Blog 9

Rhetoric can be defined as situational and a method of altering the meaning, thought and action of reality. A rhetorical situation is mentioned as a combination of individuals, events, and objects that can produce an urgent demand, which has the power to be partially or completely eliminated if rhetorical discourse can inhibit a person’s action or choice to take the importance out of the need. This rhetorical situation, according the Blitzer, incorporates three distinct constituents. The first is the exigence, which is “an imperfection marked by urgency” that has the ability to be altered in a positive way.  In other words, it is something that needs to be done, an obstacle of some sort that can be changed. For instance, in this article, Blitzer mentions air pollution; it can be changed by reduction of pollution and it elicits discourse. The discourse being, public awareness. The second component is the audience. A rhetorical situation needs individuals who listen or read and can be influenced by the discourse to help create a change. For instance, with respect to the exigence being air pollution, the discourse would be public awareness and the audience would be the individuals who would take action in helping the reduction of air pollution. The last of the elements is a set of constraints, which are created by the people, objects, or events in the situation. These restraints function to limit the audience’s choice and action that are required for altering the urgent need. According to Blitzer, there are two main categories of restraints: the ones managed by the person using the rhetorical technique and the ones that are considered operative. For instance, someone’s beliefs, attitudes, traditions, interests, motives, and documents, facts, and images that guide the audiences decision and action to help change the exigence. All three of these components are comprise in a rhetorical situation.