tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3354814281006350164.post1218481204246261678..comments2023-03-23T21:44:30.265-04:00Comments on ENG L371 Critical Practices: "Equipment for Living" (in uncertain times): Agency and Exigencytgrabanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16913401531606867135noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3354814281006350164.post-81642933380136639902011-11-06T22:17:33.723-05:002011-11-06T22:17:33.723-05:00I agree with you in your claim that exigency and a...I agree with you in your claim that exigency and agency are different, yet related concepts. Even more impressive, however, is your distinction between exigency, agency and intention. While all three are tied together in certain genres, it is indeed important to distinguish between them and their functions. I would like to focus on the societal and rhetorical purposes of exigency to differentiate it from agency and intention. As you noted in your post, "exigence provides the rhetor a socially recognizable way to make his or her intentions known." Perhaps it is best for us to think of exigence as the act of recognizing the social situation, and then acting on it. Exigence is an act in which an individaul accepts the position of an agent, recognizing a rhetorical situation and then using it to express culturally accepted intentions. In Miller's essay, she breifly mentions the eulogy as a genre. While I discussed this briefly in my previous post, I think it helps us understand exigence, agency and intention. The rhetorical situation of death produces an instance in which our culture calls for action. The action of performing a eulogy serves a specific purpose, and prompts individuals to respond to the situation as such. The recognition of this social sitaution is exigence, in which the agent (or author) utilzes a genre to express socially accepted intentions regarding death. While exigence and agency seem to be the same, I agree with you in your claim that the tie to a social situation is neccesary for exigence, while agency and intention can operate without it.Daniel E. McKassonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02460348389806722348noreply@blogger.com