Monday, January 23, 2012

Blog Post#3: Artifact Presentation (Due 1/31)

Choose a pop culture text (movie, TV program, song, cartoon, comic strip, or advertisement) that you are interested in analyzing through a dramatistic perspective (see chapter 4 in our textbook).  In 2-3 minutes, present your text to the class on 1/31 (presentations might continue on 2/2).  For this presentation, briefly describe the text of your choice.  Tell us why you have chosen to analyze it.  Identify the five elements of the pentad in the text:
*Act
*Agent
*Agency
*Scene
*Purpose

Also identify what seems to be featured as the main point of the drama--e.g., what have been offered as reasons for the behavior.  What is justified in what ways?  Etc.

Note that you don't have to write a complete analysis yet; this will serve as an exploratory prewriting assignment for your upcoming essay using a dramatistic perspective (Essay #1).  The presentations and a preliminary discussion of artifacts are also part of the process.  During the presentations, class members may provide suggestions to others and get ideas about their own work.

***All blog post assignments are due by the beginning of the class period on the due date stated in the blog title.

Monday, January 16, 2012

Blog Post #2: Public Speech in Pop Culture Texts (Due 1/19)

Find a TV program or commercial, which includes the delivery of a speech.  Create a new post in your blog in which you examine what the speech is communicating through a Neo-Aristotelian perspective.

*What is the context?  Who is the audience for the speech?  What may be some of the audience expectations?
*Identify the five canons of rhetoric in the speech.
*What implications might the message of the speech have on viewers?

Be prepared to share your text and short analysis in the class.  Include a link to any online videos and/or transcript of the speech.

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Blog Post #1: Introduction (Due 1/17)

***All blog post assignments are due by the beginning of the class period on the due date stated in the blog title.

Once you have created your course blog, email your link to the instructor, and create a new "introductory" post in your own blog.  Remember that, in your blog, you are not just addressing your thoughts to yourselves; you have a broader audience since virtually anyone can access blogs online.  By making an introductory post, you will be making it clear to your audiences "what" your text is about and "who" the writer is (rhetorical considerations).  So, tell us about yourself. 
*What is your name?
*What is your major? What are your reasons for choosing it (what would you like to do with your degree, etc)?
*Optionally, you can also tell your readers about where you are from and anything you would like to add about yourself--something interesting, unique, like a hobby, etc.)
*Why have you created this blog (note that it is for Rhet/Pop culture course, etc)?

Welcome to ENGL 395 Rhetoric & Pop Culture!

Dear Students of ENGL 395 (Rhetoric & Pop Culture):

Welcome to our course blog! This blog will serve as a medium for us to communicate about our course, which will allow you to study theoretical concepts and various methods for conducting rhetorical analysis of popular texts, including TV programs, advertisements, comics, music, and movies.