Description
As we continue, we’d like to keep on thinking about how we can add to our vocabulary that helps us understand rhetoric, how design creates effect.
Let’s stop and review for a second:
Rhetoric = the study of persuasion. Rhetoric looks to understand how the design of communication generates an effect, rather than testing communication to see if it is true or false. As the study of persuasion, rhetoric is interested in what communication does.
If rhetoric is interested in how the design of communication creates an effect, then it is also interested in the situation where communication occurs.
Rhetorical Situation helps describe how communication relates to context. Audience, purpose, and strategy help us think about how design choices are often situational.
A shorthand formula like Audience + Purpose = Strategy helps direct our attention to how communication looks to achieve its effective goal in light of its audience. .
With this in mind, we can continue to expand our vocabulary for rhetoric.
Tropes = common strategies or design choices that are found in similar rhetorical situations. “Tropes” are often easily recognizable and help determine who the intended audience might be and what the intended purpose might be.
With all of this in mind, please consider the following:
Articulate a single trope that you think you can find in at least three different texts. Give the trope a “name” even if it’s a provisional one and describe its general features and patterns. For example, you might think that various public service announcements use the “gross out” trope to get people to stop their behavior.
Find at least 2-3 texts where this trope is present. Like the other assignments, be sure to include the text or a link to the text in the canvas post.
Explain for each text how you see the trope in that text. Are there changes that occur from text to text? If so, what are they?
For the first bullet point, consider writing approx. 150 – 200 words. Then for the third bullet point consider writing approx. 250 words.
Format
Approx. 750 words
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Example 1
https://www.undo.org/secondhand-dangers
The trope that I believe that I can find in at least three different texts would be called the
“frighten/scare or change behavior trope”. The idea or goal of this trope would be to frighten or
potentially scare someone into changing their behavior for the better. This could be changing
their behavior for health reasons, lawful reasons, and potentially even safety reasons. The idea is
that when an individual sees this trope, they start to think about themselves and how their
behavior can lead to some negative consequences. A common feature or pattern connected to
the frighten or scare or change behavior trope would be that it is intended to prevent serious
consequences that many individuals may face in their daily lives. Most if not all of these
consequences are easily preventable, and when seeing this type of trope an individual may start
to realize this and change their behavior for the better. People may also feel a type of guilt related
to this trope which can cause them to change.
https://www.undo.org/secondhand-dangers
The link above is an article based on secondhand smoke and the consequences that many
individuals can face with it. The trope in this text can be recognized in multiple areas, which are
made to frighten a potential smoker into quitting their habit. For example, it talks about cancer,
lung harm, brain harm, and even heart harm. Many smokers have kids or family members who live
with them and are potentially degrading their loved ones’ health. This can frighten an individual
who is a regular smoker into quitting by reading about the potential harms or dangers that they
are exposing their loved ones to. It expresses how children who have been diagnosed with
asthma are exposed to secondhand smoke can have much more severe asthma attacks. This can
of course create more problems for their lungs and make their life even more difficult than
before. If an individual truly cares about the health of their loved one, they would consider
quitting completely or at least start smoking when their loved ones are not around. The thought
of a loved one being harmed or in danger can cause many people to change their behavior for the
better. The thought of a loved one suffering because of actions that you are doing can be
frightening and scare you away from that type of behavior in the future.
Overconfidence: When Workers Ignore Safety in Favor of Skills
The link above is about an article involving traffic workplace safety measures that were ultimately
ignored, leading to detrimental consequences for the individuals involved. Many people can
ignore workplace safety measures due to potential shortcuts in time, laziness, or even just out of
pure ignorance. The article above talks about an individual who was so overconfident in himself
and did not comply with workplace safety measures due to this reason. He ended up damaging
pipelines and buildings with a cost of over $10 million in damages. Luckily nobody was hurt in the
explosion, however, this could have ended completely differently. The trope in this text regards
the dollars in damages done as well as talking about how the operator and company itself can
lose their license and jobs. The trope also expresses how many lives could have been lost in the
incident. Losing your job and potentially killing or causing millions of dollars in damage can
definitely scare or frighten a person into changing their behavior and complying with the safety
measures put in place. This could have all been completely avoided and prevented if the operator
had followed the safety measures that were put in place. Instead, it seems that he was
overconfident in himself and decided to take a shortcut. This proved to be an enormous mistake,
and I would be shocked if this person was still involved in this type of work today. The trope in
this text essentially has the same intention as the previous article, with the goal of a change of
behavior and to frighten or scare a person away from consequential actions.
