Visual Argument

We have all heard that saying, "A picture is worth a thousand words". However cliche it may be, it's true. A picture has the ability to sum up, in one snapshot, what it takes an author to do in a five page synopsis. Visual rhetoric is extremely useful in modern society, because 93% of communication is nonverbal (or visual). We have subconsciously  learned to master the art of reading other people's cues and body language, that it comes second nature to us (and this goes way back to when we were young and we always chose the picture books, as opposed to the books that we perceived to be small dictionaries.)

When we look at a picture, we evaluate it and try to find ways to connect it to our everyday lives. We ask ourselves questions that allow us to interpret the image in a number of ways.

For example:

When we first look at this image, the first thing we notice are the blue gloves. We ask ourselves: Where have I seen these types of gloves? Our mind then begins to list the possible places and scenarios that are connected with the gloves, and the most obvious answer is the Doctor's office. Right then and there our minds begin to remember the times that we visited the doctor's and the different emotions that we felt.

Next we notice that the person in the image is a teenage girl (possibly of Latino descent). After realizing that, almost all other groups of individuals are weeded out of the audience (especially males).

Next our eyes are drawn to her face to evaluate her emotion, and we see the mascara infested tear trail on her cheeks, and the sadness in her eyes.

We then put all of our observations together to create a story.

Studies show that a large percentage of adolescent girls often feel uncomfortable with their physicians, particularly if said physician is male. It is a doctor's job to examine their patients to entirety to ensure that their bodies are healthy. And because of this, girls feel that their privacy has been invaded. They feel as if they were taken advantage of, and there was little that they could do to stop it. A regularly scheduled check-up may seem like a nightmare to a young girl, who changes into the paper-thin hospital gown, lays on the cold examining bed, and gets poked, prodded, groped, rubbed, squeezed, and everything in between.

If you've read everything under the image, you realize that you really didn't have to. The picture sums up every word, in one snapshot. Your mind created a story similar to the one above, in a matter of seconds. This is a perfect example of how visual rhetoric can sometimes be more effective than its written counterpart.

Okay, you can stop reading now..lol :)