ENC 1101
Rhetorical Analysis
By: Leanna Tamburello
Purpose:
• To raise and support breast cancer awareness.
Keith Grant-Davie
“When we study history,
our first question may be
‘what happened?’ but the
more important question,
the question whose answer
offers hope of learning for the future as well as
understanding the past, is
‘why did it happen?’”
Precedence…
The original ‘R
osie
The Riveter’ w
as
a poster m
ade in
1942 during W
orld
War 2.
When?? Purpose??To encourage American Women to join the work force and produce war supplies…to attract women to jobs that were traditionally occupied by men
Exigence??
Women are not only beautiful but STRONG, women can do anything, especially when men say they can’t...
Context?? Patriotic colors Movement of
muscle to show strength
Bold white text Rolled up sleeves
and bandana for “down and dirty”
Obviously, a female to emphasize feminism.
(Rosie’s Employment Badge)
-Grant-Davie
“The often complex interaction of these multiple rhetors and audiences should be considered. What follows, then, are definitions and discussions of the four
constituents I see in rhetorical situations: exigence, rhetors, audiences, and
constraints.”
Context
Pink breast cancer awareness ribbon on collar
Gives hope and faith for those and their families fighting cancer.
Pink is the main
color of the ad
because that is
what color the
breast cancer
ribbon is. It’s also
very feminine.‘We Can Cure It!’ is bolded, and in white, when the rest of the poster is in pink, which adds emphasis to the purpose.
Showing her ‘muscle’ to symbolize strength and power.
She has a very stern and serious face. Her eyebrow is raised which leads us to think “this is serious!”
Rolled up sleeves:to show willingness to get a little messy and take whatever life throws at her.
Rosie The Riveter
Saying “we” instead of “you” gives sense of unity.
“…in my scheme I propose that this question be the second of three that [one should] ask, respectively, what the
discourse is about, why it is needed, and what it should accomplish.”
-Grant-Davie
What Is Exigence All About?
Exigence
• women are strong, hence the showing of the muscle in the picture, and that women can be strong enough to beat breast cancer and cure it.
Achievement of Rhetorical Objectives
“A discourse may
have primary and
secondary audiences,
audiences that are
present and those
that have yet to
form, audiences that
act collaboratively or
as individuals,
audiences about
whom the rhetor
knows little or
audiences that only
exist in the rhetor’s
mind.”
-Grant-Davie
Audience
• Primary: women who have breast cancer and provides motivation that women are strong and can beat anything.
• Secondary: Anyone and everyone! To raise awareness of the situation and makes sure that other people contribute to the awareness and give motivation to those battling it.
• People of all ages, everyone is affected by cancer no matter how old, whether you or someone you know or even do not know, is battling it.
Constrain
ts
“Working either for or against the rhetor’s objectives.”
“All factors in the situation, aside from the rhetor and the audience, that may
lead the audience to be either more or less sympathetic to the discourse, and that
may therefore influence the rhetor’s response
to the situation.”
-Grant-Davie
Positive Constraints
Fighting breast cancer is one of the hardest experiences a woman could go through. A positive constraint could be other’s seeing there is hope and that having a positive
attitude is the key to a successful recovery. Which this
photo shows.
Some people need the extra boost and need to remember, they are strong, and that CAN make it and are NOT alone.
Hope, Faith, and Positive Energy (Positive Constraint)
Negative Constraints The biggest negative
constraint against this poster would be if a someone is anti-feminist. Today our society can treat women so harshly and not believe they can be so superior and fight.
Not only for the breast cancer poster, but also the original, a negative constraint could be that Rosie is white.
Also, some people may be upset that there is a woman on the poster, when both men and women can get breast cancer.
Anti-FeminismHow our society treats women…
(Negative Constraint)
-Unknown
Ethos…• People tend to read and listen to ads that catch
their attention, or if it is a remake of an old ad, they may have respect for it. The historic patriotic ad was huge for women back in the day and today I am sure many women have respect for it and would give it a second look. Then, due to the trust people have towards the history of the original, ‘We Can Cure It’ will give people hope for the future of breast cancer awareness.
Pathos…• This situation is something that definitely emotionally affects people in a
huge way. It is very hopeful, and persuading to people because of its history and its exigence.
• The fact that the logo says “We Can Do It!” as opposed to “You Can Do It!” shows pathos in the audience because the women feel like they aren’t alone. They feel like they are part of something greater than themselves. It incites a feeling of unity because they believe that there are strong women in their midst who will guide and help them through these hardships.
Reading “We Can Cure It” can emotionally help
someone through their
tuff battle.
Logos…• Women who are happier and have a
better, more positive mind-set while fighting breast cancer have a higher percentage rate of surviving than those who feel depressed and sad.
People with hopeful mindsets and helpful families have a higher % of fighting!
This poster has become famous all over the world in many ways…it’s precedence has influenced many lives…
Can Rosie effectively get her point across to
the audience with the tough girl attitude, pink
outfit, breast cancer awareness ribbons and
most importantly, rhetorical appeal???
• Grant-Davie, Keith. "Rhetorical
Situations and Their Constituents."
Rhetoric Review. (1997): 264-79. Print.
• Carroll, Laura. "Backpacks vs.
Briefcases: Steps toward Rhetorical
Analysis." Parlor Press. (2010): n.p. Print.
• Haas, Christina, and Linda Flower.
"Rhetorical Reading Strategies and the
Construction of Meaning.” College
Composition and Communication.
(1988): 167-83. Print.
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