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Jennifer Kim #5018999

Wilson

Writ 2, MW 10AM

9 June 2017

Writing Project 1

Throughout the past and present, people have been constantly caught up in ideas of what

is considered beautiful and accepted in the eyes of society. Because of this, with women

especially, there is a constant pressure to look a certain way that can be considered culturally

normal. Many authors write about this topic within their own genres and realize they must

utilize that genres conventions because without these conventions, the genres would not be

distinguishable. Genre conventions can be seen with the two textual examples, All About That

Bass by Meghan Trainor and a Buzzfeed article about women getting photoshopped, as the

authors utilize their genres conventions in order to appeal to their own individual audience and

achieve their rhetorical goals.

Song lyrics are essentially poems paired with music, with the purpose of sending a

message to the person listening to the song, also known as the audience. The message often aims

to be of relevance to current events in society. This purpose is achieved by using the convention

that song lyrics consist of the main chorus, which is repeated throughout the song two or more

times while verses consist of different lyrics. The chorus also normally contains the main

message of the song. For example, in Meghan Trainors song, All About That Bass, the song

lyrics state Because you know I'm all about that bass, // 'Bout that bass, no treble, in which

Trainor clearly states, and repeats, the main message. Without this chorus, there would be no

basis for the song lyrics to continue with the verses. Because there are several verses within one
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song, there is often repetition of words or phrases to make them memorable. For example,

Trainors songs states She says, boys they like a little more booty to hold at night and it repeats

at the end of each verse. This repetition adds to the convention that song lyrics should be catchy

and appeal to the songs message. It ultimately contributes to the overall meaning of the lyrics as

it relates to the lyrics in the chorus.

The overall meaning of the lyrics is met with the convention that song lyrics should be

relatable or meaningful to the audience. Song lyric writers meet this expectation by writing about

relevant topics in social media and creating a connection between this topic and the reader.

Trainor does this by using the verse to support the message in the chorus and to appeal to the

sentiments of the reader. For example, the song lyrics say Yeah, my momma she told me dont

worry about your size. By referencing her mother, it makes the lyrics meaningful to the

audience as they think about how supportive their own mothers are to them. Another example of

Trainor using the convention of relatability is when she addresses photoshop in the lyrics

because it has been a big topic in recently. Trainor says in her song, I see the magazines

working that Photoshop // We know that shit aint real. Although she says that they know it is

not real, she realizes that it is an avid topic in which people are still influenced by. She also

includes this because the audience consists of many women, young girls in particular,

mentioning photoshop would spark discussion among society. As Trainor attempts to appeal to

the audiences ethos, there is a greater connection between them and the lyrics of the song.

Buzzfeed articles are written by hired writers and often talk about topics that are

prominent in modern news and culture. The audience is composed of people who are seeking

relatable opinions on hot topics in society. The writing is often paired with other forms of media

such as photos or tweets. If the article is not relevant to the audience, then they will be much
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more hesitant to read it. In order to achieve this convention expectation, the articles often have

quotes from people who are interviewed or used in particular videos. For example, in an article

that talks about women getting photoshopped to their own cultural beauty standards, one girl said

so many small changes can add up to this clone-y version of yourself, where you look like a

person who looks like you but not like yourself.. Using real quotes makes the reader feel that

they can relate to the article. It helps to create a better understanding of different stances on

topics as it provides direct quotes from people who have first-hand experience. Also, they

interview people who would relate to the target audience the best. So in this case, they used

young women in their twenties, in order to better relate to the audience.

Another characteristic of Buzzfeed articles is the informal tone that is created by a more

causal way of writing. For example, at the end of the article it says The new photos weren't bad,

but they definitely didn't feel like us, you know?. It says you know which insinuates a feeling

of comfort and ease rather than formal speech. Buzzfeed articles are a type of genre that leave

the reader feeling as if they are having a comfortable and easy conversation with a friend or

acquaintance. This is meaningful because although the reader does not really know the people

speaking, they can have a greater understanding of the speakers standpoint. The conventions

that are associated with Buzzfeed articles contribute to the overall rhetorical purpose of the

article.

Song lyrics and Buzzfeed articles both have certain ways of writing that attempt to

engage the reader. With song lyrics, it has a certain rhythm and scheme as it is written and to add

onto this, song lyrics are paired with music to actually make the audience listen. They also must

have a message that the audience is eager to listen to. With Buzzfeed articles, the interviews that

are performed with people who are relevant to the target audience is likely the most important
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convention that makes the reader engaged. Also the casual way of writing creates an even closer

connection to the audience and the reader. These two genres are especially apparent when it

comes to writing about news within modern culture.

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Works Cited

Chirico, Kristin, and Freddie Ransome. "We Were Photoshopped To Different Cultural Beauty

Ideals, And It Wow It Was Weirder Than We Thought It'd Be." BuzzFeed. Buzzfeed, 29

Jan. 2017. Web. 7 Apr. 2017. <https://www.buzzfeed.com/kristinchirico/we-were-

photoshopped-into-different-cultural-beauty-ideals-

a?utm_term=.kq0BZ787q#.klpQeq3qO>.

Trainor, Meghan. "All About That Bass." Metro Lyrics. N.p., n.d. Web. 7 Apr. 2017.

<http://www.metrolyrics.com/all-about-that-bass-lyrics-meghan-trainor.html>.