Rhetorical Analysis
Analytical And Persuasive Writing
Project 3 Modes
Rajeev Rupani
1. Movie: Blood Diamond
Blood Diamond. Dir. Edward Zwick. Perf. Leonardo DiCaprio and Djimon
Hounsou. Warner Brothers, 2006.
Blood Diamond, a mainstream-cinema movie directed by Edwark Zwick, portrays violence and suffering caused by the conflict in Sierra Leone over so called ‘blood diamonds’. The story revolves around the individual suffering of a fisherman whose family is taken away from him. The movie also displays the indifference shown by some members of the diamond industry towards the ongoing conflict in that region. The purpose of this movie was to display the actual cost of diamonds, from similar conflict-ridden regions, by showing the massacre and human sacrifices that are a result of this trade. The audience for this movie would have to be between the ages of 16 and above, given the violence shown, and could be of either gender. The movie portrays two different views of suffering: personal and mass-scale. The rhetoric appeals effectively and accurately portray the courage and situation of the people in Sierra Leone, while relating to an individual’s fight to save his family. The ethos appeal is shown by the change of heart in Daniel Archer’s character where he eventually sacrifices his own life in order to save a family from suffering. The archetype of a father is also observed in the fisherman's character, who is constantly fighting the odds to keep his family together. The pathos appeal is shown by the senseless and emotionless massacre of thousands of innocent people over diamonds, families being torn apart, and most of all, the in-action and indifferent attitude of the ‘outer world’ towards the plight of these people. The logos appeal is presented throughout the movie because it is based on events that actually took place. The rhetorical appeals could teach my audience about suffering on a personal and mass-scale (pathos), the difference that one person can make towards easing this suffering (ethos) and how they can relate personally to the suffering that they view around them.
2. Movie: As Good As It Gets
As Good As It Gets. Dir. James L. Brooks. Perf. Jack Nicholson and Helen Hunt. TriStar Pictures,
1997.
As Good As It Gets, directed by James L. Brooks, narrates the story of a person suffering from his indifferent behavior towards other people, and how a moment of caring suddenly changes his perspective on life. The purpose of this movie was to show how a small exposure to suffering could change someone with an indifferent attitude, to become more compassionate. The audience for this movie would have to be 16 and above as well and could be of any gender. A level of acceptance towards homosexuals would be needed to view this movie unbiased. The approach of the rhetoric appeals are important in communicating the purpose of the movie but the simple and relatable plot line further cements these emotions into the viewer. The ethos appeal is shown by the interesting personality of the main character and his attitude towards society, families, love etc. On the other hand the neighbor, who changes the main character’s views on suffering, exhibits a polar opposite personality and the female character (Helen Hunt) plays a medium between these two separate ‘worlds’. The pathos appeal is shown by many forms of personal suffering such as the suffering of the neighbor when his house is robbed, the suffering of the waitress when her child is sick and suffering of the dog (initially) when he is away from his owner. The change of heart in the main character, during his interactions with the dog, is clearly displayed using pathos. The logos is shown by the common indifferent attitude adopted by many people in our present society. This movie could teach my audience about how a relatively small exposure to suffering can greatly change one’s attitude towards other people’s pain. This would also be a great example of how the most indifferent person can be the one to bring about the greatest change, for good, in someone’s suffering.
3. Book: Robinson Crusoe
Defoe, Daniel. Robinson Crusoe. Modern Library, 2001
Robinson Crusoe, written by Daniel Defoe, tells the story of an individual who is marooned on an island away from his family, and befriends a native from the neighboring island. The purpose of this story was to illustrate how personal suffering can be meaningful, through the character of Crusoe, who learns a lot about life, friendship and survival. Given the length of the original novel and the language used, the ideal audience for this novel would have to be about 14 years old or so (minimum), of any gender, and would require reading skills. The rhetorical appeals are in effect after the shipwreck incident, and the pathos appeal of Crusoe’s determination to stay alive is the most successful in communicating the underlying moral of the novel. The ethos is presented through the character of Crusoe, who despairs at first but then adapts and survives in his new surroundings. The determination shown by Crusoe to change his situation gives a sense of purpose to his suffering and makes him a better person in many ways. The pathos is presented in this story through a variety of emotions exhibited by Crusoe such as suffering, despair, determination, loneliness and friendship. The author displays the logos appeal by tackling the theme of being shipwrecked, which was common in those days. This story could teach my audience how meaningless suffering can be overcome using determination as the key. The pathos appeal would be the strongest in empowering my audience into believing that the determination of one individual can alter such situations.
