The rhetorical analysis assignment allowed me to be creative in choosing a controversial image and writing about my thoughts on the deeper implications of the image. Upon learning about this prompt, I immediately looked towards the discord that was happening in our country: political polarity fueled by President Trump and the Black Lives Matter Movement. The photo-op of Trump standing in front of St. John’s Church reminded me of the duality of presence. One may want to present himself or herself in one light, but in reality, they act in another light. This could easily be done in the form of an image because an image could show Trump as a noble leader, but his actions show that he is an unruly authority figure who wishes to put down peaceful protests. 

This essay specifically focused on Course Learning Objectives 2, 3 and 6. In my writing, I had to formulate a thesis, or rather a stance, on how I interpreted the image of Trump and how different audiences may have interpreted the same image. I believe I was successful in effectively articulating my stance, keeping in mind how the audience of the photo may have different backgrounds, whether political or social, and may receive information and core values from various sources of news. In addition, while researching this topic, I learned to read articles that may be directed towards audiences of a specific political range by first reading with an open mind then synthesizing information I have read from other articles. This enhances my strategies of reading and editing my writing.

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