Profile Process Piece: Analyzing the Rhetorical Situation
Week 1 Assignment
Please answer the following questions in complete sentence and paragraph format. Although this is not a formal essay assignment, please note that proper spelling, grammar, and sentence structure are required. This week’s lecture and Chapters 2 and 3 in your text will help you work through some of the terms within the rhetorical situation.
Defining Topic, Angle, Purpose
1. What is your chosen topic? (For example: a profile of Barb Collins, a volunteer at the local homeless shelter; a profile of “Shipwreck Days,” a citywide flea market and festival; or a profile of Burdick’s Grocery, the oldest family-owned business in town.)
I am choosing to write about Joe; a childhood and lifelong friend.
2. What unique angle can you present on this topic? (Consider what is new about the topic or what unique perspective can be shared about this topic.)
The unique angle I will present is the perspective of the observer and friend. Since I have known him most of my life, it is easy for me to speak about him. We came from the same area growing up and he has overcome many of life’s tests and trials to come out on top, no matter what the consequences or sacrifices.
3. What is your purpose for writing? (What do you hope to accomplish? Why are you writing?)
My purpose for writing this is to bring to light that the friends we make in childhood, and the journey we take in life, will always lead us back to the ones who will always be there. Not only as a person to emulate, but also a person that you would have never suspected to be friends with for so long. How many childhood friends have you lost contact with? The answer for most people would be; too many too count. This is typical in any society.
Analyzing your Readers
You will be writing your Profile essay to your local community. Imagine you might submit the Profile to your local newspaper or have it shared in a community newsletter; the readers of those publications make up your target audience. In two to three paragraphs, define your local community and describe what makes it unique. What are the needs, expectations, motivations, backgrounds, demographics, and experiences of community members? How will those influences impact your word choice, level of formality, and overall message?
The community of Bay Point is unique in that it is a safe place to live. It seems that nowadays, crime is rampant and always on the rise. However, here it seems another world away. There is a strong sense of community here and I believe it can be counted as one of our needs. We are not just neighbors, but a family. We expect everyone to help in keeping our community safe and secure. What motivates us is having that strong sense of community and knowing that help is never far away if needed. There is no crime; every neighbor looks out for one another, kids playing in the yards. Almost everyone in the community is a government worker and the rest are ex-military. We have a diverse ethnic community (white, black, Asian) living here. Every weekend there is a barbeque at someone’s home where everyone is invited. You could say it is almost too good to be true. There was an incident once where the police had to be called; a neighbor that lived three doors down had his house broken into through the back door. The criminal would have got away with it if the surrounding neighbors were not looking after his place while he was on vacation. By time the local police department had arrived, the criminal was detained by one the neighbors by the name of Joe a former Marine and Navy Seal.
Reflecting on