Wartime Poster

Rhetorical Analysis

I felt that each wartime poster was designed to have a specific purpose and to convey a personal and strong message to the audience. I chose to analyze the poster that looked as if a pointing finger had been torn through the poster. I believe that the design of this poster was meant to strike the public because the majority of people were used to seeing the original Uncle Sam poster displayed everywhere. This poster has a different feel and from that effect I think that it gave off a different voice.

The poster is red, white and blue, which represent the United States of America. The background is red and white striped with white text. The pointing figure in the center of the torn edges gives the effect that this hand has come through the paper with force and is passionate about the topic. The hand seems to be masculine and it is visible that there are red and white strips around the end of his shirt where it meets his wrist. The Cuff of the shirt or jacket is blue with white starts, which represent the states within America. It is obvious that this poster is trying to communicate on a personal level with its audience because the “You” is outlined in blue and stands out from the other text.

The design of this poster is simple, yet memorable. It has nothing extra, which might distract from the message, “Are you doing all you can?” It points out “YOU” as individual and makes anyone who sees this poster ask themselves the question “Am I? This is a powerful poster and I think that through its design it has encouraged many individuals to become more patriotic and serve their country as an American.