Sunday, August 21, 2011

Visual Rhetoric



The image above is of Rosie the Riveter, an iconic character created during the 1940's to encourage women to enter the work force as factory laborers in support of the war effort. Rosie appeared on posters and in magazines everywhere throughout the United States as American men left their factory jobs in increasing numbers to join the military. In response, the number of working women in America rose by 57% from 1940 t0 1944. These women helped keep American production of munitions and materiel at all-time highs in spite of a shortage of male labor. When the war was over, many of these women returned to domestic life, and those who remained in the workplace opted for more traditionally female jobs such as typist or administrative assistant.

How do logos, ethos and pathos operate in this poster? Which elements in the depiction of Rosie the Riveter support the purpose of the government campaign to attract women to traditionally male jobs? At whom is the poster aimed and what strategies are being deployed to appeal to this audience? Consider all elements of the above poster: words, the depiction of the subject (how she is posed, her clothing, her facial expression), and purely graphic elements like lay-out and color, even the choice of font in the lettering. How do they serve the purpose?


Please comment thoughtfully and in detail. Minimum length: 250 words, hopefully more. Responses are due in by 7 am on Thursday, August 24th. You will not see comments posted until later on Thursday ... I will be collecting these first and then publishing them all at the same time tomorrow.

15 comments:

Carmit Soleman said...

The poster of Rosie the Riveter is very effective with its usage of rhetoric strategies. The woman in the poster is standing in front of a simple yellow background which automatically puts most of the attention of the audience on her and the logo which are the two things that are very crucial in order to attract the viewers. The poster is aimed in order to attract women to jobs that were traditionally occupied by men. The fact that a woman is on the poster is already giving it the perfect ethos because that will appeal to women, who are the audience, because women tend to trust each other more than they trust men. Therefore, having a woman on the poster encouraging them to work will assure the women more and cause them to be more trusting. The characteristics of the woman in the poster are perfect in order to appeal to women and employ boldness and fortitude in them to join the work force. The woman is showing her muscular biceps, demonstrating that she is a strong woman who doesn’t need a man to do the heavy lifting for her. Her face is very stern and serious illustrating that she is a tough woman who can handle the work usually performed by men. Furthermore, the woman is wearing red, white and blue, the colors of the American flag which expresses her patriotism, something that she is trying to evoke in her audience. Her bandana and the simple work clothes she wears are also trying to show that she is ready to work for her country. The logo is the highlight of the entire poster; again, just like the poster itself, the logo is written in a very simple font that causes the phrase to be more striking without any other distractions. The phrase “We Can Do It!” automatically incites confidence in the women since they believe that they can be like this strong, confident and tough woman and do the work required. In addition the fact that the logo says “We Can Do It!” as opposed to “You Can Do It!” elicits pathos in the audience because the women feel like they aren’t alone. They feel like they are part of something greater than themselves by trying to aid their country. In addition it incites a feeling of unity because they believe that there are strong women in their midst who will guide and help them through these difficult times of War.

Ethan Cooper said...

The poster dubbed “Rosie the Riveter” uses powerful visual rhetoric to persuade women into advocating feminism during World War II. During the war, it was essential that women pursued male occupations. Therefore, the artist of the poster uses the forceful terms of “We Can Do It!” in order to portray hope. Women can empathize with the cause Rosie is fighting for because she explains how any woman can come together for a great cause. Though there are only four words on the poster, the words are powerful and simplistic. The letters are in a strong bold font with an exclamation point to conclude the powerful sentence. They portray pride and hope and bring confidence to all American women during the war. Next, it is important to notice the clothing and colors depicted in the poster. The yellow background entails a sort of happiness and hope for women to succeed. Furthermore, Rosie wears the American colors of red, white, and blue in order to convey a sense of patriotism and pride for American women. When middle-class women, the main audience of the poster, view the work, they wish to become patriotic in a similar way to Rosie. She wears a red bandana-like headdress, which symbolizes the basic middle class of society. Next, it is essential to view her unique pose. Marie, fit and determined, flexes her muscles to establish a feeling of strength in the women of America. Her muscles are purposely not prodigious in size in order for the audience to feel like anyone can “do it” and cause a positive change in the American workforce. In conclusion, there is an emotion of pride and hope in the poster. It is straightforward and easy for women to empathize with. Therefore, the poster portrays a great deal of visual rhetoric and strongly influenced women to take part in male jobs during World War II.