https://jpcannonlawfirm.com/2022/02/how-a-felony-conviction-can-affect-yourlife/#:~:text=He%20or%20she%20will%20no,and%20own%20or%20possess%20firearms.&text
=It%20can%20be%20very%20difficult,violent%20crime%20or%20sex%20crime.
Example 2
The type of trope I would like to discuss and tackle in 2 different texts is the “scare tactic trope”.
This type of trope can be described as promoting ideas and movements by scaring individuals so
that they can reflect on themselves in their lives and try to change their way of thinking or in
doing things. This scare tactic trope can affect an individual deeply because it makes the
individual really think about the consequences of their actions and how they can affect either
their loved ones or the people around them. These types of scare tactics can be very broad but
still overall convey the same message of change of either someone’s character or their actions
that they are currently doing in their lives. But it may not only trigger the emotion of fear from
people doing these actions, it may trigger a feeling of guilt because it may allow the individual to
think that they are causing harm in the world and generally people see themselves as good
individuals. No one wakes up during the day and believes to themselves that they are going to do
harm to the world, they want to invoke goodness and if these scare tactic tropes are making them
think that they are doing evil, then they’re going to stop.
https://www.nhtsa.gov/campaign/drive-sober-or-get-pulled-overLinks to an external site.
The first link above that I would like to describe is the consequences of drunk driving and how
that can cause damage upon the world. The first thing this article does is scare people in drinking
and driving and telling people to either drive sober or get pulled over. This consequence in itself
is huge because you will be fined and will have to spend a night at jail if you are caught drinking
and driving. Another big scare tactic type of trope it conveys is the consequences of not being
pulled over sense drinking and driving does affect your driving skills and can cause you to get in
a car accident. This can cause major harm to yourself and others around you, this is something
that can also eventually lead into death. This type of scare trope is telling people that drink and
drive that it is very dangerous and lives can be drastically affected or even taken if you go ahead
and do something like this. The scare tactic type of approach can be amplified by introducing the
effect of affecting the lives of your loved ones. Because firstly you can be driving your loved
ones home drunk and if you get in a car accident then you may be hurting them or even
potentially taking their lives. Just the thought alone of either getting yourself hurt or getting
people around you hurt should be enough to scare someone into getting their lives into order by
not drinking and driving.
https://www.tobaccofreekids.org/problem/toll-usLinks to an external site.
The second link above is titled the toll of tobacco in the united states of America, which in itself
is meant to scare you about the effects of smoking and the consumption use of tobacco. Instead
of using other small scale scare tactics, this article instead shows you the straight up facts on
tobacco use in America and how many deaths have led to. This does not just extend to adults
using tobacco, but children consuming tobacco as well. It shows children under the age of 18
exposing themselves to smoking and how many lives tobacco has been taken by them just being
introduced to this. This is a very important statistic to keep in mind because in the United States,
it is illegal to smoke under the age of 18, and the fact of kids smoking under that age limit is
scary in itself. Someone is introducing smoking to these kids and causing them to drastically
affect their lives by smoking, which in itself is scary and can cause people to cry out and demand
for change. People may relate these statistics to their loved ones that may be addicted to tobacco
and may protest to them out of love to stop smoking so they can live a longer and a more
fulfilled life. From showing the raw statistics of death related to smoking it can have a drastic
type of effect on someone’s perception of the drug use and cause them to have fear for either
there own lives or there loved ones lives, which can lead to either a more limited approach of
tobacco use or it may scare them enough to even quit smoking altogether. This is a perfect
example of the “scare tactic trope” in action and its effectiveness can be proven time and time
again without fail.
