Analyzing the Rhetorical Situation

Persona – the writer/speaker of the text. How does he/she want to be perceived? What does he/she presume about the audience? What is the most compelling evidence?

Intention – the purpose, or why, something was written.

Genre – the literary type: speech, novel, political article, newspaper ad, etc.

Subject – general topic/main ideaAudience – group of readers/listeners/viewers the

whom the piece is directed.Context – the time and place (setting); the event

causing the writing/speech to occur.

Has your teacher ever asked WHY the author used a certain type of repetition, or WHY a certain type of diction was used, etc.?

PIGSAC will help you to discover what is called the rhetorical situation, which must be done before the analysis of rhetoric.

In other words, to go beyond merely identifying devices, you need the idea for which you attach your analysis – the WHY.

Persona –

Intention –

Genre –

Subject –

Audience –

Context –

Persona –Red Cross; presumes audience has decency and sense of humanity; “Together we can save a life”

Intention – urges the giving of blood; elicits donations, volunteers.

Genre – poster, advertisement

Subject – public health, giving blood, saving lives

Audience – everyone, potential volunteers

Context – United States; 2004; shortage of blood; life-threatening

Appealing to common decency and the sense of humanity that “[t]ogether we can save a life,”the 2004 American Red Cross poster urges everyone to give blood to avert the potential of a life-threatening crisis within our families and within our communities.

In their 2004 poster, the American Red Cross, through its use of “[t]ogether, we can save a life” slogan, elicits both donations of life-saving blood and simple volunteer efforts from busy Americans.

Persona –

Intention –

Genre –

Subject –

Audience –

Context –

Persona – WPA War Services; John McCrady, presumes audience wants to keep soldiers safe, “This [enemy sinking U.S. ship] happens when YOU talk” Intention – The intent is to discourage talk about the war effort so the enemy does not hear something they shouldn’t.Genre – Advertisement, war posterSubject – World War II efforts, keeping soldiers safeAudience – U. S. CitizensContext – New Orleans, LA port of Departure; 1940s. World War II; fear of invasion of Continental U.S.

Now YOU create a synthesis statement using the brainstorm.

Use the information provided and your handout to PIGSAC the closing argument.

After you PIGSAC the argument, write a synthesis statement that is one-two sentences long.