Persona — English definition
The constructed version of the speaker's self that a text projects — a crafted role, not simply the author.
Where it is taught
- Advanced Rhetorical Analysis — Argument & Rhetoric, English 12: Complex Texts, Independent Inquiry & Public Voice, Grade 12
In use
Next, separate the writer from the persona the text puts on.
Advanced Rhetorical Analysis
Questions using persona
Problem 1
Explain the difference between the author of a text and the 'persona' the text projects, and give a brief example of a persona a writer might construct.
Answer and explanation
The author is the real person who wrote the text; the persona is the constructed role the text projects — a version of the self chosen for the occasion. For example, a wealthy candidate might adopt the persona of a plain-spoken outsider, using simple diction and 'us versus them' framing so the audience trusts them as one of their own, regardless of the author's actual background.