THE RHETORICAL SITUATION

Lloyd Bitzer

RHETORICAL SITUATION

CALLS THE DISCOURSE INTO EXISTENCE

CRISIS SITUATION

INVITES APPLICATION OF METHOD AND CREATION OF DISCOURSE

WHAT MAKES A WORK RHETORICAL?

WHAT MAKES A WORK RHETORICAL?

RESPONSE TO A SITUATION OF A CERTAIN KIND

WHAT DOES BITZER SAY RHETORIC IS?

RHETORIC

MODE OF ALTERING REALITYBY CREATION OF DISCOURSE WHICH CHANGES REALITY THROUGH MEDIATION OF THOUGHT AND ACTION

HOW DOES RHETORIC ALTER REALITY?

ALTERS REALITY BY:

BRINGING INTO EXISTENCE A DISCOURSE THAT SO ENGAGES AUDIENCE IN THOUGHT AND ACTION THAT IT BECOMES A MEDIATOR OF CHANGE

RHETORICAL SITUATION NATURAL CONTEXT OF PERSONS, EVENTS,

OBJECTS, RELATIONS

EXIGENCE WHICH STRONGLY INVITES UTTERANCE

OBLIGED TO SPEAK

IMPERATIVE STIMULUS

WHAT ARE THE 7 THINGS THAT MAKE RHETORIC

SITUATIONAL?

RHETORIC IS SITUATIONAL

① EXISTS AS NECESSARY CONDITION OF RHETORICAL DISCOURSE

② SPEECH IS GIVEN RHETORICAL SIGNIFICANCE BY SITUATION

③ EXISTS AS NECESSARY CONDITION OF RHETORICAL DISCOURSE

④ MANY RHETORICAL SITUATIONS MATURE AND DECAY WITHOUT GIVING BIRTH TO RHETORICAL UTTERANCE

⑤NEEDS AND INVITES DISCOURSE CAPABLE OF PARTICIPATING WITH SITUATION AND THEREBY ALTERING ITS REALITY

⑥FUNCTIONS AS FITTING RESPONSE TO SITUATION WHICH NEEDS AND INVITES IT

⑦CONTROLS THE RHETORICAL RESPONSE

DEFINITION OF THE RHETORICAL SITUATION?

RHETORICAL SITUATION COMPLEX OF PERSONS, EVENS, OBJECTS,

AND RELATIONS PRESENTING AN ACTUAL OR POTENTIAL EXIGENCE WHICH CAN BE COMPLETELY OR PARTIALLY REMOVED IF DISCOURSE, INTRODUCED INTO THE SITUATION, CAN SO CONSTRAIN HUMAN DECISION OR ACTION TO BRING ABOUT SIGNIFICANT MODIFICATION OF EXIGENCE

WHAT ARE THE 3 CONSTITUENTS TO ANY

RHETORICAL SITUATION?

3 CONSTITUENTS TO ANY RHETORICAL SITUATION

EXIGENCE

AUDIENCE

CONSTRAINTS

EXIGENCE

EXIGENCE IMPERFECTION MARKED BY URGENCY

DEFECT, OBSTACLE

SOMETHING WAITING TO BE DONE

THING OTHER THAN IT SHOULD BE

EXIGENCE IS RHETORICAL WHEN . . .

EXIGENCE IS RHETORICAL WHEN:

CAPABLE OF POSITIVE MODIFICATION

WHEN POSITIVE MODIFICATION REQUIRES DISCOURSE OR CAN BE ASSISTED BY DISCOURSE

WHAT IS THE ORGANIZING PRINCIPLE

OF EXIGENCE?

1 CONTROLLING EXIGENCE FUNCTIONING AS ORGANIZING PRINCIPLE

AUDIENCE TO BE ADDRESSED

CHANGE TO BE EFFECTED

WHAT MAKES AN AUDIENCE RHETORICAL?

RHETORICAL AUDIENCE

THOSE PERSONS CAPABLE OF BEING INFLUENCED BY DISCOURSE AND OF BEING MEDIATORS OF CHANGE

CONSTRAINTS?

CONSTRAINTS

PERSONS, EVENTS, OBJECTS, RELATIONS THAT HAVE POWER TO CONSTRAIN DECISION AND ACTION NEEDED TO MODIFY EXIGENCE

7 FEATURES OF A RHETORICAL SITUATION?

RHETORICAL SITUATION① INVITATION TO CREATE AND

PRESENT DISCOURSE

② INVITES A FITTING RESPONSE

③ DICTATES PURPOSE, THEME, MATTER, AND STYLE OF RESPONSE

④ EXIGENCE LOCATED IN REALITY, OBSERVABLE AND PUBLICLY OBSERVABLE HISTORIC FACTS

⑤ WILL BE STRUCTURED (LOOSELY OR HIGHLY)

⑥ SOME MATURE OR DECAY

⑦ SOME MATURE AND PERSIST