Modern and Postmodern Rhetoric

Rhetoric in general has seen a decline from the beginning of the 20th century. Prior to the 20th century, rhetoric seemed to be one of the main subjects that were studied in universities. Today, the study of rhetoric seems to be much less common. I have met several people who didn't know what rhetoric was when I told them that I was majoring in it, and then I would have to explain. In the past, I think the existence of rhetoric was probably common knowledge, just like it is common knowledge that math and science exist. In the introduction of modern and postmodern rhetoric in the RT, we see what became of rhetoric at the beginning of the 20th century in the United States. the RT says that rhetoric in American universities has been reduced to a few classes that have to do with writing and speech. I have witnessed this downsize in the availability of the rhetorical classes, because as I was looking into it as a major, I was surprised at how rhetoric is a mere option within the English major, among creative writing, and literature studies.
The RT goes on to explain how rhetoric has been reinvented as discourse though the course of the 20th century as a solution to issues that have been raised through traditional theory and meaning. This goes to show that rhetoric has evolved during modern times from what it used to be in classical times.