ERIC Number: EJ981108
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2012
Pages: 4
Abstractor: ERIC
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1740-4622
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Available Date: N/A
Kanye West versus Kris Allen: Teaching Rhetorical Structure via Music
Kaylor, Brian T.
Communication Teacher, v26 n4 p207-210 2012
One important aspect of analyzing a rhetorical text is through consideration of the text or artifact's structure, which is why rhetorical criticism textbooks often devote a chapter to issues of structure, form, or genre. Such an emphasis should not be surprising since understanding rhetorical structure remains a foundational concept for rhetorical criticism. Despite the importance of considering rhetorical structure, the concept can be difficult for some students since "structure and content cannot be separated easily." The question, then, is how to help students engage texts in a way where they can ascertain how the structure affects the overall meaning and evaluation of the text? And, can this be accomplished in a way that helps them to not only learn the concept but also enjoy the art of rhetorical criticism? To explore these questions and keep a focus on structure--rather than differences in content--this exercise utilizes two covers of the same song. Since the textual content is the same (that is, the words to the songs are the same), any differences in interpretation come from the structure (that is the music) and therefore highlighting the importance of structure on a text's meaning. A list of references and suggested readings is included.
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
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