ANALYZING THE RHETORICAL SITUATION

1. Poem. In his poem, Walt Whitman compares the body and the soul. In what ways does he find the body similar to the soul? What does he mean by the line “I believe the likes of you are to stand or fall with the likes of the soul, (and that they are the soul,)”?

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2. Instructions. Describe the different audiences for and purposes of the CPR posters created by the University of Washington School of Medicine. How clear are the instructions provided? How useful would they be to you during an emergency? Explain.

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3. Medical history. Dr. John G. Sotos’s Web site states that “both laypersons and physicians will find [the presidential medical histories] interesting.” Do you think this is true? To what extent is Dr. Sotos (a.k.a. Doctor Zebra) a reliable authority? That is, would physicians consider Zebra’s history to be a reliable resource? Why or why not?

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4. Medical history. How would an article about Ronald Reagan’s health and maladies be different from this medical history, in terms of purpose, content, and tone? Why might a person prefer to read an article over a medical history, or a medical history over an article?

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COMPOSING IN GENRES

5. Argue about medical privacy. Should the medical histories of presidents and others in positions of power in the government be made public? Write a position paper in which you clearly state your opinion on this topic and support your argument with examples and facts. Alternatively, address this question in terms of average Americans. What pros and cons are there to making medical records available online, for example? Are you in favor of this? Why or why not?

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6. Create a photo essay on image. Franklin Roosevelt, president from 1933 to 1945, was paralyzed from the waist down. While president, he went to extraordinary lengths to appear healthy and vigorous in photos and public appearances. Research other presidents’ efforts to convey an image of health and vigor to the public. Then create a photo essay that reflects how these individuals convey(ed) their healthy image. Alternatively, look at how and why other public figures (musicians, actors, etc.) convey (or do not convey) an image of health.

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7. Design a better CPR poster. Some might consider the CPR posters in the cluster a bit lackluster in terms of the visuals. How might you make the CPR poster more appealing to a student audience? Create one with this audience in mind.

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