Often times, in order to communicate well, it’s appropriate to state the obvious, namely, declare what that communication seeks to do. Bowdon and Scott underline what they call a purpose statement, and they define said statement in the following way: The purpose statement is the line which “tells readers what the text is intended to do for them.” Without such a statement, readers and hearers alike may be left guessing the communicator’s intent. Explicitness is the fence which keeps an audience out of the bad land of ambiguity. To me, a purpose statement screams clarity and compels the writer or speaker to be fixed on what he cemented in the purpose statement post holes.
Regarding the practical nature of communication and my own campaign, I must be super clear about what my intentions are when engaging my selected audience. I must employ a purpose statement in my materials, so as to make the purpose for which I communicate with them obvious. In other words, I want my audience to know my purpose and, thus, I employ a purpose statement. My campaign will seek to make Bellefield Presbyterian Church aware of mental health issues facing the universal church and the world at large. As a seminary graduate and peer support specialist with UPMC, I plan to deliver a speech at Bellefield, a place where I will undoubtedly declare my purpose loud and clear. (This is a scenario I hope for. I am a seminary grad and pray for the stated position.) The speech may read like this:
“The purpose of this message is to make known the mental health issues that plague the church as a whole and the society at large. Many problems are tied to poor mental health, among the people inside and outside these walls, and if we are going to reach the world with the good news of Jesus Christ for the glory of God, then we must be aware of mental disorders that afflict many of us, so that we deal well with our fellow Christians and those we seek to reach with the message of hope.”
I could also use this “The purpose of this…” format for a blog post or a letter sent to all who attend Bellefield.
Finally, regarding limits to this rhetorical device’s usefulness, sometimes people may get bored with the notion of hearing or reading a clear purpose statement. For some, it may take the “fun” of discovery away. People like their “Jiminy Cricket!!” moments when they realize the meaning of a message without the purpose statement. Another limit to the purpose statement is that in declaring the purpose for a speech or letter or blog post, this may leave out the possibility of allowing the message to be interpreted in a variety of ways. Maybe someone could see a bigger purpose than the one simply stated. Maybe a purpose statement limits the audience, instead of allowing their minds to be thinking more expansively.
Despite the numerous challenges mentioned in the paper, I still regard a purpose statement as an important literary device for keeping both readers and hearers on course. It is true that without a purpose statement, the audience can think more expansively regarding the mental problem being put forward. But without a purpose statement, the audience will tend to formulate their conclusions over the matter which may not correlate with the presenter’s goal. As such, a purpose statement limits the scope of discussion to the topic removing any possibility of the audience being sidetracked in the course of the speech.
I also believe that rather than the purpose statement stifling discovery or exploration by the audience, it encourages them; I reckon the attendees of the forum would be encouraged to undertake their research regarding the topic to determine the severity of the condition within the church and its long term repercussions if not addressed. Secondly, providing a purpose statement at the commencement of the talk allows for the audience to formulate their questions which would lead to a lively discussion thereafter especially when the talk does not address all their concerns. Ultimately, a purpose statement affords the speaker and the audience to engage in a focused type of interaction where everyone is clear on the intent of the talk.