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Explore how writers and photographers guide reactions through rhetorical strategies. Analyze WWII and 9/11 photos, discuss staging, cropping, and altering images, and delve into the narratives they convey.
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Viewing Writing Through the Lens of Photography By Cynthia J. Spence
Recognizing Rhetorical Strategies This assignment is designed to help students focus on the rhetorical strategies that are sometimes used by writers and photographers to guide their reader’s reactions.
Recognizing Rhetorical Strategies • Writers often make choices when presenting a “picture” of the topic • they are discussing.
Recognizing Rhetorical Strategies • Much like photographers, writers can crop, stage, color, or direct language in order to guide their reader’s attention to specific areas.
Examine the Pictures Two photos have been selected for this assignment . One photograph was taken during WWII and the other after 9/11. Visually examine both photographs or read the descriptions of each photograph.
Photograph One Description • The photograph is in black and white. An American flag is being raised by six soldiers. The flag, blowing in the wind, is leaning towards the left of the picture frame and is being lifted towards the right of the picture frame. Four soldiers are clearly visible, two are in the back. One soldier has his knee bent and is placing the end of the flag pole into the ground. The men are high on a hill and appear to be standing in a pile of wood and war debris. Five soldiers have their hands halfway up the flag pole which appears to be around twelve feet long. One soldier is reaching with both hands above his head and is just inches away from touching the pole. The soldiers are in uniform and are wearing helmets. No faces appear. The background is gray sky with a few dark clouds at the very top. No other soldiers or objects are in the picture.
Photograph Two Description • The flag pole is leaning the same direction as the previous photograph. The flagpole appears to be around twenty feet long. The top of the pole points towards the left of the frame. The flag is hanging midway down the pole and there does not appear to be a breeze. Three white male firefighters in uniform are in the picture. Two are raising the flag and the third man is standing in front of the flag, all three men are looking up as the flag is being raised. The entire background of the frame is a destroyed building with twisted metal and concrete. The background color is gray. The flag stands out in red, white, and blue, as does the fluorescent yellow stripes on the firefighters’ black uniforms. All three men are wearing their fire helmets. No other people are in the picture.
Writing Prompt Number One • Write a paragraph describing your feelings and thoughts regarding each photo. • What “story” do you think they tell?
Setting Up the Image In regards to the WWII picture, it has been suggested that this photograph was “staged” as a reenactment of the event because the original flag raising wasn’t photographed.
Altering the Image It has been suggested that the 9/11 photograph should be altered. Some believe that the ethnicity or gender of the three men in the photo should be changed in order to create a memorial that adequately represents the various ethnicities of the fallen 9/11 firefighters.
Writing Prompt Number Two • If the first photograph was staged, would the meaning behind the photograph’s story change? • How might altering the second photograph “slant” the story this particular picture tells? Would the main idea of the story remain the same?
Writing Prompt Number Three • Please provide an example of how a writer might crop, stage, color, or direct language in order present a certain image to the reader.
Group Discussion Post your three paragraph responses to the Discussion Thread on Blackboard. Respond to at least three other student posts.
References Birk, N. P. (2005). Selection, Slanting, and Charged Language Language Awareness: Readings for College Writers. Ed. Paul Eschholz. Boston: Bedford/St. Martins. Franklin, T. E. (2003). The After-Life of a Photo That Touched a Nation. Columbia Journalism Review. Rpt. in America Now: Short Readings from Recent Periodicals. Ed Robert Atwan. New York: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 4-6. Franklin, T. E. (photographer). (2001). Three Firefighters Raising the Flag [photograph], Retrieved April 24, 2010 from: http://littlegreenfootballs.com. Landsberg, M. (2008). Fifty Years Later, Iwo Jima Photographer Fights His Own Battle. Associated Press Rosenthal, J, (photographer). (1945) . Flag Raising at Iwo Jima [photograph], Retrieved April 24, 2010 from: http://littlegreenfootballs.com.
