When Bitzer says that rhetoric is situational he explains that it’s not just understanding the context of the speech, it’s location, or how the speaker communicates but additionally it’s a “response to a situation of a certain kind”. He clarifies that the point of rhetoric is to act as a part of something “beyond itself”, beyond the situation. He equates it to the context of a person, event, object, or thing. It’s situational because only during some instances do you need it. You don’t have to have a background or a discourse, the scene itself is just furthered by it. However, when it is included, it’s a necessary “fitting” response to a situation. It incites a discussion which then changes the function of the situation.
Bitzer defines exigence as an “imperfection marked by urgency”. Examples of this are found in the everyday world but not all are rhetorical. Those that can have a response or discourse to be solved are situational. This is like a conversation with someone who’s actions have upset you and you communicate with them, solving your problem. However, a hurricane cannot be solved by talking to it.
One of my worst habits as a college student is whenever I have free time I spend it watching TV. My newest show to binge watch is Criminal Minds. Its genre would be narrative because it tells the case (story) but informative also due to its revealing nature throughout the episode. Its mode is visual (on my computer). The media is digital (Netflix). The audience is anyone who purchases Netflix with a variety of ages, incomes, education, and gender. Lastly the style and design behind criminal minds is the mystery. People are pulled in to see who done it, and why. It’s a cop show and a drama/mystery, people are drawn in.