Image Analysis

Instructions: The Image Analysis Thousands of images flash before our eyes every dayadvertisements, product labels, movie posters, funny memes, directional signs. Often we absorb these images and the messages they contain without a second thought. But a mindful approach to rhetoric lets us consider: Why are we being shown this image? By whom? And what do they want us to do/think/believe/feel? Consideration of the images rhetoric gives us space to determine how an image is intended to act upon its audience, which features of the image accomplish these rhetorical goals, and whether we want to be acted on by the image or not. This assignment asks you to take one image from popular media (from the options provided in the Canvas Week 3 module) and describe its rhetorical situation (audience, purpose, context, genre). You should also describe any rhetorical appeals (ethos, pathos, logos, kairos) at play in the image. The goal is to write a detailed, analytical essay that makes some argument about the image under consideration. Here are some questions you might want to address in your visual analysis: What is the message or purpose being communicated through the image? Who is the intended audience? What effects does the image have on that intended audience? What rhetorical appeals are consciously being used through the image? What elements are being used to further develop purpose or reach the audience? How is the image commenting on historical/social/political situations? How is the image playing into or subverting the preset roles or assumptions of their particular genres? (In other words, what do you expect a movie poster or album cover to do? Does this image do those things, or does it focus on accomplishing something else? Why might that be?) Getting Started: You will be able to choose the album cover, movie poster, advertisement, or magazine cover to analyze (see files in Week 2 module on Canvas for list of options). Its important to note that whatever image you select, you will need to think critically and deeply examine it. So even if you are familiar with the image, you will need to investigate it closely and research its context in order to better determine the purpose and audience. Context provides a foundation that helps us interpret images. You will need to provide a brief summary of the context toward the beginning of your analysis to help situate the reader. Remember the purpose of an analysis is to go over something in-detail. I want you to think more about depth and specificity, and less about coverage. The key to an in-depth visual analysis is providing thorough explanations of how your image connects to the rhetorical situation and draws on rhetorical appeals. The reader should be able to tell what the image looks like through your writing without having to look at the image itself. After you have selected your image, you should start researching the context, genre, and historical/social/political situations that surround it. This explanation of context will help you write a brief summary that will situate your reader into your analysis. After that, you will need to think about the purpose and audience and draw on specific elements of the image to communicate how and why those design elements reach the intended audience and convey the overall purpose of the image. Image Analysis Project Components 1. Rough Draft (minimum 750 words) – You will submit a rough draft of your Visual Analysis on Canvas. We will conduct peer review via the discussion feature in Canvas. About the Get Out Poster