Wednesday 8/16/14

1. Wednesday 8/16/14 • 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 think the purpose or point of the movie was? - How do you know?

2. 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?

3. 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

4. What is the Rhetorical Triangle? • Shows the relationship between author, audience, purpose • Understanding these rhetorical elements makes both writing and analysis much clearer

5. The Rhetorical Triangle Purpose Author Audience

6. The Author / Speaker • Gender / racial / geographical/ socioeconomic/ political orientation of author • Author Bias / hidden agenda • Other important biographical information may affect text

7. 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?

8. 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?

9. 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)

10. Take out a sheet of paper and fold it in half. Think about the most fun you’ve had with one of your friends. • On the top half, write about a time when you have had the most fun you have ever had with one of your friends. Write as if you were describing this to another peer. Be sure to think about your purpose, audience, and how that will be reflected in your writing. • On the bottom half, write about that same experience, but this time write as if your were describing this to your parent, guardian or another adult. Think about the different ways you can change what you’ve already written to reflect a different purpose and audience. Make sure you show this in your writing.

11. Sources • Information taken from: Katrina Boone- http://www.slideshare.net/katrinaboone/purpose-and-audience-powerpoint