PEACE CORPS IN THE 21 ST CENTURY: A RHETORICAL ANALYSIS

85volunteer of the 21 st century finds her adventure in this photograph, a brush withsomething entirely new.Figure 3.13This particular image, 3.13, because it is the only one of its kind, serves toreinforce the distinction between the volunteer’s life and the life of the host countrypeople. The volunteer is clearly playing “dress-up” in this image, reminding the viewerthat the role is a fun and interesting experience with exotic customs. Aside from thisphotograph, volunteers are always seen in their t-shirts, jeans, and tennis shoes.At Rest or At PlayChildren are the focus of many Peace Corps photographs. Children communicatethe future of a nation. They are not capable of being blamed; they display an innocenceof the developing world. As long as children are the central figures in Peace Corps’visual rhetoric, the native peoples will continue to be romanticized and idealized. Theworld always appears safe and welcoming when children are involved. This rhetoricmaintains a focus on youth because children are automatically equated with the futureand potential change. Education is the major job for volunteers, and education isunderstood to be a way toward development. Therefore, by frequently picturing children,they are further emphasizing the potential for development.Another important rhetorical factor is the inclusion of volunteers in photographswith children. Outside of portraits, volunteers are nearly always pictured with a child or