Generic+Spring+14

=** Generic Criticism **= =by Christian E. Miemiec, Virginia M. Soto, Thomas W. Fish =



Generic refers to -- Genre
//The following is summarized from Foss (2009) pages 137 to 145. //

Genre is the French word used to refer to a distinct group, type, class, or category of artifacts that share important characteristics that differentiate it from other groups. The roots of generic criticism can be traced to Aristotle and other classical rhetoricians.

Much of classical rhetorical theory was based on the assumption that situations fall into general types. Rhetoricians divide rhetoric into three types of discourse:
 * Deliberative (political)
 * Forensic (legal)
 * Epideictic (ceremonial)


 * So, what is Generic Criticism? **
 * Rhetoricians discover commonalities in rhetorical patterns across recurring situations to determine “how people create individual instances of meaning and value within structured discursive fields.”


 * Rhetoricians use genres to create messages in a rhetorical situation that audiences can identify since certain types of situations provoke similar needs and expectations.

>
 * The criticism type was coined by Edwin Black in 1965 and had three tenets:
 * 1) there is a limited number of situations in which a rhetor can find himself
 * 2) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">there is a limited number of ways in which a rhetor can and will respond rhetorically to any given situational type
 * 3) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">the recurrence of a given situational type through history will provide a critic with information on the rhetorical responses available in that situation
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">A controversial contribution by Lloyd F. Bitzer in 1968 helped further develop the theoretical base:
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">“From day to day, year to year, comparable situations occur, prompting comparable responses; hence rhetorical forms are born and a special vocabulary, grammar, and style are established.”

> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">We apply these ideas in one the following three options of Generic Criticism …
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">In the early 1970s Mikhail Bakhtin, an influential force in genre studies stated:
 * “We speak only in definite speech genres, that is, all our utterances have definite and relatively stable typical forms of construction of the whole. Our repertoire of oral (and written) speech genres is rich. We use them confidently and skillfully in practice, and it is quite possible for us not even to suspect their existence in theory.”

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">Generic Description
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">Generic description works with texts that appear to share some rhetorical similarities. This form of critique allows the rhetor to speculate that a genre exists and contemplate categorization in that genre by identifying rhetorical acts and collecting instances where individual acts may fit the genre. The rhetor seeks to answer the question of whether a genre exists among the artifacts.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">This is an inductive operation, where you start with a set of specific features of artifacts and move to a generalization of them in the naming of a genre (p.140).

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">Generic Participation
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">Rhetors choose an artifact that seems to belong (or has been assigned) to a particular genre but does not seem to fit within that genre. Working with generic participation allows the rhetor to look at which artifacts participate in a specific genre. The rhetor strives to discover whether or not an artifact fits within a genre.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">This is a deductive operation where we move from considerations of a general class of rhetoric to consideration of a specific artifact (p.140).

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">Generic Application
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">Generic application assesses an artifact in terms of how it conforms to the genre. Application requires rhetors to use the description of the genre to evaluate particular instances of rhetoric. Rhetors seek to discover if their artifact successfully fulfills the requirements of the chosen genre.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">This a generic application (also deductive) that involves application of a generic model to particular artifacts in order to assess them (p.141).

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">The two articles associated with the image artifacts bring together the speaker, topic, and audience. Under generic criticism, generic application takes the genre of “Healthy Living” and shows that the genre is used at particular instances throughout the artifacts to describe the genre. Healthy living can be defined by the World Health Organization as, “Health as a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being, not simply just the absence of disease” (p. 1). Healthy Living is about taking responsibility for your decisions, and by making smart health choices for today and for the future.
 * Generic Criticism in Action **

**What is GMO / What Could it Do / Where to From Here?**
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**<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">The Artifacts **
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">

__**<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">Descriptive Analysis of the Artifacts **__ <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">Under the genre of “Healthy Living,” these two artifacts are telling a similar story. Food is the topic of the rhetors telling us something about the food we eat. A descriptive analysis will assist us in deciphering and giving us an understanding of the two artifacts. Campbell and Huxman (2009) state, “Criticism also demands a certain attitude – a passion to decipher symbols born out of appreciation and suspicion of the many ways rhetoric influences us” (p. 22).

