Squeetus

The official title of Shannon Hale's blog is Squeetus. Like Chelsea I will be analyzing the entire blog but focusing on one of her recent posts in particular.

A. I think there are a few reasons Shannon Hale keeps a blog, it depends on the post. Some of her posts seem like they are advertising her books. Other posts seem like she is just blogging for the same reason several college students blog: to share their life experiences (aka. funny incidents, likes/dislikes, hectic days, life lessons, random thoughts). The particular blog post I am focusing on is Shannon Hale sharing a bit of her everday life and its corky ironic plot.

B. The text is effective (p.s. can someone please explain to me in simple terms the differences between effective and affective? I know I've been explained it before but I feel like an idiot for not remembering) for the audience because the author engages her readers. She speaks directs to her readers, referring to them and thanking them for visiting her blog. She also provides questions for her readers to answer, whether they are rhetorical or not--sometimes she posts blogs asking for her readers to comment, or creates polls for her audience to participate in. The article I'm analyzing is about a series of hilarious events that many readers can relate to, something her audience can feel connected to her with.

C. Kairos. Well, Hale's blog is appealing to her readers of all ages. Shannon Hale has written several books for different ages: adults, young adults, teenagers, and children. For the most part, her blog talks a lot about things of the now. For example, she gives reports on recent meetings she's been to, her upcoming tours, and world events.

D. 1) Rhetorical question. In the text I'm analyzing Hale says, "Was there a refrigerator gypsy we inadvertently crossed on our wedding day? Is there a saint over appliances I can supplicate?" These are questions that she doesn't literally expect you to answer to in a comment. Personally, I think it is a tool to make the audience laugh.
2) Personification. In her article, Shannon Hale is decribing her bad luck with refrigerators, and she sometimes refers to them using human characteristics. Example: "Just over a year later, the freezer died." Maybe "died" really isn't personification, but isn't the proper term "breaks"? Anyhow, I think it adds to the humor of the article, giving it a more vivid feel and a tinch of imagery.
3) Diction. Her diction is amazing. It helps that she has a broad vocabulary. With a wide range of words to write with you can express more detail, emotion, adstract thoughts, etc. In the text, Hale uses the phrase "Happy schadenfreude!". The definition of schadenfreude is the satisfaction or pleasure felt at someone else's misfortune. This was the perfect word to use for her article and it adds to the effect of her post. If she didn't have the right word it wouldn't give the audience the same feel of humor and irony.
4) Imagery... through dialogue. In her article Hale includes a lot of dialogue, perfectly painting the exact picture of truth. Through dailogue she can tell a story word for word, making it seem more real to the audience. Example:
'Calling to check up on the status, I'm told we can't get an exchange from where we purchased it. I don't offer pie to the woman on the phone. There is no pie in me left to give. I actually break down and weep. "This is insanity! How can you run a company this way? Am I being punked? Am I trapped in Groundhog's Day?"
"I apologize if there has been any inconvenience, ma'am. I'll put in for a refund."'

E. No matter what post you're looking at, Hale has made sure there is always a section to the left on the screen devoted to Shannon Hale's "Book-o-Rama". It shows the cover page of each of her books. This keeps a constant image of her writings in the minds of her audience at all times-advertising!
She also keeps her blog current with fresh blog posts, bolding the dates above every title, showing when she last wrote. This tells the audience she is involved and active in her web site.