The rhetor of this comic strip is Charles Schulz. It is a comedic piece used primarily for entertainment purposes. The audience is the general public, as this was published in newspapers. Anyone who bought a newspaper would have been able to see it, and now that it’s on the internet, anyone who googles Peanuts cartoons would be able to find it.
Presented Elements: Woodstock sleeping, Snoopy pulling on the branch, the brach recoiling with Woodstock still in his nest, Snoopy laughing and thinking about not being able to resist
Suggested Elements: Woodstock getting disoriented, Snoopy’s inability to talk (suggested by the use of a thought bubble instead of a speech bubble), Snoopy’s amusement at Woodstock’s alarm, Woodstock being woken up by Snoopy’s shenanigans, Snoopy harassing Woodstock being normal (suggested by Woodstock not flying away)
This artifact suggests that sometimes things can’t be resisted for the purpose of personal amusement. Snoopy knows he could injure Woodstock, but he thinks it’ll be too funny to not pull on the branch. He can’t resist because he thinks it’ll be funny, so he does it anyway.
This was a great artifact that you’ve found! Though I agree with Snoopy and there’s some things you find too irresistible, I’m still going to call him out for being a jerk – poor Woodstock!
But yeah, awesome example!
Do you think the artifact might also suggest something about societal norms? Snoopy harassing Woodstock is a raucous behavior that goes against societal expectations that people should mind their own business and operate largely as individuals. When Snoopy says in the last frame that “sometimes there are just things you can’t resist doing,” is he perhaps suggesting that we should live more hedonistic lifestyles and give in to our desires (regardless of whether or not they meet societal expectations)?