Exploring the Importance of Genre

Defining what specifically genre is is not as easy of a task as one may think. Initially, when we think of genre, one might think of genres of music, books, movies and television, news sources, and so on, however, much more goes into a genre than a specific theme. As Kerry Dirk explains in her essay, "Navigating Genres," the way we write or present an idea differs depending on the genre in question. It's similar to when a teenager change the way they speak when talking to an elder compared to how they talk when they're conversing with friends, they modify their language to match the specific audience they're trying to reach. It would seem rather off if the main protagonist in a romance movie spoke in a broken, disheartened way to the one they love, therefore, such a romance movie has no reason to exist. It's also important to note that while speaking to a specific audience, utilizing ethos, logos, and pathos appropriately is just as important as using correct language. In BBG chapter 1, they touch upon this, stating that ethos, logos, and pathos are things to keep in mind when writing to an audience. Are you trying to persuade someone? Are you trying to inform? if so, who, and why should they listen to you? Lloyd F. Bitzer also discusses this point, expanding on it and arguing that the audience or even the speaker or writer may not know it, in fact they're point may be weak, but everyone falls victim to rhetoric when speaking to a genre.