Value Analysis Assignment
Throughout our third unit, while brief, we have looked a little deeper into rhetoric and how it can
manifest in in memory, music, and art. More specifically, we have looked at how underlying
values can be expressed through these mediums. With these ideas in mind (as well as the topics
covered throughout the semester) this final assignment asks you to apply this theory to artifacts
of your own.
Assignment: Select a media artifact from your past (a movie, song, book, piece of art, etc.) and
write a series of reflections analyzing both its rhetoric and its impact on you, specifically
examining how the impact has changed over time. To complete this task, create a portfolio
comprised of three separate texts:
1. A reflection of your memory of the artifact
2. A mini rhetorical analysis of the artifact
3. A reflection of your reaction to the artifact after re-consuming it
Important Note: The underlying goal of this assignment is to have you examine how your
values have evolved over time, using the media artifact as an indirect metric. So, it is very
important that you select an artifact that you have not consumed, in any way, for about 8 – 10
years. Maybe it’s a movie you used to watch with a friend who moved away when you were
young; or, maybe it’s a song you used to listen to with your grandma before she died; or,
maybe it’s a journal entry that you haven’t looked at for many years. So long as you pick some
item that reflects your personal zeitgeist (i.e. your individual “spirit from the age”), and have
not consumed for a long time, you are accomplishing the intention of the assignment.
The assignment parameters for each part of the portfolio are as follows:
1. Artifact Reflection
Once you have selected your artifact, write a two-page reflection about the artifact and your
memories associated with it:
– What is the artifact, and what is its significance to you? Does it symbolize anything?
What was your life like at the time you last consumed this artifact? What are some strong
memories associated with it? Was this artifact consumed under any particular circumstances or
conditions? Did it have strong meaning back then, or only now that you look back into the past?
The above questions are only meant to stimulate though; so long as you write a full two pages
about this artifact and its past significance you will meet requirements.
2. Mini Rhetorical Analysis
After writing your reflection over the memory of the artifact, consume the artifact again,
specifically trying to look at it with fresh eyes. Upon re-consuming it, write a three-page mini
rhetorical analysis of the artifact using the following questions as a guide:
– Who is the target audience, and what is the purpose of the artifact?
– What are underlying values of the target audience at the time of the artifact’s creation?
– What were your values at the time you consumed this artifact?
– What is the artifact’s medium (song, book, movie, home video, etc.)?
– How are words, images, sounds, or other symbols arranged to convey meaning?
– What are some implied morals/values within the artifact? Do they match the audience?
– Does the artifact “hold up” well, or is it dated? Why? (Be as specific as possible)
– What aspects/elements of the artifact make it particularly unique?
– Does the artifact adhere to conventions of the medium, or is it “breaking the mold”?
– How well does the artifact accomplish its purpose, relative to the target audience?
NOTE: While this section of the portfolio is important and will help you demonstrate your
understanding of course material, it will not be graded as rigorously as the rhetorical analysis
from our first unit. In other words, while this section is a significant factor of your grade for this
assignment, think of this section as less formal and more relaxed compared to our first unit’s
rhetorical analysis.
3. Reaction Reflection
Now that you have revisited your artifact and analyzed its rhetoric, write a four-page reflection
analyzing how its affect on you has changed over time. Use the following questions to stimulate
thought:
– Do you view the artifact the same way now as you did in the past? Why? Looking back,
are your memories of this artifact mediated? How? What parts of your life are different now?
What values have changed since then? Why/how have these values changed? Based on this
exercise, if you could travel back and tell your past-self something, what might it be?
Alternatively, if you could travel forward and tell your future-self something to never forget,
what would it be? Whatever it is, why is this thing important for you to communicate? Overall,
how might you use this exercise to think about values and communicate with others in the
future?
Once you have completed each part of the portfolio, simply turn it in, and this course will be
over! If you expect to pass, I congratulate you and thank you for the successful effort you put
forth throughout the semester. If you do not expect to pass, then perhaps you should be reflecting
on more of your past then this assignment asks for, eh?
