Running head: GENRE ANALYSIS FINAL 1

Genre Analysis Final

Joshua A Zamora

University Of Texas At El Paso

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Introduction

Beliefs are like roots that start at the surface of our brains then grow deep when the soil is

most vulnerable. As to manifest our thoughts so much so that our judgement and sense of

morality is often broadly unique when compared to others. On many if not all occasions these

unique “roots” are the prime reason why difficulties are abundant in the world, whether it is on a

grand scale such as international relations or a much lesser scale such as individual arguments.

Therefore, I have chosen two genres to represent my preference towards an open-minded society.

One of which is simply a photograph of a sign hung up on a wall and secondly, a man explaining

in detail this point of view by way of a YouTube video. In this analysis, I will discuss how these

two genres have employed their strategies given the constraints and I will determine the exigence

by understanding their desired audience.

First Genre

The first genre I have chosen is an entrance sign. This sign

is related to my topic because it states “open” on it as other

LED signs do except that the sign is in the shape of a human

head where the “open” word is on the brain of the individual.

This is simply a play on the typical “open” signs that are

plastered on bars or stores meant to welcome people. Instead

it gives a deeper meaning as to remind people to be open-

minded in the process of also welcoming them in.

In this example of a genre, Ethos is portrayed in the form of presumably being hung

outside a bar or restaurant. The fact that this open sign is hung where people go for leisure
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activities creates a sense of awe and credibility. Next, Pathos is felt because the shape of the sign

itself is a human being. This causes an emotional connection to the sign even though it is not

living. People will look up at it and will automatically feel associated. Finally, Logos is seen in

the brain of the sign itself. The whole point of the sign is to let you know that the restaurant or

store to be open but at the same time spark a thought of yourself as an individual to be open as

well. This is logic in the most obvious form because it gets you to think broadly in a casual

instance.

There are obvious constraints to this sign that may render it sort of underappreciated or

misunderstood. Firstly, the obvious is that it’s an open sign that is obligated to be only so big and

only accomplish one function which is to let outsiders know that in fact the building is open.

Thus, it can’t fit so much intellectual knowledge in the square area so the actual meaning of the

sign itself may be misinterpreted or even in some cases not even acknowledged at all. Secondly,

the sign is presumably only lit up during the nighttime due to the darkness in contrast of the

surroundings so this pose’s yet another obstacle. People walking by or driving by during the day

will most likely not see the sign. Therefore, they will not have the opportunity to obtain such

knowledge.

The exigence or the urgency provided is the need to get people to begin thinking outside

of the box. To, in a sense, “open” their own minds and think of other feelings or ideas that would

not otherwise be going through their own heads. This would be of course to also hint at people to

be more civilized in dyer situations by considering all the consequences if this sign was in fact

hung in front of a bar.

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The primary audience of this genre is basically anyone who passes by but is also capable

of reading the sign itself. Also, people who are not already in an open-minded state, so they can

feel the urge to consider that state of mind.

Second Genre

The second genre I have chosen to analyze is an informative video. This 10 min video

contains commentary over many visuals which tries to represent just what open-mindedness

means and how it’s played its part in the world today. This complements my topic because it also

goes into detail of the other side of the story which is being close-minded as well.

The first strategy I’ll be observing is Ethos. Ethos is almost all throughout the video

because the man explaining, gives solid examples of open-mindedness and how it relates to the

real world. Also, he goes into detail of beliefs and that builds credibility because every individual

in the world has certain beliefs. Furthermore, Pathos is also felt all throughout the video but one

example he gave stood out more than the rest in relation to having an emotional appeal. The

example he gave was to explain skepticism. He said to imagine you were in a car accident with a

loved one and your loved one was on the ground dying. Then a lady that witnessed the accident

walked over and told you that she has magic powder that would heal such wounds. Then he

posed the question “Would having an open mind mean that you allow an unknown person to

treat your loved one?”. This example illustrates a strong emotional response as everyone has

loved ones. Finally, Logos is also shown throughout the video in logical and relatable examples.

He constantly talks about the mind and provides convincing evidence for his point of view.

Seeing as this genre is broad and allows for an abundance of information to be supplied

to the viewer, there is little to no constraints. The only constraint that is plausible is that there is
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no physical connection to the viewer, so I can see how information may not stick as well whereas

on a greater personal level if the information was provided in person.

This video contained an abundance of urgency because the main purpose is to provide

you with compelling examples of what being open-minded really means and how you should go

about your daily life in such fashion.

The primary audience in this case is every individual who happens to come across the

video on YouTube. Since the purpose is wide-ranging as to fit into everyone’s inner world then

the case is made that the audience is everyone on earth.

Synthesis

To conclude, I chose to analyze two completely different genres. One of which is simply

as sign and the other is a well in detailed video. I believe these two genres bring about their own

uniqueness in very different ways but what they share is that they spark the mind to consider

being open-minded. I think the first genre I analyzed which was the sign, was not as appealing or

invasive in the mind of others. At least as much as it could have been. Secondly, the next genre

was thoroughly informative so as a result I’d much rather have someone explain a point of view

to me than simply allowing me to figure it out.

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References

How Open-Minded Are You? (2015, June 10). Retrieved February 19, 2018, from

http://www.playbuzz.com/katiel17/how-open-minded-are-you

Q. (2009, March 31). Retrieved February 19, 2018, from

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T69TOuqaqXI