Visual Rhetoric
By: Alex Puleo
What did you see first?
I first noticed the
multiple cuts on the
arm. Noticing the cuts
first, you immediately
label that person as a
‘cutter.’ But after
reading the words;
you realize the person
has moved on and
changed.
What was the purpose of this
photo?
The purpose of this
photo was to relay the
conception that
although your past
does shape you,
anybody has the
possibility to change
themselves.
Who is the audience?
The audience is
anybody who even
thought about
harming themselves.
They can learn from
this photo that life
goes on, and with it,
they could to.
Why is this photo ambiguous?
This photo is
ambiguous so that the
audience is not
specified to any one
gender or age.
What’s the logical appeal?
Knowing millions of
Americans, young and
old alike, struggle with
self-harming thoughts, we
can infer that many of
these people move on,
considering we are
around many people that
may be going through
these events every day.
What’s the emotional appeal?
This photo brings
forth the emotions of
sympathy,
compassion, and a
yearning to console
with that person.
Another possibility is
that one could be
understanding.
What establishes this visual’s
credibility?
Provided that the
photo has been
blurred around the
edges with a high
resolute image, one
could infer that a
company or program
of some sort has
created it.