This far in class, we have attempted to describe many seemingly undefinable words such as rhetoric and public. These terms prove to be tough to label because a single phrase, sentence, or small group of sentences cannot accurately depict them. They are complex. The term, genre, appears to be no different. Carolyn Miller argues that genre is more focused on social action rather than just a set of rules that say how to write or in what style. Miller writes, “Since ‘rhetorical forms that establish genres are stylistic and substantive responses to perceived situational demands,’ a genre becomes a complex of formal and substantive features that create a particular effect in a given situation. Genre, in this way, becomes more than a formal entity; it becomes pragmatic, fully rhetorical, a point of connection between intention and effect, an aspect of social action.” In this excerpt, Miller describes how genre is not a physical means. It is not about the organization of the words on a page or about the size/font of the text.
Genre is about the reaction a rhetorical piece instills on its audience. Genres are to provoke action based on a given situation. Miller quotes Lloyd F. Bitzer stating, “From day to day, year to year, comparable situations occur, prompting comparable responses.” It seems as if genre is a tool that rhetoricians can use to get their message across. By analyzing situations that frequently repeat themselves, rhetoricians have the ability to predict responses. This allows them to contact their public and convey their message in the most effective way possible.
To provoke certain responses, rhetoricians can use the same formal qualities such as formats, layouts, and lengths. Miller argues that these formal qualities are often mistaken for genre when it is actually the social action that the formal qualities provoke that is genre.
Having knowledge of genre can definitely be beneficial when writing for a public. The writer needs to be aware of and perhaps try to manipulate his/her public’s reaction to the piece. If the writer can control or predict the reaction, the writer can choose formal qualities that allow the piece to reach its maximum effectiveness.