Zahava G. said...

Let’s start with the basics. In terms of visual rhetoric, the poster is visually pleasing. The background color is a soft yellow, a color often associated with happiness and sunshine. In a contrast that works, Rosie the Riveter appears to be a firm, strong woman, and while her face shows her strength and dedication, she maintains a natural feminine beauty. This is important to note, because a woman does not want to look manly as a result of being a factory laborer. By depicting Rosie as a strong yet beautiful woman, advertisers are convincing women to join who might not otherwise. This femininity Rosie has goes beyond her face. Rosie has a very nice figure; a thin torso and strong, pretty arms. All in all, Rosie is a beautiful woman who displays strength and confidence. In fact, the way that the artist displays pathos is through Rosie. The intended audience for this character was unemployed women who did not want to work possibly for many reasons, but one of which was probably that they wanted to maintain their femininity and not act as though they were men. Rosie related to them because she was working but still beautiful. Thus, the ethos employed by the artist convinces the women of America to work in the factories in place of the men.
How does the poster show logos? I believe that the depiction of a strong, able bodied woman displays a bit of logos. In the 1940’s, women were not treated as equals to men, the way we are now. Women could not do manual labor or have any jobs other than receptionist or secretary. But there were women who knew that they could do the same things a man could do. The words above Rosie say “we can do it.” This is a forceful “we can do it.” Rosie is strong and able, and if she can be, why can’t all women? The words ask women, “Why are men better? WE can do it.” It is logical- there is nothing in their way, nothing to stop them. So of course they could do it. And Rosie (or the government) was right, because in fact production of munition was at an all time high.
I have a hard time deciding whether or not ethos is shown in this poster. Rosie is obviously not a real person. Would it then count as ethos if she told women they could do it, if she actually doesn’t know? Being a strong woman who has done the men’s work, she proves that she is a credible source because she has done the work, therefore all women can. On the other hand, she isn’t real so how do the women at home know they can do it?
All in all this poster is an excellent example of how to use rhetorical devices in drawings.

Unknown said...

The lady in this picture clearly appeals to ethos of all capable women. She is wearing a bandana with her hair up as most women who do sweaty jobs around the house would. This tells women that they are just as capable as the woman in the picture. The lady in the picture displays confidence; she is flexing her muscle to show that she is willing to roll up her sleeves and get a bit messy. By doing so, she is telling everyone why she is qualified to be delivering this motivational message. It is because she is extremely confident, and when entering the work force, confidence is the most important qualification. The side that appeals to logos is hidden but when you figure that they are placing your average capable woman who is beaming with confidence on a sign that says We Can Do It! It becomes a visual logical argument. If someone like me can show confidence then I can show confidence. If that confidence can manifest itself as getting up and getting a job to help America in this time of need then my confidence can do the same. I do, however, feel that this has very little to do with pathos. The only appeal to pathos that this makes is that one might look at it and say good for her; I'm sure she is as hesitant as I am, but she's doing it so i can toughen it out and do it to. Minor details really add up to make a large effect. The confidence in her gaze, the thick, bold text, and the clothing choice of the lady in the picture appeal to the target audience and burn the mentality into their heads that they too can "Do It."

Sharon Soleman said...

This image is very rhetorically affective since various bright colours are used to appeal to our eyes. Furthermore, areas of appeal are used such as logos, which show an arm of women, implying that women are also strong and can do the same work as men do. It establishes ethos since the women it the picture is wearing a shirt with the logo of the war production coordinating committee, she is also wearing a bandanna that housekeepers wear to show that also those kind of women can go out and work a job. This also appeals to the pathos since it will make women reconsider their place in society and that they can finally be part of the working people just like men are. The slogan "we can do it" is effective since it gives the women hope and a desire to try.

Dylan Cooper said...

