Rhetorical evasion--gaps between speaker, audience, and message

I was watching That 70’s Show reruns on TV when the following scene caught my attention because of Kitty’s use of rhetorical skill. I think the scene exhibits how language can be used to obscure one’s meaning and intentions and also the gap between message and audience. In this scene, it is Hyde’s 18^th birthday, and he does not want a party. His parents have not been in his life, so he hates birthdays for what they represent about family. I have copied the script from a website (I’m not sure how accurate it is, but it seems to match what I tried to furiously scribble down) and pasted it here. The link is: http://www.twiztv.com/scripts/that70sshow/season4/that70sshow-423.htm

INT. FORMAN KITCHEN - NIGHT (DAY 1)

(Hyde, Red, Kitty)

KITTY BAKES. FROSTED CUPCAKES COVER THE ENTIRE

KITCHEN TABLE. RED READS HIS PAPER. HYDE ENTERS.

HE SPOTS THE CUPCAKES AND HOLDS ONE UP.

KITTY

(STARTLED) Steven! I thought

you were at work.

HYDE

Not 'til later. (SUSPICIOUS)

Why are you baking so many

cupcakes?

KITTY

I had four dozen eggs, they were

gonna go bad.

HYDE

Mrs. Forman, I really don't want

a party. And I'm not saying

that because I'm fishing for a

party, I mean I really don't

want one.

KITTY

Uh-huh

HYDE

'Cuz I know how this family

works. You guys say you don't

want stuff you actually want.

Like on Mother's Day, whey you

said you didn't want a fuss, but

you did want a fuss? So we made

a fuss, and you were happy?

That can drive a guy nuts.

RED

(LOWERS PAPER) It really can.

KITTY

I didn't want a fuss.

HYDE/RED

Yes you did!

HYDE

So now I don't know exactly what

to do, or say, or not say, 'cuz

I don't want a party.

KITTY

Well I don't want to do anything

you don't want.

HYDE

(FRUSTRATED) See, I don't know

what that means!

KITTY

It means there's no party.

HYDE EYES HER DOUBTFULLY

KITTY (CONT'D)

Oh please! Would I lie about

making you a party? I'm hurt.

HYDE

Fine. Okay. Sorry.

RED

You lied.

KITTY

No, no. I said, "Would I lie?"

It was very tricky. I was like

Houdini, but with words.

The first part of the scene is an example of the way people say one thing but mean or imply another. For example, Kitty says she did not want a fuss for mother’s day, but she really did. This predicament of speech has definite rhetorical import. Knowing this can help one portray or express one’s message in the most advantageous way. It also creates considerable room for misunderstanding and misinterpretation. The gaps between speaker, audience, and message also allow one to express a meaning without being explicit, which is helpful when avoiding social taboos and distasteful subjects. The gaps can also allow one to evade prosecution or punishment for certain activities because one can always say either “I didn’t mean it that way” or “I didn’t actually say that”. In this scene, Kitty is radiant as she explains to Red that she didn’t actually lie because of the way she worded her response to Hyde’s concerns about her throwing him a party. I think her last statement encompasses a large portion of what rhetoric is; it’s being “like Houdini, but with words.”