Understanding Where Meaning Comes From - Deconstructing Text

Deconstructing and analyzing texts:

When the meaning of a text is clear to you, ask: How is that message being conveyed?

To explore this, we will use a tool called the "Synthesis Spider"

IF YOU AREN'T SURE WHAT KEY DETAILS TO LOOK FOR, IDENTIFY YOUR TEXT TYPE AND USE THESE RULES OF NOTICE:

Rules of Notice for Nonfiction

Rules of Notice for Fiction

Rules of Notice for Visual Texts

Rules of Notice for Poetry

Let's practice together with this Super Bowl Commercial:

Step One: First Draft "read" of the Commercial

1. First let's figure out the main message. We know commercials have one purpose: to sell a thing or an idea. So, our main message should begin "Buy ________________." AND then we should follow that up why. Our Main Message, therefore, should look like: "Buy _____________________, because _____________________"

2. Let's practice finding the main message with this commercial. Watch the commercial and see if you can figure out the main message:

3. Write down the what you think the main message. Remember it should be "Buy [whatever thing or idea is being sold], because [the "thesis" of their commercial].

See below for my model.

Step 2: Second Draft "read" of the commercial

The purpose of a second draft read is to move beyond the surface meaning that is the main message of the commercial and to begin to notice how and where that meaning comes from by following the steps below.

Our Goal: identify Key Details. Consider that the rate for a Super Bowl commercial last year was 5.6 million dollars. If advertisers are willing to spend so much on a commercial, and also compete for your attention with Super Bowl parties, snacks, friends and family, etc., then you can bet that if you can see it in the commercial and hear it in the commercial it is "key".

1. Begin first, by completing a "first" second draft read of the commercial. In this read we will concentrate only on what we are seeing by muting the commercial. As you watch, on a scratch sheet of paper jot down every thing you see. Then add it to your Synthesis Spider. See my demonstration below:

We will share out, when you are done. Please add these to your individual practice spiders.

 Continuing our Whole Class Practice with the Synthesis Spider

2. Second, by complete a "second" second draft read of the commercial. In this read we will concentrate only on what we are hearing by minimizing the screen and only listening to the commercial. As you listen, on a scratch sheet of paper jot down every thing you hear. Then add it to your Synthesis Spider. See my demonstration below:

We will share out, when you are done. Please add these to your individual practice spiders.

3. Now watch the commercial for a "third" second draft read. Notice anything you may have missed. Also pay attention to what images you see are paired with what sounds that you hear. Add this information to your Key Details as well.

We will share out, when you are done. Please add these to your individual practice spiders.

Deepening our Understanding with the Rhetorical Triangle

What is rhetoric anyway!?!

Rhetoric is a fancy word to describe how language is used to shape the way someone experiences an idea. Rhetoric usually has a negative connotation. It is often viewed as a synonym for manipulation. But rhetoric is neither positive or negative and it is always around us. It describes the way a news article is written, the way a politician speaks about an opponent, and even the words your Mom uses to try to get you to clean your room. 

Consider the differences between these two sentences and how they might affect your interest in this subject:

I couldn’t get enough of the enthralling description of rhetoric that Rotchford prepared for us.

Rotchford’s explanation of rhetoric was helpful and interesting.

To understand how rhetoric works, we have to identify the rhetorical situation - the relationship between the speaker or writer, their audience, and their subject matter. We do this using the Rhetorical Triangle tool. 

Steps to Using the Rhetorical Triangle - Part 1:

To understand how rhetoric works, we have to identify the rhetorical situation - the relationship between the speaker or writer, their audience, and their subject matter. Here is how we do that:

• Step 1: Identify the speaker/writer. Who is the person? What can you tell me about that person? The more we know about a person, the easier it becomes to understand their point of view.

• Step 2: Identify the audience. Who is being spoken/written to? What do you know about this person or group? What motivates them? What concerns them? The more we understand an audience, the easier it becomes to understand how they will listen.

• Step 3: Identify the subject. What is the topic in question? What do you know about it? Is it generally viewed positively or negatively? How complex is it? The more we understand a subject, the easier it becomes to anticipate how people will react to it.

These three things - the speaker/writer, the audience, the subject - are like points of a triangle and they are connected together by their relationship to each other (see the image below). When we can identify them, we can also identify how they influence each other. For example, we can begin to understand how the speaker/writer feels about the subject and the audience, or how the background knowledge of the audience affects how they understand the subject.

Here is an example of how to this works:

Steps to Understanding the Rhetorical Triangle - Part 2:

The next step is identifying important things to consider beyond the three components of the speaker, the audience, and the subject. Do this by following these steps:

• Step 4:  Identify the context. The context is any unspoken knowledge between the audience and the speaker about the subject. It might also be an outside force that influences how the speaker and the audience might feel about, understand, or speak about the subject.

• Step 5: Identify the purpose. The purpose identifies the reason, or reasons, why the speaker is talking to the audience about the subject. It answers the question: "What does the speaker hope to achieve through his/her/their message?"

