Visual Analysis Essay
Analyze its thesis, argument and rhetorical elements.
Include the answers to these questions in your essay:
- What is the thesis of the visual argument? What kind of claim is it making? Fact? Value? Judgment? Policy?
- Who is the target audience?
- What is the context in which this photo is meaningful?
- What effects (color, font, lighting, focus, etc.) contributes to reinforcement of the message of the image? What is the relation between the visual and textual (if any) part of the picture?
- Are there any specific rhetorical strategies used here? Understatement, exaggeration, irony, humor, etc.?
- What rhetorical appeals are applied in the picture (pathos, logos, ethos)?
In different paragraphs of your essay, try to include the following:
In Introduction:
- An opening sentence to grab readers’ attention.
- The background information or context (creator, advertising agency, the subject).
- The target audience and main purpose of the argument.
- A brief but clear description of the image so that the reader can picture it in his/her mind.
- Thesis
In Body:
- Describe the visual techniques and elements in the picture.
- Focus on the textual parts and their relation to the visual elements.
- Explain how the text and visual techniques reinforce the message and influence the audience.
In conclusion:
- Restate the thesis.
- Provide a summary of the role of visual elements in strengthening the argument.
- Examine if the picture achieved its purpose and could possibly elicit the intended response in the audience.
