The Rhetoric of Protest

Mod. 3 | The Rhetoric of Protest (Discussion)

All texts use rhetoric--rhetoric is all around us every day. TV commercials make rhetorical choices to sell you things, comedians make rhetorical choices to make their jokes funnier, and even advocacy groups make rhetorical choices about how to boycott, how to protest, in order to best get change, etc. It's really important for this class that you understand that all the texts we use for our research can be rhetorically analyzed--and should be rhetorically analyzed--in to better understand the purpose that writer had and the way that text has been "packaged" for us. But, now it's also time to really think about how you are packaging the texts that you are creating for your own project. This assignment helps us think through how all texts (not just written texts) use rhetoric.

Step 1: Post Do photographs and images use rhetoric? Below you’ll find 5 photographs with brief descriptions. Each of these photographs are considered to be "famous" and to have captured a particular political moment. You'll be asked to analyze the message of the photograph as well as learn more about the audience, purpose, and context. You must choose one photograph to write about.

Note: If you cannot see the images, try a different web browser. (Those using Safari may have difficulty.)

• Explain which photograph you chose. Look up the photograph to figure out when it was taken and what event/ situation inspired the event when it was taken. What was the context for the photograph? Where was it first published and who was the audience? Why do you think that the photo was published--what did it draw attention to or what

conversation in society was it responding to? Explain what you find. (Please write a paragraph--not just a sentence or two.)

• Do a rhetorical analysis of the photograph. Why did this photograph become so iconic? What choices are the people in the photograph making, what choices is the photographer making? Look closely. Explain thoroughly. (Again, at least a paragraph.)

• Reflect: What did you learn by thinking about how/why this image was so influential? ◦ How does this help you think through how your project

might be influential? Or what it means to be influential? ◦ In your research, have you seen an image (or type of

image) that's often shown to make a point? ◦ How do you think images make an impact in ways that

are different from the ways that written texts make an impact?

Step 2: Comment After you’ve posted your answers, respond to two classmates’ posts. Please focus your comments on what your peer posted for questions 3 and Each response should be at least 100 words long.

Photographs to choose from: