsby , analyzing the shocking car accident that claims Myrtle Wilson’s life, Gatsby’s tragic devotion to Daisy, and the ultimate fate of our titular character. As Nick Carraway navigates the chaos left behind, we question his reliability as a narrator and explor...

The Great Gatsby: Part 4 - Love, Power, and the Past In this episode, we dive deep into The Great Gatsby as we analyze Daisy and Gatsby’s relationship, Tom’s suspicions, and the overarching theme of chasing the past. We explore Fitzgerald’s use of symbolism—Daisy’s voice, the heat of summer, and the ever-watching eyes of Doctor T.J. Eckleburg—as well as how Gatsby’s obsession with recreating a los...

The Great Gatsby: Part 3 | Literary Analysis & Themes In this deep dive into The Great Gatsby , we analyze themes of obsession, deception, and the societal divide that shapes Fitzgerald’s novel. Tom Buchanan's distrust of Gatsby mirrors the relentless pursuit of truth seen in Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter , while the symbolism of automobiles foreshadows the dangers of reckless ambition. We ex...

The Great Gatsby: Part 2 - Symbols, Secrets, and Social Divides Description: Welcome back to Part 2 of our deep dive into The Great Gatsby! In this episode, we explore key symbols and character dynamics that shape Fitzgerald's iconic novel. From Daisy Buchanan’s enigmatic persona to the ever-present green light, we uncover the deeper meanings behind Gatsby’s world of wealth, longing, and illusion....

📚 The Great Gatsby: An In-Depth Analysis | Dr. Bobby Hello, literature lovers! I’m Dr. Bobby, "The Best Assistant Professor Who Never Was," and today we’re diving into F. Scott Fitzgerald’s classic novel, The Great Gatsby. In this episode, we explore the introduction of our narrator, Nick Carraway, and his unique perspective on wealth, class, and privilege. We examine the contrasting worlds of We...

Welcome to Part 6 of our deep dive into Frankenstein ! In this episode, we explore the Creature’s turning point—his descent from hopeful benevolence into vengeful hatred. After saving a human, he is repaid with violence, leading to his resolve to inflict suffering on mankind, much like Anakin Skywalker’s fall to the Dark Side. We also analyze his demand for a companion, Victor’s moral dilemma in c...

Frankenstein: Part 5 | The Creature’s Evolution and the Power of Storytelling In this episode of our Frankenstein analysis series, we explore the Creature’s deepening understanding of humanity and his tragic realization of his place in the world. As he reads Paradise Lost , he sees parallels between himself, Adam, and Satan—grappling with existential questions that shape his transformation. We dis...

🔥 Frankenstein: Part 4 – The Creature’s Tale & the Power of Narrative 🔥 In this episode, we dive deep into Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, exploring the Creature’s heartbreaking monologue and his plea for understanding. As he compares himself to Adam and Lucifer, we analyze his struggle for identity, acceptance, and justice. 📖 Topics Discussed: The Creature’s framing of himself as both Adam a...

🔥 Frankenstein: Part 3 - Unraveling the Madness of Victor’s Creation 🔥 Welcome back to our deep dive into Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein ! In this episode, we explore Victor Frankenstein’s descent into obsession, his tragic downfall, and the moral dilemmas surrounding his scientific triumph. 📖 Key Topics Discussed: Victor’s reliability as a narrator—can we trust him? The Prometheus parallel: Victo...

Frankenstein: Part 2 | A Deep Dive into Mary Shelley's Themes In this episode, we continue our exploration of Frankenstein , analyzing the key themes of lineage, nature vs. nurture, and the power of mentorship. Through Victor's reflections on his upbringing, we examine how his privileged yet structured childhood influenced his worldview, setting the stage for his later obsessions. We also discuss...

🔬 Frankenstein: Introduction | Mary Shelley's Creative Origins & Influence 🧪 Join us as we explore the origins of Frankenstein , diving into Mary Shelley's creative inspirations, the literary and historical context of Romanticism, and the novel’s lasting impact on storytelling and pop culture. 📖 Topics Covered: Mary Shelley's early writing experiences and creative influences The famous ghos...

🎙️ Welcome back to the final installment of our deep dive into I.A. Richards’ Philosophy of Rhetoric ! 🎙️ I’m Dr. Bobby, “The Best Assistant Professor Who Never Was” , and today we’re wrapping up this series by exploring Command of Metaphor —how metaphor shapes our thinking, the role of context in interpretation, and how our minds naturally connect ideas. 📌 What We Cover Today: ✔️ Metaphor in Act...

🎙️ Welcome back to another deep dive into rhetoric and philosophy! 🎙️ I’m Dr. Bobby, “The Best Assistant Professor Who Never Was” , and today we’re continuing our journey through I.A. Richards’ Philosophy of Rhetoric , focusing on Some Criteria of Words and Metaphor —how language shifts, how we perceive meaning, and why metaphor is central to thought itself. 📌 What We Cover Today: ✔️ Language Shi...