Monday, January 13, 2014

Journal #1

A rhetorical situation is one that is described by Bitzer as "a clear instance of rhetoric" and something that "indicates the presence of a situation." Whereas a genre is noted by Dirk as something more than a type of book, but rather a part of our daily lives. Carolyn Miller states that “a rhetorical sound definition of genre…must be centered on the action it is used to accomplish.”   Rhetorical situations and genres are connected to one another because a new genre can be the result of a situation that requires a response. When a situation begins to be repeatedly faced, a genre is formed in order to better understand and deal with the situation at hand.  When dealing with situations, genres can also keep writing from being slowed down in the process.


When it comes to understanding everyday writing, we must consider that different situations call for different genres to be used. Knowing what situation calls for which genre can help us to get things accomplished. Being able to understand genre in everyday writing can help to understand how they can rhetorically function. Like Claire mentioned, we must question each genre by knowing the points that Dirk has proposed. I agree with her that in doing what has been proposed by Dirk can help with genres of writing as if it were a rhetorical situation. We must, at the least bit, be aware of different genres in writing and the function of some of these genres in order to know what genre is used for which situation.

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