Example 3
The “Just Say No” trope refers to a persuasive strategy that encourages individuals to
reject or abstain from a particular behavior or activity by simplifying the decision-making
process. The message is intentionally straightforward and concise. It suggests that
individuals can make a positive choice by refusing to engage in a specific behavior
without needing extensive information or reasoning. The trope is designed to empower
individuals, especially young people, to take control of their decisions and resist external
pressures. By simplifying the message to a direct and assertive command, it conveys a
sense of personal agency. The trope often carries a moral undertone, framing the
decision to “just say no” as a morally upright choice. It implies that resisting the targeted
behavior is not only a practical decision but also a morally virtuous one. The “Just Say
No” trope is commonly used in prevention campaigns, aiming to discourage certain
behaviors before they occur. It’s particularly associated with efforts to prevent drug
abuse and addiction. The campaign that popularized the “Just Say No” phrase primarily
targeted young people, emphasizing the importance of making positive choices and
avoiding potentially harmful behaviors early in life. While the “Just Say No” trope has
been used in various contexts, it is most closely associated with anti-drug campaigns.
However, its effectiveness has been a subject of debate. Critics argue that the approach
oversimplifies complex issues, neglects the underlying causes of certain behaviors, and
may not be as effective as comprehensive education and support programs. Proponents,
on the other hand, see its value in delivering a clear and memorable message, especially
in prevention-focused initiatives.
Nancy Reagan’s “Just Say No” campaignLinks to an external site.
Nancy Reagan’s “Just Say No” campaign, launched in the 1980s during her tenure as
First Lady of the United States, aimed to address the issue of drug abuse, especially
among young people. The campaign utilized the “Just Say No” trope in various texts,
including speeches, public service announcements, and promotional materials. In Nancy
Reagan’s speeches advocating the “Just Say No” campaign, the trope is evident in the
simplicity and directness of the message. The speeches often featured the First Lady
encouraging young people to make a clear and unequivocal choice to reject drugs. The
language used was straightforward, emphasizing the power of personal agency and the
moral virtue of resisting drugs. The trope was deployed to empower individuals by
presenting the decision to say no as a straightforward and virtuous act. The “Just Say
No” trope is particularly noticeable in the public service announcements associated with
the campaign. These short video clips or audio messages often featured young people
faced with the choice of using drugs. The characters would confidently respond with a
resounding “No” to illustrate the simplicity and clarity of the decision. The trope was
used to convey a prevention-focused message, urging individuals to reject drugs before
becoming involved in substance abuse. The campaign utilized various promotional
materials, including posters, pamphlets, and other visuals. These materials prominently
featured the “Just Say No” slogan, often accompanied by images of young people
confidently making the choice to reject drugs. The trope was visually represented
through the simplicity of the message and the empowerment of individuals to take
control of their decisions. The moral clarity associated with the trope was reinforced
through the visuals and accompanying text. Overall, in each of these texts associated
with Nancy Reagan’s “Just Say No” campaign, the trope is evident in its emphasis on
simplicity, empowerment, moral clarity, and a youth-centric approach. The campaign
sought to make a lasting impression on young minds by delivering a clear and memorable
message that encouraged them to resist the pressures of drug use through a
straightforward and virtuous choice.
D.A.R.E website;Links to an external site. History about D.A.R.ELinks to an external site.
The D.A.R.E. (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) program is an educational initiative
aimed at preventing drug abuse among young people. The program employs various
texts, including curriculum materials, promotional materials, and presentations. The
D.A.R.E. curriculum materials, often used in schools, incorporate the “Just Say No” trope
by providing students with clear information about the dangers of drug abuse. Lessons
focus on empowering students to make informed and responsible choices, often
encouraging them to assertively say no to drugs. The curriculum simplifies the message
to emphasize the importance of making a resolute decision against substance abuse. The
D.A.R.E. program utilizes promotional materials such as posters, brochures, and stickers
to reinforce its anti-drug message. These materials often feature slogans, visuals, and
graphics that encourage young people to resist peer pressure and make healthy choices.
The “Just Say No” trope is evident in these materials through its emphasis on simplicity,
moral clarity, and empowerment, aiming to create a memorable and persuasive message
for the target audience. D.A.R.E. officers frequently conduct presentations and
assemblies in schools to engage students in discussions about the dangers of drug abuse.
