Category: Rhetoric

Introduction

Tyler, the bands leader, wrote Stressed Out, claiming that blurry face reflects the person he is as a personality and the things the author feels uneasy about. Most of the official video was filmed at his childhood home, which is what the song says. Tyler added that one of the things at the back of his mind when he penned the composition was how to deal with his anxieties. The singer feels that how a person handles their doubts and worries can be quite detrimental; therefore, he wanted to figure out how to compensate for his own while he composed the song (Songfacts, 2021). This work was written for the purpose of rhetorical analysis of the song Twenty One Pilots Stressed out.

Description

The songs setting is a universe where idealism is demanded, leaving individuals uncomfortable about whether or not they belong. The author, who is from the United States, feels that they are not as attractive as they should be, which makes them feel uneasy. It is a society where appearances are greatly valued; leaving the writer and those in his listeners unsure if, they will fulfill others standards.

When an artwork is presented to the public, the audience expects the performers or composers to follow certain standards in order to fit into the overall context. In this aspect, the lyrics author states that they desire they had a greater singing voice and could rhyme smoother. It is evident that, despite their ability to sing, they believe they are not good enough, a feature that may cause them to fail to deliver to the listeners as well as they could. Likewise, there seems to be a lack of variety in what is sung, as he wishes to arrange some chords in a different order, suggesting that people lack creativity in their work. He also desires he did not have to sing in rhyme as most musicians do.

Furthermore, the backdrop is a world where children feel comfortable growing up in their mothers arms since the mothers shelters provide protection from all threats (Songfacts, 2021). Nevertheless, they are required to stand on their own and earn a living, as they grow older. They are stressed out because they lack the necessary abilities to do so, and the pressure appears to be too difficult to comprehend and outperform. It also depicts a moment when the family unit is in good working order since the song included numerous photographs of the parents and their children. There is also a financial drain, as evidenced by the promotional video, which shows the couple drinking milk and moaning about how tough things are. They are also trying to make ends meet, as seen by the lyrics.

Ethos

The writer establishes ethos in the lyrics and video by establishing trustworthiness and personality. According to Baumlin et al. (2018), Aristotelian ethos describes a responsive, transactional model, there is one passage in the Rhetoric that, taken at face value, radically textualizes the speakers self-presentation (p. 78). Despite their youth, authors reveal their parents in the song, allowing people of all ages to identify with them, according to Twenty One Pilots, wish we could turn back time to the good old days (2015). Furthermore, the same may be said of the lyrics, since the lyricist frequently references the mothers trustworthiness in raising him in a safe environment. They also demonstrate reliability by being open about their fears and less-than-ideal financial situation. This demonstrates that they are genuine and do not attempt to present the reader with a picture of flawless people.

Logos

The use of logos is also obvious in the work, which appeals to logic. According to Twenty One Pilots, when our momma sang us to sleep, but now were stressed out (2015). The song demonstrates that individuals must get up at a certain age and search for work in order to survive. He illustrates that kids can no longer rely on their parents at this age, even if they desire, they could stay in their parents houses forever. The cause is also reflected in the worlds nervousness, with individuals worried that they would fall short of others standards.

Pathos

Pathos is strongly included in the song, as the composer and singers express and communicate their pain to the listener. According to Campbell (2018), pathos is the mode that is the least agreed upon in the visualization community (p. 13). They plead to compassion throughout the tale, as the writer demonstrates that life is not easy for him, as he struggles from poverty and hardship. He demonstrates that he must wake up and seek out his wants, which he indicates he does not always succeed in doing. He also claims to be insecure since he believes he is not attractive enough and has a fuzzy face. According to Twenty One Pilots, sayin, Wake up, you need to make money! yeah  (2015). He expresses to the audience that he is stressed by his circumstances.

Conclusion

The bulk of the song video was filmed in his childhood home. He went on to say that one of the things on his mind while he wrote the piece was how he copes with his concerns. He believes that how one manages doubts and anxieties may be quite harmful; therefore, he sought to figure out how to adjust for his own while writing the song. The songs scenario is a realm where perfection is expected, making people question whether or not they belong. They are nervous because the author, who is from the United States, believes they are not as attractive as they should be. It is a culture where outward looks are highly prized, leaving the writer and those listening to him concerned if they would meet others expectations.

Works Cited

Baumlin, James S., and Craig A. Meyer. Positioning ethos in/for the twenty-first century: An introduction to histories of ethos. 2018. p. 78.

Campbell, Sarah. Feeling numbers the rhetoric of pathos in visualization. Diss. Northeastern University, 2018.

Songfacts. Stressed Out by Twenty One Pilots. Songfacts.Com, Web.

Twenty One Pilots. Stressed Out. Genius.com, Genius, 2015, Web.

Full Transcript of lyrics

[Verse 1]

I wish I found some better sounds no ones ever heard

I wish I had a better voice that sang some better words

I wish I found some chords in an order that is new

I wish I didnt have to rhyme every time I sang

I was told, when I get older, all my fears would shrink

But now Im insecure, and I care what people think

[Pre-Chorus]

My names Blurryface and I care what you think

My names Blurryface and I care what you think

[Chorus]

Wish we could turn back time to the good old days

When our momma sang us to sleep, but now were stressed out

(Oh) Wish we could turn back time (Oh) to the good old days (Oh)

When our momma sang us to sleep, but now were stressed out

Were stressed out

[Verse 2]

Sometimes a certain smell will take me back to when I was young

How come Im never able to identify where its comin from?

