Audience

               Understanding the audience a piece of rhetoric is directed towards is essential.  The purpose and methods used will be drastically different based on the audience’s preconceptions of the subject.  In example one, the photographs audience was the Greensboro Record’s subscribers.  This audience was most likely diverse in background and opinion, as it is unlikely a town such as Greensboro would release multiple papers for different political affiliations.  As a result, the photograph, and the accompanying article, was taken to avoid disagreement that would harm the business.  The audience in the second example can be split into different categories.  The first is the Sunset Strip protesters the song is written for.  These people will have a stronger emotional connection with the song than those aware of, but not directly influenced by the curfew.  The final audience came about unintentionally.  Many people interpreted the song’s message differently, relating the message to the anti-Vietnam War movement instead of the originally intended protest.

Chris Rother