Please answer the following questions in a complete sentence and paragraph format. Although this is not a formal essay assignment, please note that proper spelling, grammar, and sentence structure are required. This week’s lecture and Chapters 2 and 3 in your text will help you work through some of the terms within the rhetorical situation.

Defining Topic, Angle, Purpose

1. What is your chosen topic? (For example a profile of Barb Collins, a volunteer at the local homeless shelter; a profile of “Shipwreck Days,” a citywide flea market and festival; or a profile of Burdick’s Grocery, the oldest family-owned business in town.)

Crawfish road, one of the many places believed to be haunted.

2. What personal angle can you present on this topic? (Consider what is new about the topic or what unique perspective can be shared about this topic.)

Many people go down this road to see if it is really haunted.  For the thrill seekers, this is one of the best places to go.  With this road being part of the state park, It will be around for a long time.  Not very many people travel down here today.  It could be a great place to visit on Halloween.  There is an asylum that was found just off this road as well.

3. What is your purpose for writing? (What do you hope to accomplish? Why are you writing?)

This topic is to hopefully attract tourists, and people who want to see the place for itself.  It will hopefully increase customers for the many businesses around the area.  With other places to visit close by, it may also increase visitors to those areas as well.

Analyzing your Readers

You will be writing your Profile essay to your local community. Imagine you might submit the Profile to your local newspaper or have it shared in a community newsletter; the readers of those publications make up your target audience. In two to three paragraphs, define your local community and describe what makes it unique. What are the needs, expectations, motivations, backgrounds, demographics, and experiences of community members? How will those influences impact your word choice, level of formality, and overall message?

The community around this area is very friendly, with a lot of family ties to the history.  There are a lot of traditions that have been kept over the years.  There are younger generations moving in and taking over.  The tourist attractions still get people to come to visit, but not as much as they used to.  The people are committed to keeping the knowledge of the area alive.  There is a community that still dresses up like they did in the revolutionary days.

There are areas being developed into subdivisions.  The people here are represented by the historical locations that are still around.  Even though a less traditional community is moving into the area, there are members that still hold onto the history and traditions of the area.  The part of the community that doesn’t know the history of the places around them is slowly driving the knowledge away.

Reflecting on the Role of Writer

Whether you realize it or not, your personal relationship to the subject plays a key role in shaping the Profile essay. Remember, your personal brand is shaped, in many ways, by your community influences. Just as you make choices in terms of how you present your brand through writing, personal choices will also impact how you present the subject of your Profile. In two to three paragraphs, discuss your personal relationship to the subject. How have personal impacts, needs, motivations, and relationships shaped your topic, angle, and purpose?

Crawford road is one of my favorite places to visit, and see the history left behind.  This road is part of a historical era that is slowly being forgotten.  My interest in the paranormal is the other reason I visit this road.  The generations that have been in the area have not talked too much about the things that supposedly took place here.  It is interesting to go to the place first hand and see the historical quality.  Today, the bridge over this road has graffiti on it, almost like the authorities have given up on trying preventing it.

The appreciation of the historical value seems to have gone away.  A lot of the residents still hold value to the history of the area.  It is a place that not many know about, and the ones that do either enjoy the history, or want to mark it.  People would rather go to places like the Yorktown Battlefields, or other major history spots.  They seem to forget that there are less traveled places close by that give a similar thrill.