Journal #1: Rhetorical Situation and Genre

Rhetorical situations and genre are similar in the sense that they both acknowledge and respond to situations.  In "The Rhetorical Situation", Blitzer depicts these as being a medium (such as a speech) which is made up of an urgent situation, an audience, and constraints.  It can then be understood that rhetorical situations find their identity in the roots they originated in, or the context they came about from.  Speeches, such as the Gettysburg Address, are considered an appropriate example of a rhetorical situation due to the fact that they are written in response to a predicament being faced.  Genre on the other hand responds to situations by allowing a writer to choose an effective avenue in order to act appropriately in a situation. Dirk explains that genre is more than just defining types, but having the knowledge to master and use these types in certain circumstances. This intertwines the idea of rhetorical situation with genre in the sense that both techniques involve being sensitive to a situation in order to later convey an effective message.

Dirk also presses that we should be aware of many different genres, because they could ultimately help us become better everyday writers in the long run.  For example, she explains being versed in genres can help people accomplish goals such as, "getting a job by knowing how to write a stellar resume," or "winning a person's heart by writing a romantic love letter."  By understanding how to use both rhetorical situation and genre, we can learn to apply them in our own writing.  I agree with Joey that by reading these two article, I feel that I will be able to recognize these techniques in other writing more easily and ultimately better understand the message being conveyed.