rhetoric of videos using theme-criticism
Post on 23-Feb-2016
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RHETORIC OF VIDEOS
USING THEME-CRITICISM
An approach for the analysis of videos without an explicit claim
Prof. Q
SYMBOLIC CONVERGENCE THEORY Communication creates reality Symbols not only create the reality
for the individual, but that individual’s meaning of the symbols can converge to create a shared reality or community consciousness.
Convergence – consensus or general agreement on subjective meanings.
Fantasy – “the creative and imaginative interpretation of events” (98).
Fantasy-theme – the means through which the interpretation is accomplished in communication (98).
THEME CRITICISM Depicts characters, actions, and setting. These can be interpreted as “themes”. Fantasy situations must be removed
from the current group situation (past, future, elsewhere).
There must be an organized and artistic quality.
They must create a credible interpretation of an experience.
There can be varying levels of complexity.
THEMES Setting themes – statements that depict
where the action is taking place Character themes – describe the agents
or actors in the drama Action themes – describe the action that
takes place
FANTASY TYPE AND RHETORICAL VISION Fantasy-Type
When similar scenarios involving a particular setting, character, and action themes are shared by the members of a community.
Encourage groups to fit new events into familiar patterns.
Rhetorical VisionUnified putting-together of shared fantasies.Participation in a rhetorical vision motivates
individuals to particular actions.These actions make little sense to those not
participating in that rhetorical vision.
PROCEDURES Select an artifact Analyze the artifact Formulate a research question Write an essay
SELECTING THE ARTIFACT You should have some evidence that
Symbolic convergence has taken place There is a shared fantasy theme and
rhetorical vision Examples
Popular artifacts Artifacts created by popular figures
Important!!!11!!1ONE Artifacts should touch on themes that
resonate with the audience Both discursive and non-discursive
artifacts can be used with this approach
ANALYZING THE ARTIFACT Step 1: Coding the artifact
Carefully analyze the artifact sentence by sentence or image by image
Identify the settings theme Identify the characters theme
*Note: Nonhuman characters engaging in human actions count Identify the actions theme In case of a theme fitting in two or more categories, place
it on both Step 2: Constructing the rhetorical vision
Look for fantasy themes Identify the major themes Dismiss minor themes Construct rhetorical vision from themes patterns NOTE: Artifacts can have more than one rhetorical vision
FORMULATING A RESEARCH QUESTION Ask varied questions Using strategies to accomplish specific
objectives The kind of messages being
communicated through rhetorical visions
Implications of rhetorical visions for specific societies
WRITING A FIVE COMPONENTS ESSAY Introduction – discuss research
questions, rhetorical contribution, significance
Description of the artifact and its context
Description of the method of criticism to be used
Reports of findings of the analysisFantasy themes and rhetorical vision
Discussion of the contribution that the analysis makes to rhetorical theory
EXAMPLE 1: P!NK’S “DEAR MR. PRESIDENT”Dear Mr. President, Come take a walk with me.Let’s pretend we’re just two people andYou’re not better than me.I’d like to ask you some questions if we can speak
honestly.
What do you feel when you see all those homeless on the street?
What do you pray for at night when you go to sleep?
What do you feel when you look into the mirror?Are you proud?
SHORT ANALYSIS - CODING Setting themes: Street and night Character themes: Mr. President, me, we, two people, I,
you, and homeless. Mr. President = You We = two people Total characters: ‘You’, ‘I’, ‘We’, ‘Homeless’.
Action themes: Take a walk (we) Pretend (we) Ask (I) Speak honestly (we) Feel (you) See (you) Pray (you) Sleep (you) Look in the mirror (you)
SHORT ANALYSIS – RHETORICAL VISION Link setting and action themes to
character themes.Mr President <link> Pretend you’re not
better than meMr President <link> Speak honestly for
onceMr President <link> Pray, look in the mirror,
feel
Rhetorical vision: the president (or on a broader level politicians) are deceitful liars who think themselves better than others and don’t have any empathy
ANOTHER EXAMPLE
CODING Setting Themes: Classroom, “last year”,
“this year”, “next year” Character themes: “I”, “you”, “last
year’s teacher”, “this year’s teacher”, “next year’s teacher”
Action themes: “teach (not)”, “learn”, “skip”, “remember”
RHETORICAL VISION I (teacher) <link> not teach, skip You (student / viewer) learn, remember
Rhetorical Vision: Teachers skip over important stuff and then expect students to know the content.
QUESTIONS?
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