Bitzer begins with the exigence, or the flaw in which one
wishes to change and channels their argument around in order to persuade
action. A rhetorical exigence is one that can be modified, unlike, for example,
the weather. A rhetorical exigence also requires assistance from others and
cannot be performed solely as a change in the actions of the individual making
the argument. As defined by Bitzer, an exigence is rhetorical when “it is
capable of positive modification” and when “positive modification requires
discourse or can be assisted by discourse”. For example, an argument against
pollution of our air, the rhetorical exigence, qualifies because it is a call
to action to positively change with the assistance of the world and raise
public awareness.
Exigence specifies the next element, which is audience. The
rhetorical audience consists of those who will be influenced by the argument
and, as a result, will influence the change. Continuing the air pollution example,
the audience being channeled might be a younger generation, who cares about the
future of the planet because they will have to deal with the problems in the
future. On the contrary, an older generation may not be as inclined to care
because they will not have to face the results of the pollution they are
creating.
Lastly, rhetorical situations consist of constraints “made
up of persons, events, objects, and relations”. The constraints are parts of
the situation that have the ability to narrow decisions and actions that modify
the exigence. There are two types of constraints, those that originate from the
rhetor, and those that are operative, or abide to the situation. In the air pollution
example, a constraint can be embedded belief that pollution is bad for the environment.
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