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">**Purpose:** The purpose behind the two artifacts shows the audience that there should be a concern for the foods that we eat. This is apparent in artifact 1 for what appears to be a cereal box has GMO with a question mark next to it printed on the label. Artifact 1 also has the statement, “We have the right to know what’s in our food?” This is in reference to the article associated with Proposition 37 from Chang (2012), “Prop 37: The California ballot initiative would require genetically modified food to be labeled. But, critics say Prop 37 invites lawsuits against food producers and grocery stores.” <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">In Artifact 2, this metaphor of a loaded gun to his head symbolizes you take a risk eating GMO. The French Translation says, “It is Safe. On GMOs, it has not enough experience…” The article associated with this artifact also mentions Prop 37. Interesting these two different artifacts, come up with the same message.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">**Audience:** Artifact 1 was in the Christian Science Monitor, this is a news outlet that explains, “Reflected in how founder Mary Baker Eddy described its mission "To injure no man, but to bless all mankind." Our aim is to embrace the human family, shedding light with the conviction that understanding the world's problems and possibilities moves us towards solutions.” Artifact 2 is from a blog Step Into My Green World, which states, “Our mission is to “edutain” by spreading the message of health and showing you how your actions can impact your life and our planet.” <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">Both artifacts portray that something is wrong with our food. An audience concerned about their health would be attracted to these images and the symbols they portray.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">**Persona:** Both rhetorers are concerned about the health of people. Artifact 1 was a Christian based and founded organization and they are letting the reader know about the fight between those that want labeling to keep the public aware and those that do not. Artifact 2 also makes people aware by describing what GMOs are and references the same fight as artifact 1 about Prop 37 in California. The persona appears to be informative from both artifacts.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">**Tone:** Informative, but not slandering to pro GMO organizations. Both artifacts want to keep the public informed about what some of our food is comprised of, and they both appear to want to give this information so the public can make an informed one.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">**Structure:** Artifact 1 is structured as a normal informative reporting about Prop 37 for the state of California. The article does not sway one way or the other about GMOs and if you should or should not consume them. Article 2 is more of a lesson about GMOs where they define what they are, concerns about GMOs, and referencing, Prop 37, the debate about GMO labeling.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">**Evidence:** Artifact 1 sites a law professor from the University of California, Hastings College of Law, “You’re looking at full employment for lawyers without a doubt.” The article also mentions the organization Monsanto and other conglomerates that have raised $44.4 million to prevent California from being the first state to enact GMO food labels. Article 2 also has hyper links to Monsanto as well as Del Monte speaking to the sale of Del Montes pineapples to the U.S. approved by the USDA, and a hyper link to an article about Monsanto’s corn and how it causes cancer on a web news site known as PolicyMic.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">**Strategies:** Both inform by giving you the knowledge of what GMOs are and what they are doing to communities. There appears to be no slander towards pro GMOs outright, but the image artifacts display some through the metaphors of a box of cereal with GMO and a question mark next to it (Article 1), and an ear of corn pressed against the gentleman’s head (Article 2). The images can be perceived as slanderous towards the pro GMO community without the knowledge of the articles with them, which are informative.

**<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">References ** <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">Campbell, K. & Huxman, S. (2009). //[|The rhetorical act: Thinking, speaking, and writing critically]//. (4th ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">Chang, A. (2012, November 6). Prop 37: //Safer food or invitation for lawsuits?//. The Christian Science Monitor. Retrieved April 16, 2014, <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;"> from http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">Foss, S. K. (2009). //Rhetorical criticism: Exploration and practice (4th ed.)//. Long Grove, IL:Waveland.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;"> Latest-News-Wires/2012/1106/Prop-37-Safer-food-or-invitation-for-lawsuits About The Christian Science Monitor. (n.d.). //The Christian// <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;"> //Science Monitor//. Retrieved April 16, 2014, from http://www.csmonitor.com/About/The-Monitor-difference

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;"> What you need to know about GMOs. (2012, October 6). //Step Into My Green World//. Retrieved April 16, 2014, from http://www. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;"> stepintomygreenworld.com/healthyliving you- need-to-know-about-gmos/

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">World Health Organization (2006, October). //Constitution of the world health organization//. Retrieved April 20, 2014, from http://www.who.int/about/definition/en/print.html