Following the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor in December 1941 and the heavy deployment for World War II, the male work force was depleted to fill the ranks of the US military.The US government therefore made strides to encourage females to enter the workforce and recruit women through the use of iconic posters. Posters such as this one, called Rosie the Riveter, utilize visual rhetorical devices to better target the audience, or the females capable of taking on jobs.
This poster appeals to the audience's logos by presenting a woman and a caption reading, "WE CAN DO IT!" This simple, yet effective sentence directly sends the message that American women are in fact able enough to tackle on the workforce and factory industries. It is a reasonable task due to the fact that they are both physically and mentally prepared. Additionally, this poster incorporates the ethos avenue of appeal by portraying a woman as the dominant figure. Her pose, clothing and facial expression all point to the new, strong and robust female character that is beginning to form in the 40s. It presents women in a whole new way, but this way shows the ability to get things done and with determination. Finally, it incorporates the element of pathos in the stern look of her face, specifically her eyes. You can feel the intensity of the poster and are emotionally affected to react in a strong manner.
All in all, every detail in Rosie the Riveter portrait was carefully considered and have both meaning and purpose.

Aaron Rubenstein said...

Rosie is an iconic character in American and Feminine history. This poster is very big on Logos and Pathos. In terms of Logos, Rosie presents the idea of what women logically could be doing to help their country. The words "We can do it!" show familiarity and 'We' especially makes the viewer feel included. The bold, strong lettering of the poster also give off a feel of confidence.This ad has very strong Pathos as well. Women see this and see themselves, the common housewife that is now actually able to make a difference in her country. The clothes Rosie is wearing represent what a normal woman would be wearing at the time. and her colors also evoke emotions. The red of her headband show strength and invoke a sense of power. While the blue on her shirt shows a sense of friendliness and an would have made her give of a soothing feeling as well. In terms of Ethos, there is a strong feeling of confidence, because the author, the factories, seem trustworthy in the fact that they are trying to support the troops. And many of the women had husbands or friends serving in the army. Just from a little bit of analysis, we can see how strong of a part Logos, Ethos, an Pathos have played in our everyday visuals.

Avi "The Master" Kirshtein said...

There is not a fictional character that did more to inspire women to join the workforce than a certain Rosie the Riveter did in the 1940s. She was put on a sign showing a muscular bicep and wearing work clothes, and above her head were the written bolded words “We can do it!” During World War II, while the men were at the battlefronts overseas, there was a need for factories to continue producing the things they were producing, and now factories were going to be used even more, as America was in need of war materials, so factory life had to continue strongly. Women needed to start working in order to keep up factory working, and that is just what they did. The advertisement worked well for several reasons.
The poster of Rosie the Riveter uses several advertising techniques in order to convince the women in America to work in the factories through affective persuasion. When you first look at the sign, you see a dark speech bubble saying in bold and noticeable letters “We can do it!” which will immediately have a rush of inspiration come over oneself before he or she actually finishes observing the entire advertisement. Next, the eye is drawn to a rather strong looking woman in a bandana standing in a yellow background in order to show that she is working in a warm condition, as one automatically associates the color yellow as a warm color, as opposed to a colder color like blue. From the standpoint of ethos, we see a character that has some real strength and is ready to work hard to help her country. The logos of the advertisement says that women can help the country by stepping in and working in the factories to replace the man without sacrificing efficiency, because Rosie declares that “We can do it!” In regards to pathos, there is a deep sense of pride and inspiration amongst women who read Rosie the Riveter’s words because a woman would see that women can be strong even when society has a history of telling them the exact opposite, and that is what the government is trying to do. They are trying to get women to strengthen themselves enough to begin working for their country because the men physically can’t do anything, as they were away at battle during this time. Rosie is wearing work clothes, a bandana and she is flexing a bicep muscle in order to convey this message as well, and it was quite affective, as several women became factory workers during the war effort of the 1940s.

Jeremy Cooper said...

