Introduction to the Rhetorical Situation

The author's message serves as the reason or overall main point for putting pen to paper.
Messages are rarely explicitly stated. Instead, they are inferred through a logical understanding of the rhetorical situation.

Exigence, Exudence, and Exegesis: These terms represent the inspiration and specific events that lead to an author writing a piece.
Audience: Effective research depends on identifying specific demographics, such as jobs, genders, age groups, or socioeconomic classes. Writing is rarely intended for a general audience.
Context: The time of day and place significantly impact meaning. For example, Morning Courtney and afternoon Courtney are very different people, which can lead to different versions of a story.
Authentic Self: The author’s sense of self is a layer that helps determine the moral message.

Exegesis: Though the author was in prison, his specific reason for writing was criticism received from other religious leaders. He wrote to respond to this criticism and to inspire them to continue the civil rights movement.
Context: The author was in Alabama during the 60s, a center of conflict for movement. Him being in prison in Alabama versus Canada changes the message; he was there because he was asked to be there.
Core Message: The piece establishes a moral responsibility to break unjust laws and take direct action when immorality occurs.
Audience Identification: By recognizing the audience as other religious leaders in Alabama, the author's word choice is seen as an inspiration for them to fulfill their duties.

Inference involves drawing logical conclusions using the parts of the rhetorical situation as a guide.
Deep understanding is achieved by reading a piece 2, 3, 4, or 5 times. Multiple readings allow the reader to look for different things and identify different details each day.