• Step 6: Identify the genre: The genre is dictated by the purpose. Ask yourself: "What types of text will best help the speaker achieve  his/her/their purpose?"

Once we understand these three things, we will better understand all the components that are likely to shape all the ways in which an idea is presented to an audience.

Here is an example of how to this works:

Back to Analysis

Step 3: Analysis of what you identified

Now the real work begins. Our next task is to explain what work each key detail - or group of key details - is DOING (why is it in the commercial) and HOW that work helps us to arrive at the Main Message (how does that detail guide us to arrive at the conclusion that advertisers want us to make about their product or idea). 

This next part is tricky. It will take some practice before it feels comfortable to you. Don't worry. Jump in with two feet. And watch my demonstration below.

When you are finished, I will ask you to share some of the connections you all made with the class. As your classmates share, this is a good chance for you to get some informal feedback on how you did with your connections.

Please note you need to be as thorough as possible - you will be graded on your effort and how well you follow directions as you learn this skill. Turn it in to Google Classroom at the end of today.

Please also see a copy of my completed example Synthesis Spider below.

Choose Your Own Adventure - Analysis Assessment Style

Rough Draft of Analysis Assessment

Today you will begin the "Choose Your Own Adventure - Analysis Assessment" - where two separate choices will determine your fate.

Choice 1: You must decide what kind of commercial you are most interested in analyzing AND if you want to work together or alone. If you want to analyze another super bowl commercial and work on your own for the rough draft portion of this assessment, then move to Choice 2A. If you want to analyze a political commercial and work in a small group for the rough draft portion of this assessment, them move to Choice 2B.

Choice 2A: Follow these steps:

• Pick one of the 3 commercials below

• Identify the Main Message of the commercial

• Identify as many Key Details as you can see/hear

• Identify the Rhetorical Situation using the Rhetorical Triangle

• Identify 4 separate connections - for each, make sure you have identified the specific key details you are connecting and clearly labeled the "DOING" and the "HOW"

Choice 2B: Find a group of 3 to 4 people who also want to work on a political commercial, then follow these steps:

• Pick one of the 2 commercials at the end of my class website page that I have linked below (I encourage you to pick the commercial not because of your politics, but based on whoever's rhetoric you are most interested in analyzing)

• Grab a piece of butcher paper to use to construct your rough draft spider

• Identify the Main Message of the commercial

• Identify as many Key Details as you can see/hear

• Identify the Rhetorical Situation using the Rhetorical Triangle

• Identify 4 separate connections - for each, make sure you have identified the specific key details you are connecting and clearly labeled the "DOING" and the "HOW"

DISCLAIMER: The intent for looking at these commercials is NOT to debate the political candidates (we will have a chance to debate lots in this class, but not yet), but rather to look at how politicians use the same strategies as product marketers to persuade voters. 

Example (If you need extra help):

Each election year, we are inundated with political ads and messages from both parties - on television, social media, streaming services, and even through main stream news media. These commercials can be much more complex than the Super Bowl commercials we have just watched. This is because they aren't selling a product - they aren't even selling "just" a candidate. Rather, they are selling the ideas and values that make up a political platform.  

Let's take a look at how these types of advertisements work:

After our first draft of each, we will fill out a rhetorical triangle.  In your groups, I will ask you to pick either the Trump commercial, or the Biden commercial to analyze. Your first step will be to complete a rhetorical triangle that identifies the rhetorical situation for the commercial, that will help you with your analysis. For detailed directions for completing this, see below.

Below is an example of the work we did from one of my classes last year. Please watch this commercial and then take a look at the sample rhetorical triangle below. Please also watch the video of me talking through this rhetorical triangle. This should help you complete your triangle in your groups.

Individual Revision of Synthesis Spider Analysis and Rhetorical Triangle for Assessment

Get out your individual or group's Synthesis Spider and review the feedback you received. Think about how you could use this feedback to make your Synthesis Spider Analysis/Rhetorical Triangle more nuanced and more thorough.

For the rest of today, your task is to individually revise your Synthesis Spider Analysis and Rhetorical Triangle, making it the very best analysis that you can. This means you need to actively work to improve on your rough draft - I need to see substantive changes. You will be turning in this in as an assessment grade. To do this, follow the steps below:

• Start a new Synthesis Spider

• Transfer the content from your group's Spider onto your own document

• Review the both the Common Mistakes list linked on Google Classroom and the peer feedback you received. 

• Revise your Spider so that it demonstrates your best understanding of the commercial and your best skills of an analysis. Remember, this time you will not be graded on effort, but actual skill. Please make sure you do this following:

  1. Make sure your main idea (the claim of the commercial) considers either the product or idea being sold, and the SPECIFIC reasons why

  2. Writing individual key details. Don't lump too much together or summarize half the commercial in one bubble. It will make it too hard to analyze the individual parts. 

  3. Write complete connections. Identify which key details you are using and label the DOING and HOW.

• Turn in your revised Synthesis Spider/Rhetorical Triangle to the tray in the classroom.