Genre Analysis

William Johnson

University of Texas at El Paso

RWS 1302

Dr. Vierra

July 15, 2018

 Genre Analysis

The claim for both the monograph and the video are that human activities are the problem

and solution for climate change. Their expectations are for people to take notice and make a

change in the right direction. A Texan Plan for the Texas Coast is the monograph written by Jim

Blackburn (2017). Causes and Effects of Climate Change (2017), is the video created by the

National Geographic organization. According to National Geographic (2017), “Human activities

from pollution to over population are driving up the earth’s temperature and fundamentally

changing the world around us” (0:04).

Audience

The monograph and video differ in the way of who they are trying to reach. In modern

times a video typically has audio as well, so it is meant for anyone with sight and/or hearing.

This video is targeted towards conscious people who are above the age of 16. Anyone above that

age who already has an interest in actively being an eco-friendly person. Also, those who

believe that humans are the problem and solution for climate change. Their expectation is to

reach any of these people on a global scale, anyone with internet access. Primarily due to the

time it wasn’t meant to persuade anyone new but only inform and reinforce the material that had

been collected. But it is a great tool and resource for those who don’t have a lot of free time to sit

and read leisurely due to the fast-paced culture. And it is also for people who already have an

interest in the subject of taking care of their global home. Although it isn’t a great convincing

tool the video still briefly attempts to persuade anyone with certain claims. These claims include

bad effects on a person’s health and food supply. According to National Geographic (2017),

“The temperatures will create longer and more frequent droughts which will make growing crops

difficult. The areas where plants and animals can live will shift and then water supplies will
diminish. In addition to creating new and difficult agricultural challenges, the climate change

will directly affect peoples’ physical health. In urban areas the warmer atmosphere will trap and

increase the amount of smog. The exposure to higher levels a smog can cause health problems

such as asthma, heart disease and lung cancer” (1:41).

The monograph is meant for literate and scholarly people because it is intended to be

read. The book in a way compromises with those who aren’t as scholarly as the next with the

number of pictures it contains. The multiple pictures and charts help stimulate and keep those

interested who might not be used to reading a book with absolutely no pictures or such a lengthy

topic. It is also a bit more limiting once you get further into the book, specifically tailoring to

those who have faith. The target is specifically meant for Southern Texans who are religious.

The author’s expectations are for these people to read the book and possibly afterwards start to

change their ways into a more positive, eco-friendly manner. According to Blackburn (2017),

“Over the last several decades, the Christian community has been developing and expanding the

connections between biblical scripture and the environment” (pg. 212).

Structure

The two genres biggest difference is format. Both genres have their pros and cons. The

video is more efficient if lack of time is an issue. You can sit down and relax with the way the

video is created while the message is conveyed through audio, moving pictures and possible

anecdotes. Due to the format almost, anyone can be a viewer as well as multitask while listening

to the audio. That alone is a huge advantage in this modern microwave society. A lot of people

today, want the information as fast as possible. The video lasts for three minutes and four

seconds with diagrams to reinforce their message. It is a good format for people who need good

information in a timely manner.

 While the monograph’s format makes it time consuming and difficult to multitask. It is

considered more for scholarly people and contains thought provoking words. Blackburn (2017),

“Reports started coming in from farther east, places like Bridge City and Orange in the Golden

Triangle near the Louisiana border, where the surge pushed up into Sabine Lake, inundating the

Invista chemical facility, which stayed shut down for months” (pg. 82). The word inundating

means overwhelming or flooding. Unlike the video it is also necessary for the person to be

literate to be able to read the monograph. It also has chapters to further break down the book into

more manageable sections. The book has 305 pages including pictures, charts, and references to

better convey his message. With these aids the author’s expectation was to make sure his

information was understood by anyone who should read the book.

Rhetorical Issues

The two genres are the same in this aspect because neither one of them were very

persuasive with their arguments. They were able to convey their argument very well, but it was

more informative than persuasive. The monograph relied on a few simple diagrams that only

spoke on how things are now. It didn’t really have any projections of the future based on past

statistical data. One of the only charts that gave a perspective on how things are now based on

the past was about the decrease in river flow and the increase of the whooping cranes’ mortality.

The graph was prepared by a Dr. Ron Sass. According to Blackburn (2017), “The Aransas

Project was formed to litigate for freshwater inflow for San Antonio Bay in order to keep the bay

healthy so that there would be sufficient blue crabs to feed the wintering whooping cranes” (pg.

188).
 The video wasn’t very persuasive either. But one of the charts they showed dictates an

increase in green house gases. According to N. Geographic (2017), “The rapid increase in

greenhouse gases in the atmosphere has warmed the planet at an alarming rate. While earth’s

climate has fluctuated in the past, atmospheric carbon dioxide hasn’t reached today’s levels in

hundreds of thousands of years” (0:52).

The video is credible because uses and continues to use multiple experts in their field.

These scientists, experts and people who help in the field are the ones who gather and make sure

the information found is true. The monograph is also credible because it was published by Texas

Agricultural and Mechanical University Press. This publication has specific rules and guidelines

that need to be followed.

Monographs usually don’t have pathos, but the author seems to appeal to the readers’

emotional side by starting with how the region is a paradise and ending with it is dying because

of the inhabitants’ choices. According to Blackburn (2017), “It is a place of natural wonder, of

neotropical songbirds and endangered whooping cranes, a place of marshes and shrimp, a

fisherman’s paradise. It is also the global center of the oil, gas, and plastics businesses and home

to major real estate development in and around Houston. This region is facing long-term

problems that threaten its ecology as well as its economy and social structure” (pg. 1). The video

appears to appeal to the viewers’ emotional side with fear. It talks about how the pollution makes

the earth warmer which melts the ice caps, in turn raises the sea level and then floods entire

cities.

In the video, National Geographic used multiple professionals and experts to get their

information. Some of the information they gathered was formed into diagrams illustrating cause

and effect from pollution to raised sea levels. The monograph used a few graphs and charts that
he got from other experts speaking about the general area and not specifically the lower Texan

coast.

Conclusions

Between both of the genes, the monograph and video I learned that one of Newton’s laws

of motion applied. All of our negative actions have a negative action on the earth which reacts in

multiple negative ways. We are expected to take care of our things and where we live. This

should include the earth because all humans live here. The monograph speaks about peoples’

actions affecting climate change in their local environment. The video speaks about humans’

actions affecting climate change at a global level. The video was more effective because it could

reach more people and had more credible resources.

According to Blackburn (2017), “If we are to flourish over the next century, we will need to

adapt to the realities of the full world” (pg. 2). By the “full world” Blackburn was writing

about a place where every single resource counts and successful companies merge

monetary profits with being eco-friendly.

 Bibliography

Blackburn, J. (2017). In Tunnell J. (Ed.), A Texan plan for the Texas coast (First ed.). Texas:

College Station : Texas A&M University Press, 2017. Retrieved from http://0-

search.ebscohost.com.lib.utep.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=cat04704a&AN=nug.b36985

61&site=eds-live&scope=site

National Geographic (Producer), & National Geographic (Director). (2017, August 28). Causes

and effects of climate change | national geographic. [Video/DVD] United States: National

Geographic. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4H1N_yXBiA