My Rhetorical analyses essay

I will be analyzing the Totino’s Pizza Roll commercial where the two boys are hungry and call their mom in a doomed-like panic because they cannot find any food to eat, even though the Totino’s pizza rolls are right next to their direct field of vision of which their mother somehow knows exactly

The commonplace this commercial draws upon is that the suburban family of today, 2012, has been formed by technology making mothers more intuitive but sons and daughters more dependent and naive.

How does the author target an audience, respond to an audience, and/or construct an audience?  -The author targets the audience of “the suburban family” by displaying the mother and either two sons, or her son and his friend. The commercial portrays the boys as stupid, but only because they want to show that their product is  a kid-friendly snack which both mothers and the “typical son” would enjoy.

How does the work’s style make meaning? – The style is humorous and simple. It touches on a commonplace that the mother is the smart, know-all, be-all head of the home, while the boys, and even sometimes the men, do not pay attention to detail but always want to indulge.

Why are the piece’s rhetorical elements selected and arranged as they are?  -The mother opens the commercial by answering her cell phone, walking outside, apparently in a parking lot (a scene most mothers can relate to). The boys then suddenly says, “Mom, we’re dying”, introducing the familial connection between the boy and the woman, and also creating a sense of suspense in the viewer because these words are so dramatic. We then see the mother playing it cool…. shouldn’t a mother be scared when her son says he’s dying? But have no fear! The mother knows her son so well (she knows everything about her family because she’s supermom), that she can play it cool and know that her son is simply hungry. Many mother viewers can relate to this because they have good senses of their families, and even if they do typically overreact, they can still relate to this mother because the boy says something so dramatic that the mother must be used to it. She tells him exactly where the totino’s pizza roles are from his visual perspective, and he’s not “dying” anymore- he’s happy.

How does the author use logic and emotion to persuade? – The author uses emotion because the viewers can relate to the commonplace of the situation in the commercial which allows them to more easily imagine themselves acting as the people do and getting the product. The author uses logic by making the choice seem practical- the mother seems very practical and organized, so buying this product implies that you’re buying a snack for your children that is simple and practical for you and them.

How do social and historical contexts inform the piece’s meaning?  – Women have historically been the head of the home. The home is her “sphere” and she is in charge of raising the children, cooking, and cleaning. This commercial implies that this woman knows her child very well, therefore seems to be a good mother, and is also very organized when it comes to her home

Where did the piece appear, and how is this significant?  -It appeared on television in 2012 on channels geared more towards adults. This is significant because the boy and mother use very modern communication and today we stereotypically view women and mothers as admirable if they are the “superwoman mom” We also view boys and teenagers in general as spoiled, naive, and dependent because of the technology that exists in this day in age.

Does the author make interesting references to events or other works?  If so, why? The author does not make references to particular events or works, but definitely makes use of commonplaces we see throughout the media and society in our lives today.