Page 1: The Rhetorical Situation

• Rhetorical situation is the context in which communication occurs

• Consists of:

  • Writer/speaker

  • Audience

  • Purpose

  • Context

• Writer/speaker:

  • Creates the message

  • Must consider the audience and purpose

• Audience:

  • Receives the message

  • Interprets the message based on their own experiences and beliefs

• Purpose:

  • Reason for communicating

  • Can be to inform, persuade, entertain, etc.

• Context:

  • Includes the time, place, and social/cultural factors

  • Affects how the message is received and interpreted

Page 2: The Writing Process

• The writing process involves several stages:

  • Prewriting

  • Drafting

  • Revising

  • Editing

  • Publishing

• Prewriting:

  • Brainstorming ideas

  • Organizing thoughts

  • Creating an outline

• Drafting:

  • Putting ideas into sentences and paragraphs

  • Developing a rough draft

• Revising:

  • Reviewing and improving the content

  • Checking for clarity and coherence

• Editing:

  • Correcting grammar, punctuation, and spelling errors

  • Polishing the language

• Publishing:

  • Sharing the final product with others

  • May involve printing, posting online, etc.

Page 2: What is Rhetoric?

• Rhetoric is effective or persuasive writing or speaking

• Language that is intentionally crafted to persuade and entice the reader to side with the speaker/writer

• No writing/speaking exists within a vacuum, we are always using language to respond to beliefs, circumstances, and biases that influence what and how we speak and write

Supporting Details:

• Rhetoric aims to convince or persuade the audience

• It involves the use of rhetorical devices such as ethos, pathos, and logos

• Rhetoric is influenced by the speaker/writer's understanding of the audience's beliefs, values, and biases

• Context and circumstances play a significant role in shaping rhetoric

Page 3: The Rhetorical Situation

• The Rhetorical Situation is the exchange between author and audience on a given topic or subject.

Page 4: The Rhetorical Situation

• Why the writer: The writer's motivation for writing

  • Exploring a specific subject

• What the writer is writing about: The chosen topic

  • Subject of discussion

• Writer is seeking: The writer's goal or intention

  • Desire to achieve something from this subject

• The audience: The intended readers or listeners

  • Who the writer wants to communicate with

• Context: The circumstances surrounding the writing

  • Where and when the issue is relevant

• Exigence: The reason or need for writing

  • What prompts the writer to address the subject

• Purpose: The intended outcome or effect of the writing

  • What the writer aims to achieve through the writing

• Text: How the subject is presented to the audience

  • The manner in which the writer conveys the topic

Page 5: The Big Three- Writer, Audience, and Subject

• Writers

  • Identity and experiences shape how and what we write

  • Our ideas, beliefs, and values shape the kinds of writing

• Audience

  • Audience also brings their own ideas, emotions, and values to a piece of writing, which writers need to think about

• Subject/Topic

  • There are always prior writings that exist on any given subject, writers need to consider how they work factors in to that

Page 6: Purpose, Exigence, and Genre

Purpose

• What does the author want from the audience or do for audience?

  • To convince, to argue, to teach, to entertain

Exigence

• The start of the rhetorical situation, the why the writer is writing at that time and place on that given subject

  • What inspired the writer to write about the specific subject

Genre

• How the material is being passed to the audience

  • Speech, Essay, Podcast, Movie, Social media post

Page 7: Context!!

• Context Matters!

  • Where is the writer writing?

    • Bay Area

  • The writer is going to be influenced by the environment he/she/they lives in

  • How might living in the Bay Area affect you as a writer?

• When is the writer writing?

  • Is the writing writing in the 21st century? 18th century? Right after a war?

Page 8: The Flavia Bipkins Rhetorical Situation

• Flavia Bipkins is a renowned public speaker and author

• She has a unique rhetorical situation

• Her audience consists of young adults

• She aims to inspire and motivate them

• She wants to empower them to make positive changes in their lives

• She uses various rhetorical strategies to engage her audience

  • She incorporates personal anecdotes and stories

  • She uses humor to connect with her audience

  • She employs vivid imagery to paint a picture in their minds

  • She includes statistics and facts to support her arguments

Page 12: The Importance of Audience Analysis

• Understanding the audience is crucial for effective communication

• Flavia Bipkins emphasizes the importance of audience analysis

• She believes that tailoring the message to the audience leads to better engagement

• She suggests conducting research on the audience's demographics, interests, and values

• By knowing the audience, the speaker can adapt their language and content accordingly

• Flavia Bipkins provides examples of how she adjusts her speeches based on the audience

