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Think about the last movie you rented or saw at the movie theater. Answer the following questions in a paragraph. - Who do you think the intended audience was? - Why do you think that? - What do you the purpose or point of the movie was? - How do you know?. Author and Purpose.
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Think about the last movie you rented or saw at the movie theater. Answer the following questions in a paragraph. - Who do you think the intended audience was? - Why do you think that? - What do you the purpose or point of the movie was? - How do you know?
Author and Purpose As a reader and a writer, the first time you approach a text it is important to think about purpose and audience. Purpose An author’s purpose is his or her main reason for writing. Think: What is this for? Audience An author’s audience is the particular group of readers or viewers that the writer is addressing. Think: Who is this for?
Author’s Purpose • An author’s purpose is simply his or her reason for writing. • Common purposes include: --to inform/instruct (to give information or explain how to do something) --to persuade (to convince readers to do or believe something) --to entertain (to present humor or other enjoyable material) Chapter 10: Determining the Author's Purpose, Tone, Point of View, and Intended Audience
What is the Rhetorical Triangle? • Shows the relationship between author, audience, purpose • Understanding these rhetorical elements makes both writing and analysis much clearer
The Rhetorical Triangle Purpose Author Audience
The Author / Speaker • Gender / racial / geographical/ socioeconomic/ political orientation of author • Author Bias / hidden agenda • Other important biographical information may affect text
The Audience • Are they friend or foe? (hostile or sympathetic) • How will they receive the message? • How will they affect tone? style? • Who is the intentional audience? • Who is the unintentional audience? • Over time, does the message/effect of the message change as the audience changes?
The Purpose/Message • What is the main point being made? In other words, what is the writer’s / speaker’s thesis? • Look at the message as an argument / position being sold to the audience. What is the author trying to convince the audience of?
The Purpose/Message • Consider this when trying to identify the exact message: • What is the topic (1-2 words) about which the piece is written? • What is the most important aspect or perspective about that topic that the author wants you to understand? • What, exactly, does the author want the reader to think/do/feel/say? • What is the “no” on the other side of the author’s “yes?” (And vice versa)
Sources • Information taken from: Katrina Boone- http://www.slideshare.net/katrinaboone/purpose-and-audience-powerpoint