Visual Literacy Deconstruc on and Poster Analysis

POSTER SELECTED: There is s ll a place in the line for you

Technique Example Effect
Rhetorical ‘Will you fill it?’ A rhetorical ques on is not used
ques on This ques on is done in a to be answered, but to
cursive font. persuade the viewer and
Cursive font emphasise the key idea of the
poster. This technique is used in
the poster to get the audience
thinking about the poster. In
this case, the ‘will you fill it’
pressures the viewer into filling
the spot that is said to be
reserved for a fit man. This
further persuades the viewer by
making them insinuate that
they are fit enough to go to war.
Furthermore, the font for this
specific ques on is different
from the font found throughout
the poster. This gives the
ques on a calm and begging
tone which isn’t doesn’t force
and in midate the viewer into
enlis ng.
Visual The body language of the A visual metaphor is put into
metaphor soldiers standing in ac on through the inclusion of
alignment is straight and the row of soldiers. This is a
Symbolism formal. They are all metaphor by how the row of
standing in a long line soldiers goes beyond the border
Body language from one side of the of the poster, symbolising how
poster to the other. the number of soldiers going is
endless. This would persuade
the viewer into contribu ng
because it would make them
feel more comfortable, that if
everyone else is going, they will
go to. Furthermore, the form of
body language portrayed by the
soldiers expresses the pride that
soldiers would feel for enlis ng
for the war. They are keeping
their heads up and back straight
which symbolises confidence.
What message does this
communicate about the
significance of war?
This technique communicates
how important it was for people
to fill in spaces and enlist for the
war. It was as if the Government
was begging the men of the
na on to enlist and fight for the
country. Furthermore, the
technique epitomises that the
war would be challenging, but the
contribu on from the viewer may
help with them winning the war.
This is due to how calming and
begging the tone of the ques on
is, since it is in a cursive font.
This technique communicates the
endless amount of brave and
heroic soldiers who enlisted in
the war and contributed to
protec ng the na on. 416,809
men enlisted for the war, with
Australia having a popula on of 5
million, roughly 11% of the
popula on ended up figh ng for
the country. A lot of men risked
their lives to fight for their
country and this was effec vely
depicted by the endless row of
soldiers in the poster.
Personal, The ‘you’ is used in a In the poster, the bold and
demanding personal way for the eye-catching ‘YOU’ is
pronoun creator to point at the implemented in a personal and
viewers who are viewing demanding manner. Firstly, this
Bold text the poster. would be the second thing that
the viewer would see in the
Red colour poster, a er the salient image.
This would put pressure on the
viewer, that their contribu on
to the war effort will be
significant and beneficial. This is
personal and demanding
because it is a pronoun that is
targeted towards the viewer.
The message this technique is
demonstra ng is how Australia
relied on voluntary enlistments
by men in the First Australian
Imperial Force since the
conscrip on was voted against
for twice. In 1914, Australian men
were enthusias c about enrolling
in the AIF, but as more stories
about the harsh condi ons
overseas started rolling in, the
enrolment rates dropped
significantly.

Salient image Sign saying, ‘This space is A salient image is the first thing The message that the salient
reserved for a fit man’ that catches the viewer's image technique depicted is how
Colour a en on, which is commonly the Government needed more
found in the centre of the men to enlist in the war. They
poster. In this poster, the salient would put up propaganda posters
image is the sign saying, ‘This such as this one out to help
space is reserved for a fit man.’ persuade men into enlis ng. They
This is a salient image because would use techniques like this to
of how it is posi oned on the give the men a sense of
poster to be the first thing the importance and responsibility.
viewers read. Another way it
stands out is the difference
between the colour of the sign
and the colour of the rest of the
poster. The majority of the
poster has a boring green
colour, whilst the sign has a
bright white colour to signal the
viewers into looking there. The
effect this technique had on the
viewers was that it gave them a
sense of importance and that
the country needs them. As
they go through the reading
path, they will understand that
the sign was for them. That they
are fit enough to go to war and
fight for their na on.

Ques ons:
1. In what ways does the poster compel viewers to enlist in the army to serve in
WW1?
The poster implemented various techniques which compelled viewers into enlis ng in the
war. Specifically, the techniques of a rhetorical ques on, symbolism, personal language and
a salient image helped to persuade men into enlis ng in the war. These techniques had
dras c effects on the audience because of how they are used and in what way they are used.
This poster, with all the techniques together, helped the Government in making the
audience have a sense of pride and responsibility, that their contribu on to the war effort
will be very important for the allies to win the war. Therefore, the poster implemented
various dis nct techniques to compel viewers into enlis ng in the army to serve in the war.

A salient image is a technique that is efficacious in gaining the viewer’s a en on, they are
commonly bright and vivid and are posi oned in the middle of the poster so that the viewer
can look at it first. In the poster, the salient image is the sign that says, ‘This space is
reserved for a fit man’, which is displayed in white with red font colour. The colours and its
posi on in the middle make it the first thing that viewers see when they look at the poster.
The viewers, a er reading the sign, believe that the poster is sugges ng them as the ‘fit
man’, persuading them to enlist in the war. This is backed up by the reading path from the
top to the bo om of the poster. The reading path includes inclusive language that makes the
viewer connect with the poster’s message. A er going through the reading path, they
comprehend that the ‘fit man’ the poster is referencing is themself. For instance, the salient
image of the sign stood out because of how its colour contrasted with the background and
that it was posi oned in the middle, so the eyes of the viewer would look at it first.