  • She uses simpler language for younger audiences

  • She includes pop culture references to connect with her audience

  • She addresses specific concerns and challenges faced by the audience

Page 15: The Power of Storytelling

• Flavia Bipkins believes in the power of storytelling

• She uses personal anecdotes to make her speeches relatable

• Stories create an emotional connection with the audience

• They help the audience remember the message

• Flavia Bipkins advises using storytelling techniques such as:

  • Creating a compelling narrative arc

  • Using descriptive language to engage the senses

  • Incorporating dialogue and character development

  • Using humor and suspense to captivate the audience

Background

• Ms. Flavia Bipkins, a wealthy Bay Area philanthropist and art collector

• Wants to donate a painting to Children’s Memorial Hospital in San Francisco

• The painting would hang in the Family Lounge in the Surgical Center

• Families wait in the lounge while a young family member undergoes surgery

• The wait is often stressful for family members

• Family members worry about the successful outcome of the medical procedures

Page 10:

Ms. Bipkins has a particular painting in mind, but she wants to make sure it is appropriate for the hospital setting. She has asked for a recommendation from the hospital's art committee.

Page 11:

The art committee is responsible for selecting and approving artwork for the hospital. They consider factors such as the theme, style, and subject matter of the artwork.

Page 12:

The committee members have reviewed Ms. Bipkins' proposed painting and have some concerns. They feel that the painting's subject matter may not be suitable for a hospital environment.

• Concerns about the subject matter of the proposed painting

Page 13:

The committee discusses the importance of selecting artwork that is calming and uplifting for the patients and their families.

• Importance of selecting calming and uplifting artwork

Page 14:

The committee suggests alternative paintings that would be more appropriate for the hospital setting.

• Suggestions for alternative paintings

Page 10: Flavia Bipkins' Art Donation

• Flavia Bipkins has an extensive art collection

• She has narrowed down her choices for donation to four paintings

• She wants to donate one painting to the Family Lounge at Children's Memorial Hospital

• She seeks guidance in making the selection

• Question: What is the most appropriate painting to adorn the Family Lounge?

Page 11

Questions to answer:

1. What purpose(s) should the paintings hanging in the waiting room serve for their audience (the “families [who] wait, sometimes for long periods, while a young family member undergoes surgery”)?

2. What do those families have in common? How might they differ?

3. Given your group’s answers to those questions, what “rules” can you generate for selecting a painting that would be appropriate for the waiting room?

Page 12

• Main Idea: Introduction to the topic

  • Speaker introduces the topic of the discussion

  • Provides a brief overview of what will be covered

Page 13: Monet

• Monet was a famous French painter

• He was one of the founders of the Impressionist movement

• Monet's most famous works include his series of paintings of water lilies

• He was known for his use of light and color in his paintings

• Monet's paintings often depicted scenes from nature, such as gardens and landscapes

• He was influenced by Japanese art and often incorporated elements of it into his work

Page 13: Monet's Early Life

• Monet was born on November 14, 1840, in Paris, France

• He showed an early talent for drawing and painting

• Monet studied at the Le Havre secondary school of the arts

• He later moved to Paris to pursue his artistic career

Page 13: Impressionism

• Impressionism was a 19th-century art movement

• It focused on capturing the fleeting effects of light and color

• Monet and other Impressionist painters often painted outdoors to capture the changing light and atmosphere

• Impressionist paintings were characterized by loose brushwork and an emphasis on capturing the essence of a scene rather than its details

Page 13: Monet's Water Lilies

• Monet's series of paintings of water lilies is considered his most famous and iconic work

• He painted these works in his garden at Giverny

• The paintings depict the water lilies and the reflections of the sky and trees in the water

• Monet's use of color and brushwork in these paintings is highly regarded

Page 13: Influence and Legacy

• Monet's work had a significant influence on the development of modern art

• His use of color and light paved the way for the Impressionist movement

• Monet's paintings continue to be highly regarded and are displayed in museums around the world

• His work has inspired countless artists and continues to be studied and appreciated today

Page 14

• Main Idea: Introduction to the topic

  • Speaker introduces the topic of the conversation

  • States the purpose of the discussion

Page 15:

• Main Idea: Introduction to the topic

  • Speaker introduces the topic of the conversation

  • States the purpose of the discussion

Page 16

• Numbers 2, 3, and 4

Page 17: Letter To Flavia Bipkins

An Introduction

• Note that you understand the tough decision and recognize what she is trying to accomplish with this donation

A Middle Paragraph

• A thorough evaluation of each of the art pieces

A Conclusion

• Explains why the art piece you selected is the best possible fit for the hospital wing

Page 18: Peer Review

• Please exchange laptops/share letters

Questions:

1. After reading the letter, how do you feel about your decision to donate a painting to Children’s Memorial Hospital?

2. What particular words, sentences, or sections in the letter make you feel that way?

3. How likely are you to want to donate again to Children’s Memorial Hospital after reading this letter?