WP #3 Purpose Statement

The goal of this project (both the written and spoken parts) is to encourage the audience to see Fallen Dreamer as more than just a bronze head. I want the audience to see the sculpture as a symbol for our dreams and how our culture is set up for those dreams to fail. The letter I am writing is not a rhetorical analysis. The use of terms from CDA or our other readings would only hinder my purpose. Words such as ethos, pathos, logos, and pathos would only harm my overall goal. Such words engage the left (logical) side of the brain, while I want to engage the right (emotional) side of the brain. Thus, I will be appealing to the audience’s emotions in my letter.

To help achieve this goal, I will be writing my letter in approximately the same style as the King James Version of the Bible. In other words, I will be using archaic (but understood) words and phrases. I am choosing to do this because we tend to see dreamers as stately, lofty, and exalted. The loftiest form of English still understood by the modern listener is the style of the King James.

While the letter will be addressed to Fallen Dreamer, it is not my audience. It is a sculpture and can not hear or process what I am saying. Instead, my primary audience will be my professor and classmates. This will not be much of an issue for the written portion of the final assignment, as Americans are used to reading letters addressed to other people. For the speech portion, I will be dramatically speaking to the statue part of the time and speaking to the audience for other portions. The letter will be written in such a way as to allow engaging both the statue and the audience in my presentation.

This project will be a success if the audience leaves thinking about their dreams and the importance of those dreams. Since this is not a rhetorical analysis, I will not specifically be stating the argument the statue makes. Instead, I will be making an emotional plea to the audience to consider the importance of pursuing dreams—even at great cost. If the audience understands that plea, the presentation will be a success.

As arrogant as it may sound, I do not have any significant concerns about this project. Because of my background in speech, I have a lot of experience in both writing and presenting speeches. While most of the grade is not actually from the presentation, I also have a good amount of experience in writing interpretative speeches that make sense without being spoken. Thus, I will write this letter in the style of an interpretive speech. The only potential problem is that my experience comes almost exclusively from humorous events. However, I do not anticipate any major problems.

I am looking forward to this project more than any other assignment this semester. I enjoy both giving and writing speeches, and anticipate having fun speaking/acting in a style I have little experience in. I have always wanted to write/perform a serious piece that I wrote, and I finally have an opportunity.