4. Book: Night
Wiesel, Elie. Night. Hill and Wang, 2006.
Night, a story written by Elie Wiesel, is an autobiography of his experiences during the Holocaust period in World War II. Elie, along with his father, was taken away from his mother and sisters (whom he never saw again) and was put into a death camp in Auschwitz. At Auschwitz, he was forced to work in the labor camp and soon lost his father to disease, along with is will to live on. Allied soldiers, who were coming through Germany, rescued him soon after. The purpose of this personal story was to portray extreme forms of suffering and how this can lead to a complete loss of hope in individuals who experience such situations. The audience would have to be at least 18 years old , given the extensive details of the death camps and such, of any gender and would need a strong heart to read this difficult (in content) story. The rhetoric appeals support the sympathy expected from the reader, given the subject of the novel. The pathos appeal is the strongest in portraying the plight and situation of people who had similar experiences during the Holocaust. The ethos appeal is displayed by the author himself, who goes through a lot of emotional and physical suffering that leads to a loss of faith, hope, loved ones and the will to go on. The pathos is evident in the emotional appeal used by the author who experiences a loss of innocence and the willingness to live on, upon encountering such meaningless suffering. The logos appeal is clearly shown as the novel is an autobiography and is thus based on actual events that occurred in author’s life. This personal story could teach my audience how retelling one’s experience of suffering can empower others to be determined in the face of such unimaginable horror. The ethos and pathos combine to bring this empowerment to the reader, while the logos is utilized by allowing the reader to relate to an event that actually took place (Holocaust).
5. Song: Hope (Coach Carter)
Mitchell, Carl T., Fredrick Taylor, and Thomas Calloway. Hope. Coach Carter O.S.T. Capitol,
2005.
Hope, a song from the Coach Carter movie, sings of suffering experienced by the youth of the 21st century. The purpose of this song was to display that hope exists, in many forms, even in dire situations that relate to the youth of today such as, jail, drugs etc. The audience would need to have a specific taste in the genre of rap/hip-hop music, be at least thirteen years old, and of any gender. The rhetoric appeals are used throughout the lyrics and connect well with younger people such as college students, who can relate to these experiences, especially when experiencing a new world of all sorts (college). The ethos is presented in a universal sense, where any listener is the main character to an extent. This rhetorical appeal also displays how some young people take to crime and drugs in the face of unbearable suffering. The pathos appeal is shown in the form of despair, where someone takes the wrong path by giving up hope. The logos is presented by looking at common situations, such as in low income areas, where alternate ways are found to deal with suffering. This song could teach a good segment of my audience - younger college students and such - about how a change is possible even though the wrong choice might have been made initially, and how hope still exists in every situation possible.
6. Artwork
Jackup Sunrise. Jackup Sunrise. 2005. Google Images. Flickr. 15 Nov. 2008.
The photograph, taken by an anonymous individual, captures a typical sunrise off a beach or a coast. The purpose of this photograph could be as simple as to show a sunrise or instill a sense of hope and beauty in the viewer. The audience could be of any age and gender, as long as they view and admire the moment captured. The rhetoric appeals automatically support the image, given the location and subject of the photograph. The ethos appeal is portrayed by the person taking the photograph, who must have experienced a beautiful moment that he or she wanted to share with the rest of the world. The pathos appeal is presented by the sense of peace and new beginnings that are exhibited by the photograph. The logos appeal is shown by the fact that the photograph represents an actual event, and also through the cycle of the sun: darkness is soon followed by light, night by day and so on. This photograph could be used to teach my audience about the cycle of life and how suffering is not without an end because even one ray of hope can eliminate darkness. The audience can also be empowered to build hope, one step at a time, until the balance is restored.
