What is meant by “rhetorical situation?” This term is the circumstance of an event that consists of an issue, an audience, and a set of constraints. An example would be anytime there is an exigence, issue needing resolution, in this situation there are constraints on what action can be taken. In writing this is merely the context, or setting of an act. It is comprised of a writer on an issue or problem occurring.
As a reader you should be considering the situation which will help you develop a more detailed understanding of others and their texts. In short, the situation can help writers and readers think through and determine why texts exist, what they aim to do, and how they do it in particular situations.
Example, one of the most common uses of rhetoric we see is in politics. Candidates use carefully crafted language to appeal to their audiences’ emotions and core values in an attempt to sway their vote. However, because the purpose, many people come to equate it with fabrication, with little or no regard to ethical concerns.