Rhetorical analysis: key concepts and applications

¶ … semiotics and logic. These two traditions have frequently been used as the determiner of the precise meaning of even, argument or communication (Feldman, Skoldberg, & Brown, 2004). The piece named the White Blackbird is a depiction of Moore's grandmother in an exquisite way. Margaret Sergeant is a painter and socialite. The narrative is a moving account of Moore's search for his grandmother. Before the production of Moore's novel, Margaret Sargent had practically been lost in the art history. She was a great artist but she had been under-recognized in the field. Margaret had only left behind faint traces of hr once flourishing art career. Moore has succeeded to draw an impressive portrait of Margaret Sargeant's attempts to become an artist and carve out an independent life that is devoid of social obligations. She is the champion of the rejection of the straight jacket fit that many women often found cut out for them in the 20th C. She was a sophisticated modern female by all standards (Langer, 2006).

The title is not derived from any of the paintings done by Margaret Sargent. Rather, it is from George Luks; who was her mentor. He produced the painting of Margaret from memory in 1919. The White Blackbird painting is, therefore, the work of the little known mentor in Margaret's background. The image arrested the outstanding blend of her fine black hair and a pale skin. The contrast of her mercurial temperament is also brought out and serves to highlight the unconventional life she chose to lead and the eventual tragic living (Ware, 1996). Apart from the family letters, the author makes use of diaries, sketch books and sculptures as texts. Such paintings as the portrait of the self that Margaret crafted; representing her being as a faceless body; and without a mirror reflection; are consistently used to suggest the vulnerability of the artist and gives an impression of the self drifting into oblivion. Often times, Ms Moore's is at pains trying to present sketches paintings as real life representations of the state of mind of the artist. Like her life, Margaret's art pieces can be produced in a number of ways. "We must be called something. If you say a girl is pretty or ugly, I know what you mean, but literally of course, we are not 'modern' as many of the painters who belong to the school 60 or 70 years ago. However, it is just that the public is becoming aware of us" (Moore, 1927 - 1930).

Through the revelation of the interpretation process, the researcher gives the reader a demonstration of their assumptions regarding the theories produced. Consequently, the reader is given a chance to analyse the validity of the interpretation (Feldman, Skoldberg, & Brown, 2004). Moore takes the trouble to document the relationship between Margaret and her family. Moore knew that her grandmother kept her focus on originality. She had a sense of taste and was keen on stirring sensuality. She had an attractive and influential charisma. Margaret did not paint anything after striking forty years. When Moore summoned the courage and knowledge to ask her, she replied that the painting had become too intense (Langer, 2006).