A rhetorical ques on was used to compel viewers into enlis ng in the army to fight for the
country. The rhetorical ques on, ‘Will you fill it?’, was used in the poster to get the audience
thinking about the main idea they got out of it. Firstly, it was effec ve because it was put on
the bo om of the poster so that when the viewer got through the reading path, the
rhetorical ques on would be the last thing they read. This rhetorical ques on is given off
with a calm tone due to the font that is used. This cursive font is different compared to the
rest of the poster, which gives it this tone. This makes the viewer feel like the poster is
begging them to join the army. Therefore, the rhetorical ques on compels the audience by
how the poster is asking them in a calm tone to join the war, in a begging manner.

With the use of these visual techniques, the poster is successful in making the viewer want
to enlist in the army to fight in the war. This is due to how it makes the viewer feel
connected to the poster using inclusive language, how it asks in a calm tone if the viewer will
join the army and makes them feel that their contribu on will be important in the war with
the use of the salient image. The way these techniques were used was planned out well for
the most effec ve results as each technique was posi oned and implemented though ully.

2. What message does the poster promote about serving in the army?
The message that this poster promotes is that enlis ng in the army is to fit men only. The
poster is referencing ‘fit’ men when using inclusive language such as ‘you’. This is because
the army was looking for men who would be fit enough to go fight in the war. Moreover,
from the poster using inclusive language, the viewer feels a sense of responsibility and
importance, that they have to enlist in the war. ‘Fit’ may not necessarily mean in good
physical shape, but the a tude that they are looking for. As highlighted in the poster, the
men in line have a serious expression, they express bravery and fearlessness. The
Government was looking for men who were strong and courageous. The body language that
has depicts confidence since they have their back straight and in a straight posi on.
Therefore, the message was that the army was looking for men who were ‘fit’ for war.
However, they referred to ‘fit’ as having a fit a tude for war, demonstra ng fearlessness
and courage.

3. Discuss the validity of the message you have iden fied in ques on two.
The message is valid because it is backed up by the use of the line of soldiers who
demonstrate a fit a tude. The Government knew that they needed men who were brave
and fearless to go to war because those men would have the right mindset when they are on
the ba lefield. Viewers who are interested in enlis ng in the army would understand that
they would have to be gallant when they enlist because war is serious. The message of how
many men the army needed to enlist was valid because the visual metaphor of the men
standing was used. In the poster, the line of soldiers seems endless, this means that the
army needed as many men as they could get to help fight in the war. During the me,
416,809 men enlisted in the army to fight in the war, roughly 11% of the 5 million people
who populated Australia. Moreover, the source of the poster is also valid because it was
created by William Brooks & Co. Ltd, a manufacturing company created by William Brooks, a
poli cian.

4. Discuss the role of the Government in using your chosen propaganda and the
impact it had on Australians during their war effort.
The role of the Government in using this propaganda was to persuade as many men as they
could to enlist in the army. They did this by spreading a message to the viewers about the
responsibility and importance that the viewer enlisted in the war. When they used the
phrase, ‘This space is reserved for a fit man’, they were referencing the viewer that the
poster was for. The last line, ‘Will you fill it?’ challenged the viewer into thinking about if
they were fit enough to enlist in the war. The Government, although wan ng as many men
to enlist as possible, preferably wanted to a ract as many mentally and physically fit men as
possible for the war. This is because the line of soldiers are expressing bravery and strength
and are physically fit. The Government’s role in the propaganda poster impacted Australians
because they were pressured into enlis ng in the war. As more men started to enlist in the
army, fewer men stayed back to support the homefront of Australia. Since a lot of the men
in households le to go to war, many women and kids experienced challenges since there
was less help around the house. Ergo, the role of the Government in the, There is s ll a place
in the line for you, propaganda poster, was to encourage more mentally and physically fit
men to enlist in the war. This role had an impact on Australians because a lot of men got
sent to war, leaving the homefront more weak and fragile.

5. How does your chosen poster represent the historical context from which it was
created?
The propaganda poster, There is s ll a place in the line for you, represents the historical
context of Australian men enlis ng in the army to fight in WW1. Australia needed men to
enlist in the war because they promised Britain 50,000 soldiers to assist Britain. To gain
these 50,000 men, the Government had to set up propaganda posters and other
propaganda material to adver se the idea of enlis ng in the army to fight in WW1. At the
me, men started to understand what war was like and were discouraged in enlis ng into
the army. In the, There is s ll a place in the line for you poster, numerous techniques were
implemented to help persuade men into enlis ng into the army. For instance, the poster
men ons how it is looking for ‘fit’ men whilst using inclusive language. This makes the
viewer feel like they are a fit man and are capable of enlis ng in the army. Furthermore, the
poster also captures context on how serious the soldiers in the war were, demonstrated by
the stern and straight body language of the soldiers in the poster. Therefore, the, There is
s ll a place in the line for you, poster displays the historical context of how serious it was for
men to enlist in the army. Australia promised Britain 50,000 men and had to use persuasive
techniques to persuade men into enlis ng in the army.

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