During these sessions, the “Just Say No” trope is incorporated by encouraging students
to vocally and confidently reject offers or temptations involving drugs. The presentations
often use real-life scenarios to demonstrate the importance of making the right choices
and resisting external pressures. As part of the D.A.R.E. program, students are often
encouraged to take pledges or engage in activities that promote a commitment to a
drug-free lifestyle. These pledges typically involve affirming the decision to say no to
drugs. The “Just Say No” trope is employed in these activities to instill a sense of
personal responsibility and moral conviction, fostering a proactive approach to avoiding
substance abuse. In each type of text associated with the D.A.R.E. program, the “Just Say
No” trope is utilized to create a clear, memorable, and empowering message. The
program aims to equip young people with the knowledge and confidence to resist the
influences of drug use by simplifying the decision-making process and emphasizing the
moral and personal virtues of making a resolute choice against substance abuse. The
trope in this text essentially has the same intention as the previous article.
Example 4
The trope that I found in all three images below is a “scare trope”. The motive is to scare
the audience in a way to makes them think twice and avoid pursuing whatever the
subject is. This is typically for a positive and favorable outcome for the individual and
could affect other parties as well. The idea is to present something exaggeratedly to
quite literally frighten or scare the audience. It is most useful for advertisements about
smoking, drinking, road rage, drugs, etc. The audience is intended to interpret and
visualize the trope in a realistic manner and see how that might apply to their life. It
coerces overthinking and panic which, if successful, will persuade and encourage the
audience to stop or maybe prevent them from even considering pursuing whatever
target is presented. Scare tropes are reasonably successful because they are easy to
interpret and show the extremities.
In the examples I chose, they are all variations of the same idea, which is how smoking
can impact children. The first image represents a pacifier with a cigarette butt as the
“nipple”. There are very limited words on the screen because the image says a lot. The
idea is to scare parents away from smoking because of how secondhand smoke can
affect a child. They may not be worried about how it may affect them, but if it can
equally harm their child, it is a different story. This would be rather successful because,
typically, parents will begin to panic if their kid is in harm, especially if they are the ones
responsible for it. A parent’s job is to keep their child out of harm’s way. The pacifier
represents the child, which is fairly logical and easy to interpret, which could be more
beneficial for the outcome of this trope. Secondhand smoke is being presented as the
equivalent of a child smoking. This may generate some form of guilt or fear in the parent,
which hopefully will persuade them to stop smoking. However, I also noticed that
because the image is so simple and does not say much, it leaves the outcome openended, which could make the audience panic more because they do not want to find out
the potential consequences.
This next example is similar to the one above. However, it focuses more on the children
being influenced by their parents. The crayons in the cigarette box show that the
children are the ones being affected, and every time their parents open the cigarette box
that is what they should be thinking of. The visual is disturbing to where it should force
the parents to think twice and predict possible outcomes for their children if they
continue to smoke. Rather than emphasizing secondhand smoke like the example above,
it shows the possibility of children taking on their parents’ bad habits one day. Children
are easily influenced by their parents and typically idolize them and the things they do.
That is the purpose of this example as a memo to not forget that if you do not want your
child to follow everything you do, you might want to consider quitting. People pick up
bad habits by being around others, so this is something the creator wanted parents to
visualize and think about. This is a scare tactic for the parents. After all, they would not
want their child to ruin their life by smoking because they were influenced by mom or
dad.
This final example is the one that stood out to me the most. I am not a smoker, but it
hurt me to see this. It makes me want to show others who smoke around their children
to keep this in the back of their minds. Both my parents are smokers and when I was a
kid, my dad would smoke in the car and this is an exact representation of what it felt like
ingesting the secondhand smoke. The images show crying children with smoke
surrounding their heads as if it were a plastic bag suffocating them. This is a strong scare
tactic that emphasizes how serious secondhand smoke is on a child’s health. This
example is a bit more graphic than the others and has no words at all because the
pictures say enough. It is very easy to interpret and even if you are not the targeted
audience, you feel some sort of sadness or sympathy when viewing this image. From a
parent’s perspective, this would be extremely impactful because they would feel
immense amounts of guilt and would now visualize smoking around their kids as the
equivalent of suffocating them with a plastic bag. Once, again, similar idea compared to
the other examples, but may receive a stronger outcome due to the intensity.
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