Celebrated for its rhetorical brilliance, the image of Rosie the Riveter was instrumental in expanding the female labor workforce in World War II. Addressing an audience of young to mid-aged American women, the creator of Rosie sought to portray the strength of women and the patriotism of women associated with the effort to join the workforce. The image appeals to ethos through Rosie’s confident facial expression with her eyes staring straight at the observer. The factory woman is shown as the dominant figure in society, as Rosie’s hair is fashioned in a manly style. She flexes her muscles to display her authority and her equal standing in terms of labor finesse. Lastly, her blue collar factory uniform helps the female audience identify themselves with the American workforce, which then included shipyards and assembly plants.
The creator’s argument is fortified by strong logos. The small print at the bottom of the page reads “War Production Co-ordinating Committee.” These words help emphasize that it is only sensible for women to replace men in the workplace in a time of war when men have left their factory jobs. The writer then rationalizes that women are just as capable, proven by Rosie’s muscles and her manly posture. At the time, there were few other options, so this iconic poster helped inspire women to join the labor effort and added a sense of urgency to the situation. Finally, the red, white and blue colors of her clothing helped women empathize with America’s war effort in general. The best way for a woman to contribute to her country was through filling the industrial shortage that the men left when joining the army.
The element of pathos in Rosie the Riveter is powerful, signified by the bold letters at the top of the image: “We Can Do It!” These words play to the emotion of women by expressing a positive sentiment and a sense of responsibility to cover the void the men have left in the war. The largeness of the letters, as well as the exclamation point, leaves a forceful reminder in the heart of a woman viewing the image. The American colors help the audience identify with the moral cause of the war.
In retrospect, the strategies employed in the visual certainly were successful. In just four years, the number of working woman soured by 57%- a statistic that owes its influence to Rosie the Riveter.

Alexa Wender said...

Rosie the Riveter was a symbolic icon invented as a government campaign to encourage young women of working age to take male factory jobs during World War II. This poster appeals to ethos, pathos, and logos in different ways. There isn’t so much appeal to ethos in this image. However the company name at the bottom of the poster certainly adds credibility to the image. The bold phrase on top reads “We Can Do It” in big, white letters. This appeals to pathos by allowing women to feel empowered. Rosie’s physical appearance signifies strength and masculinity. Her robust stance, flexed muscles, and stern glare all contribute to the overall macho image. The fact that one of her eyebrows is raised is sort of a challenge to those who doubt her abilities as a fierce contender. She answers these doubts by saying “We Can Do It!” It is possible that by depicting Rosie as virile may have frightened women who were certainly not accustomed to seeing themselves that way. This is why the feminist appearance of Rosie appeals to logos. Yes, Rosie is a strong, forceful woman, but she is also attractive. She does not have huge, manly muscles, and one can see that although she works in a factory, she still has delicate hands and fingers. She has long eyelashes that appear to be coated in mascara, luscious red lips, and a delicate nose. Rosie’s bandana serves two purposes: to keep her curly hair out of machinery and to add a touch of femininity to her outfit. A man would certainly not wear a polka dot bandana. It is also very logical that the designer picked the background of the poster to be the shade of yellow, for it is a neutral color, liked by both men and women. Working a man’s job didn’t have to mean you must throw away everything that makes you womanly. This is why Rosie the Riveter served as a perfect example of a woman who preserved her femininity but also showed the world that she can serve as a factory worker just as well as a man.

bradley.goldmeier said...

Rosie the riveter is a fictional character that an artist used in order to try and persuade able bodied women to start working because men are starting to enlist into the army. The artist uses ethos to persuade by putting a young woman in the picture showing that women are also capable and they can relate to her more easily. She is wearing what looks like to be mens clothing and puts her hair back as to almost show that even though she is a woman she is capable of doing work. She is wearing a dark blue working shirt when most people think of women wearing lighter shades of blue. Even the font plays a roll in the persuasion. it is not some girly script but rather strong bold prominent letters that jump out at you. She uses pathos in the one line of text. the sentence is basically being yelled at you as encouragement to start working. the way she is standing with her arm flexing as if to say “I am strong, I am manly I can do whatever I want” in order to convince women that they are able of getting jobs. Lastly she uses a warm color in the background color to show that women can do the hard labor and work in the heat.

Anonymous said...

During World War II, increasing numbers of men left their jobs in factories everywhere to serve their country in the United States Army. In desperate need of workers for the factories, Rosie the Riveter posters went up all over the country in an attempt to inspire the women of America to do the mens' jobs while they were out fighting in the war. Depicting a woman such a Rosie “flexing her muscles” and with a strong and confident facial expression inspired and united the women of America to take up the mens' jobs in the factories and prove themselves to be just as goal-oriented and strong as any man could be. Showing Rosie wearing a blue collared shirt and doing her “blue-collar job” gave the women a newfound pride in their work knowing all the while that while they worked, they were getting that much closer to being equal to the American hierarchical status of the working men. The words “We Can Do It!” were not only just some words written on a page, but these words became the motto of the feministic hard-working women of that time who believed that, if they worked hard enough, their increasing faith in feminism would pay off in the end. The proud colors of the American flag; red, white, and blue, were strewn across the page (giving some color to Rosie's clothes) to remind the patriotic women that, not only were their husbands proudly serving their country, but they too were benefitting the country to the best of their abilities, and that, one day, they would be rewarded for their patriotic actions.

