WP2: Statement of Purpose

I chose this comic for my personal background with it, and also for Far Side’s quirky way with comics. When I was younger my mother had a coffee mug with the same comic on the front. My brother and I would fight over that mug even though we vowed to never drink coffee in our lives. I would read it over and over each time I got a hold of the mug. This essay is important to show possible meanings of the comic and to analyze the aesthetic portions of this comic.

To pick out a comic that would fit with the objective of the project I had to sift through many sights to find a comic that I felt would fit and give me opportunities to find an argument that I would be able to present. The purpose for finding an adequate comic is to practice analyzing comic strips and presenting our findings as a grade to more or less argue that we know how, and are able to find the rhetorical objects in comics. I thought that the comic in which I chose would be presented so that my audience would see better my view of the comic.

In order to present an adequate essay involving this particular comic, it is important to keep in mind the audience. Although the majority of my audience will be composed of fellow class members, and my professor for feedback, it is still important to make it presentable to other audiences as well. Due to the fact that we post our written work on a blog for grading, that leaves room for a larger audience. It now widens the audience to those who visit our blogging site and essentially all those using the internet. I want the audience to see my argument. I believe it will be easier than most however. I want my audience to be able to relate to the age old cat vs. dog dilemma, and how it is represented in the comic itself. I must remember to focus on the important details so that the appropriate message is conveyed. There are countless people who have viewed this comic. Far Side fanatics, people just reading the newspaper, and other audiences.

The context in which I am another factor that can drastically affect my essay and the argument I present. Dogs are seen as “man’s best friend” while the cats are more the intellectual and intelligent animal in households that are constantly trying to get the dog to fail. This stereotype is shown by the misspelling of the word food and instead putting "cat fud". However the dog seems to be intelligent enough to come up with a way that can eliminate the cat from competition. The comic tries to bend the stereotype by showing these roles slightly reversed. Instead the cat is being targeted and the “protector” of the household is now seeking out revenge. The context in which I present this comic is important to show my interpreted argument of the comic.

In conclusion I am going to put into consideration my audience and the context in which I will be presenting my thoughts. I will need to alter my wording and adequately present ways in which my argument is shown in the comic itself and show proof shown aesthetically and rhetorically throughout.