I want to look particularly at the conventions of a Birthday
Card. Birthday cards can either be extremely personal or on the more unattached
side of the spectrum. It really depends on who the birthday card is for, and
the relationship between the writer and the recipient. There are also store
bought options for birthday cards for people that prefer not to write their
own. In general, all of the cards usually contain the phrase “Happy Birthday”
or some variations of the word happy that still manage to express a feeling of
joy. It is also respectful to include your name and the name of the person receiving
the present.
On the
Hallmark shelf there are different sections according to the varying relationships
with the birthday person. There are sections mom, dad, sister, cousin, and the
list goes on. The “Happy Birthday to Mom” cards usually contain flowers and a message
about how important moms are. The card also features a section where it is
possible to leave a short personalized note. The content of the personalized
message varies on how close the writer is to their mother. Usually the note
will end with “I love you” so that the mother receiving the message remembers
on their special day that they are loved.
An impersonal
example of the birthday can be anything from “roommates sister sorta friend” to
“that one cousin you see once a year on Christmas”. The relationship may not be
so intimate and common so there will not be a section for this card on
Hallmark. To the less personal relationships it is customary to wish them
health and a happy birthday. The card will still show that some thought has
gone into the situation, but relationship is not developed enough to buy an
expensive and over the top card. The tone will be friendly, and show that the
person is special enough for you to get them a card.
If the card
is for someone that you see on a regular basis and that you share plenty of
memories with then the card can be personalized more. For example, if it’s for
a best friend that you have an inside joke with about goats and you happen to
find a card with a goat on it that will be appropriate for the situation. It is
also appropriate to include a personalized message about that one time you
almost bought a goat, but it bit you instead. If you happen to get the card for
someone that has an ill goat, then the card is no longer appropriate. When
gifting to an almost stranger it is safer to go for a generic card that contain
nothing offensive. Balloons and puppies are a safe option.
Either way a birthday card is used
to express happiness and celebration for someone’s birthday. Once the
relationship is accessed the birthday card writing or purchasing is more achievable.
Each card carries a different tone so it is important to read the card as if
you were the person receiving it, so you can access how you think the other
person will feel about the card. A birthday card has the power to convey tone,
emotions, and style.
I thought that discussing birthday cards was a really interesting choice because it never would have occurred to me to think of them as a genre. You did a great job explaining how even within the genre, there are more specific subgroups that each have their own conventions associated with them. I also liked that you were able to come up with potential purposes of the conventions you described and the author's possible reasoning for their usage. I thought that your analysis of the rhetorical features was very effective, and I was able to clearly understand the importance of the intended recipient of the specific card they would be given.
ReplyDeleteI like how your topic colors outside the lines. It is a topic that I would have never thought of as a genre. I also like how you explained that there is not only one set of conventions for the entire genre, but the genre itself has different conventions based on relationship. The use of examples after you mentioned each convention was also very helpful for the reader. Overall I think you did a great job.
ReplyDeleteYour response was great! I really liked how you kept it lighthearted throughout the topic, but also made sure that you included the important stuff too. Your choice of genre was definitely very creative, and I think you did a really good job at getting really specific. You explained the conventions of each of the different kinds of birthday cards, and you also explained the reasoning behind them. It's obvious that you have been paying attention in class and are focusing on that in your work!
ReplyDeleteHey Beatriz! I thought your PB1A was super creative and fun. First of all, you chose a topic that is super outside the box and I applaud you for your creativity. Beyond that, you displayed a clear understanding of genres and their conventions by differentiating between the various types of birthday cards. Your essay reminded me of the nesting dolls because it went from super broad (birthday cards in general) to super specific (a friend that you have an inside joke with about a goat). You did a great job of describing the unique features that are specific to each type of birthday card while still maintaining a light-hearted and humorous tone throughout the essay.
ReplyDeleteI think your topic really stood out to me because I never thought of birthday cards as a genre. I like that you talked about a birthday cards for 3 different types of receivers because it helped me see how different they are and you really went in depth with the differences of each one. You made it clear why each card is that way and you structured your writing very well.
ReplyDelete