Anonymous said...

Disclaimer: Some of the ideas in this essay may seem to be sexist. This could be unintentional and does not necessarily reflect the opinions of the author.

When one traditionally thinks of a female poster, you see all frilly corners and fonts, "girlish colors," and a lot of extra writing. The typical male is blunt, straight to the point, lacking subtlety. The poster greatly attempts to create a tough female ethos. Rosie is wearing a dark blue shirt. Dark blue is generally referred to as a man's color, with women typically opting to wear lighter blues. By choosing to wear the dark blue, Rosie is making a point that men are not the only one's who can do hard labor. The muscle showing also demonstrates toughness, as men tend to like showing off their bicep muscles. The very expression on Rosie' space suggests strength, displaying a face that seems ready to confront anyone who stands in her way. The background is a plain yellow, unremarkable and yet unforgettable. By being so simple, the background does one very important task, forcing all attention on Rosie and her words, very tough words. The font has been carefully chosen to make a bold statement. With the letters being so big, paired with the plain white color, and the exclamation point, a pretty aggressive pathos is expressed. Rosie seems to be sending a subliminal message, "if you don't join, then you're weak." The campaign is very logical, appealing to the majority of women all over the country who felt that the workforce restrictions placed on women were unfair. By joining all the elements previously discussed, the government created a very powerful advertising tool that brought thousands of women into the workforce.

Sade cooper said...

Rosie the Riveter epitomizes the resolute feminist attitude and has stood as an icon of feminism over time. The artist has created an image that appeals to patriotic women who have a strong sense of their place in society and recognize the need for an increased percentage of women in the workforce, especially during World War II.

At first glance, one can easily see the aspect of patriotism and nationalism that the artist included by the colors in the picture. Rosie wears a blue shirt and a red and white bandana, all colors that appear on the American flag. The background is yellow, which is visually aesthetic and pops out, making the image more engaging to the audience. The bolded letters of the phrase “We Can Do It!” are white, which also pops out against the black background and instills viewers with confidence and willpower. Rosie’s facial expression as well as her pose, flexing her muscles, demonstrates a tough, no-nonsense attitude and a sense of purpose and determination. Flexing her muscle even implies that Rosie has masculine traits, which alludes to the idea of women assuming the gender roles of men in society during the war. Many women felt uncomfortable leaving their domestic jobs and their homes in order to work in factories and help ensure that America’s soldiers were well equipped to fight the war. However, by defiantly showing off her muscles, Rosie indicates that women can and should fill men’s jobs while they are across the sea fighting. This concept of women being just as good as men is a core idea of the feminist movement that emerged only a few decades after World War II in America as women began to resist their traditional roles as housewives and gradually join the workforce in greater numbers.

This poster is dominated by the quality of pathos because the audience can immediately sense the extreme amount of patriotism presented in the image. By appealing to the emotional side of the audience, the artist accomplishes his goal of encouraging women to join the workforce because he stirs up an intense notion of nationalism in each viewer. This image additionally affects the viewer by invoking a feeling of invincibility that women have never before had the chance to experience.

Unknown said...

SUBJECT: A "SLIGHT" VARRIATION OF YOUR REQUEST.

Describing the proper way to tie shoes without using images is quite a difficult task, but I think I’ve gotten the description down to a science. You want to start with it in your hands then pull each of them but do it together. After that, you cross it with the other then you take it and put it under it and make a hole in them while pulling it down at the same time you do it. Then you need to pull tight to get rid of the hole after you put the thing through it first. With the front one in your right hand pull tight on it together. Then take the other one and wrap it around it by putting one side of it in front of it and one side of it in back of it. Hold it tight then wrap the other one around the first one, but make sure you’re still holding it while its wrapped. With the second one, make another one like the first time you did it after you wrapped it around it before. Then do the same thing with one of the loops that you did with the first one when you started doing it. Then twist the other one around it while you hold both things in place and pull down. If you did it correctly you should have a perfectly tied shoe.