The Rhetorical Situation

      This article, The Rhetorical Situation by Lloyd Blitzer discusses the rhetorical situation: how it arises, what it entails, and what it produces. While using half a dozen forms of the word "rhetoric" in each paragraph might not have been the most concise way to get the point across, the article is fairly clear about rhetorical speeches and written pieces, and what types of situations are responsible for bringing them about. One of the most prominent points Blitzer makes is that the "discourse" or speech/writing doesn't bring about the situation, it is prompted by the situation; he also makes it clear that not all situations are rhetorical, and therefore don't prompt any discourse at all.
     Blitzer gives speeches as an example of discourse a few times; for example the Gettysburg Address was a piece of discourse brought about by a very specific situation which called for exactly that type of rhetoric. After the Battle of Gettysburg the people needed to hear something that would provide them with a sense of hope and purpose; the situation called for a very specific piece of rhetoric. Abraham Lincoln was able to address the people based on what they needed to hear; the situation prompted his speech, he considered his audience, and he responded accordingly.
     I found this to be a very relatable point, as I've been in similar situations on a much smaller scale. In holding position elections within my sorority, one must be nominated for the position before she is expected to prepare a short speech on why she would like the position, and then the position is voted on by membership. Having been in this situation a few times, I've had to assess the situation, and speak accordingly. All of my rhetorical decisions were based on the situation I was in; my tone, language choice, and the content of my speech all reflected the maturity and professionalism I was trying to portray in order to best meet the requirements of the situation. The vote wasn't brought about by my speech, I spoke because the vote was occurring. I did my best to analyze the rhetorical situation and reacted as best as I could. I considered my audience, and what would be appropriate to say in that precise situation.
      While all of this seems a little repetitive, I feel that the best way to sum up this article is to state that the rhetorical situation is the root of the rhetorical discourse. The situation decides all other factors, and is the prompt for what is said or written. While the rhetorical situation isn't always the first thing we think of when analyzing a writing or speech, it is in fact extremely important to consider why that writing or speech is necessary in the first place.