Understanding Genres Chapter 1

In chapter one of The Bedford Book of Genres, the purpose of genres was discussed. Besides organizing music, writings, or art into categories, genres help portray an author’s or artist’s purpose to his audience.I understand that pieces could fit into multiple genres; however, I think pieces can be impacted by its genre because certain audiences have a bias of what genres they prefer to read and not read. When composing, the main purposes are to tell a story, to inform, or to persuade. The importance of focusing on who you’re writing for, the audience; how you write, rhetorical appeals; and how your present your compositions, modes and media, were also discussed. When considering who you are writing for, it is important that one’s rhetorical appeals, ethos. pathos, and logos, along with style is appropriate for their audience. Rhetorical appeals allow a composer to convey their credibility, relate to the audience on a personal level, and intertwine logic and facts into their pieces. Which mode a composer chooses is crucial because he needs to select the right mode or combination of modes in order to reach the right audience. Finishing the chapter, I realized that the design and mode are extremely important in attracting readers and the genre and style are important in keeping a reader interested in one’s work and the work’s purpose.