Essay #2, Summary and Response (Rhetorical Critique)
Composition I: Make an Argument about Street Art
PURPOSE: It is important to be able to summarize not just what a text says, but how it says it, how it attempts to, for lack of a better word, “manipulate” a reader or viewer to agree with its point of view. This has relevance to political advertisement, commercial advertisement, and any time you have to make a decision based on research and critical interpretation (be it for family, personal, or professional decisions).
PROMPT: Compose an essay in which you make an argument about street art. Specifically answer the question, What does the film Exit Through the Gift Shop suggest about the “authenticity” of Thierry Guetta’s (aka Mr. Brainwash’s) art? How does it suggest this, and do you agree or not?
Since the release of Exit Through the Gift Shop in 2010, many have debated whether it is a real documentary or a mockumentary, an elaborate prank pulled off by Banksy and the other street artists depicted therein, including Shepard Fairey (though the anonymous Banksy maintains it is absolutely real). Whatever your opinion of street art and artists, whether it is just graffiti or something deeper and more meaningful, in the last ten or fifteen years street art and artists have become huge stars.
As you’ve seen, or will see, in the newspaper and magazine articles in this unit, Banksy and Fairey have become megafamous artists whose work sells for tons of money. Mr. Brainwash has received mixed reactions. The secondary movies about Brainwash, Banksy and Fairey delve more deeply into these figures.
A Banksy original.
Model Outline for this Essay
I. Introduction: What street art is, how significant it’s become, what Exit Through the Gift Shop is, who Thierry is, how Exit Through the Gift Shop portrays Thierry and your thesis about whether Thierry is a “real” artist or not.)
II. Body Paragraph 1: Summarize Exit Through the Gift Shop and what it presents about its main subjects.
III. Body Paragraph 2: Rhetorical Analysis: Explain how the film implies that Mr Brainwash’s art is inauthentic versus the Significance and Success of the likes of Banksy and Shepard Fairey
IV. Body Paragraph 3: Argue: Explain what your academic view about Mr Brainwash’s art (and whether he stacks up to Banksy & Fairey or not)
V. Body Paragraph 4: Counterargument: Why would others disagree with your opinion? Why do you refute these arguments?
VI. Conclusion: Your opinion about how Thierry or Mister Brainwash compares to Banksy and Fairey synthesized; a larger thought on “authenticity”
Using Sources in Your Writing
You must cite directly from the Exit Through the Gift Shop documentary 3 to 4 times and quote at least 1 time from 2 of the provided primary source articles from magazines, videos, and newspapers in the D2L module (3 total sources; at least 5 to 6 quotes).
Sources:
• Documentary (movie): Exit Through the Gift Shop (4 quotes from the documentary)
• Documentary (movie): Banksy: Deep or Dumb?
• Article: “The Story Behind Banksy” from Smithsonian Magazine (document attached)
• Article: “Banksy was Here” from The New Yorker (document attached)
Due Dates
Rough Draft of the Essay: November 16, 2022
Final Draft of the Essay: November 20, 2022
Formatting Requirements
• MLA in-text citations and works cited entries
• Titled, double-spaced, 1-inch margins, 12 point Times New Roman or Arial font
• At least 1000 words
