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?