Id make a candle out of it, if I ever found it

Try to sell it, never sell out of it, Id probably only sell one

Itd be to my brother, cause we have the same nose

Same clothes, homegrown, a stones throw from a creek we used to roam

But it would remind us of when nothing really mattered

Out of student loans and treehouse homes, we all would take the latter

[Pre-Chorus]

My-my-my names Blurryface and I care what you think

My names Blurryface and I care what you think

[Chorus]

Wish we could turn back time to the good old days

When our momma sang us to sleep, but now were stressed out

(Oh) Wish we could turn back time (Oh) to the good old days (Oh)

When our momma sang us to sleep, but now were stressed out

[Bridge]

We used to play pretend, give each other different names

We would build a rocket ship an then wed fly it far away

Used to dream of outer space, but now theyre laughin at our face

Sayin, Wake up, you need to make money!, yeah

We used to play pretend, give each other different names

We would build a rocket ship an then wed fly it far away

Used to dream of outer space, but now theyre laughin at our face

Sayin, Wake up, you need to make money!, yeah

[Chorus]

Wish we could turn back time to the good old days

When our momma sang us to sleep, but now were stressed out

(Oh) Wish we could turn back time (Oh) to the good old days (Oh)

When our momma sang us to sleep, but now were stressed out

[Outro]

We used to play pretend, used to play pretend, money

We used to play pretend, wake up, you need the money

Used to play pretend, used to play pretend, money

We used to play pretend, wake up, you need the money

Used to play pretend, give each other different names

We would build a rocket ship and then wed fly it far away

Used to dream of outer space, but now theyre laughin at our face

Sayin, Wake up, you need to make money!, yeah

The twenty-second episode of the ninth season of Simpsons titled Trash of the Titans tells about Homers electoral campaign, as he is eager to become a new mayor. The episode contains several scenes of his speeches given in public that can be interesting to analyze from the point of view of the rhetoric. The present analysis focuses on the comparison of the two speeches by Homer Simpson that were presented in the episode Trash of the Titans. The main target of Homers speeches is to encourage the citizens to vote for him. He uses several techniques to achieve it.

Since the main objective of every talk given in public is to shape peoples way of thinking or help them make a significant decision, orators use different persuasive techniques. As a rule, a good text manages to influence people and their opinions implicitly, and the speaker expresses all the ideas in a subtle way (Nabulya, 2018). However, Homer Simpson did not use this approach during his first concert speech, which is why it did not produce the desired effect on the audience (Groening, 1998). After some analysis, it was established that during the second speech, Homer relies mainly on fostering the citizens laziness and offering them better solutions for solving their everyday problems.

This strategy of public speaking is based on the pains and needs of the audience, and its successful implementation enables the speaker to transmit his ideas by showing people that it helps solve their problems. Homer uses this strategy, mentioning that he will create a team of professionals who will do all unpleasant jobs, such as sorting litter or cleaning the cats litter boxes (Groening, 1998). At the same time, he does not explicitly say that people should choose him as a future mayor. He appeals to peoples pains and needs, and they unconsciously choose him, relying on feelings but not on rationale.

It is worth mentioning here that the persona of the speaker or ethos, in that case, is the main persuasive technique Homer uses to achieve his goal. It is expressed through different actions of his, such as associating himself with ordinary citizens by showing that their problems are familiar to him (Nabulya, 2018). Apart from that, Homer appeals to the emotions of the audience, stressing that they have to deal with a lot of unpleasant deeds on a daily basis. What is more, while giving his speech, he mostly addresses the unconscious needs of the audience that resonates not with peoples minds but with their hearts, in particular. Thus, people become more attentive to what he says and start to believe his words.

Considering all mentioned above, it is possible to conclude that the major persuasive technique the character of the Simpsons uses during his speeches in the twenty-second episode of the ninth season based on his personality. Homer Simpson appeals to the pains and needs of the citizens and, at the same time, shows that he faces them himself and knows an efficient way of solving them. The feeling of unity with the speaker makes the citizens believe him and vote for him because his promises address their unconscious needs for better life without everyday problems such as sorting litter. Effective communication between the speaker and the audience is successful because people not only share the speakers ideas but also associate themselves with him due to rightly putting accents in his speech.

References

Groening, M. (1998). Trash of the Titans (Season 9, Episode 22) [TV series episode]. The Simpsons. Fox Broadcasting Company.

Nabulya, E. (2018). When ecocriticism and rhetoric meet: Environmental persuasion in Terrorists of the Aberdare. Journal of Literary Studies, 34(1), 61-78. Web.

In the Media Control: The Spectacular Achievements of Propaganda article, the author Noam Chomsky begins by analyzing two models of democracy. One of the models is in which the public is governed and another in which the public is actively involved. Further, the theme of democracy and other political systems develops. There are many examples from the history of the United States of America to support the idea of the article about the propaganda in mass media.

The author in the article does not appear as a neutral opinion, but he clearly expresses his position. Chomsky says that the public relations and mass media act as the main source of information for many people, and in the United States it is used as a means of delivering propaganda. He emphasizes the negativity of this structure, since, in his opinion, this is what led to the creation of the idea of militancy in society (Chomsky 13). The downside is that the opposite opinion is not given, which could add objectivity to the article and therefore, the authors bias is noticeable.

The article provides many real-life examples from history that support the authors thought. The example of the Steel strike in western Pennsylvania story helps to understand the scale of the problem and its realism, in the form of how propaganda can influence the opinion of people. At the same time, Chomsky uses such expressions as usually the population is pacifist, just like they were during the First World War (Chomsky 7). These are not scientifically proven facts that are used to support the authors position, but at the same time, again make the article biased and to some extent, propagandize the authors opinion.

In conclusion, the article Media Control: The Spectacular Achievements of Propaganda is successful in delivering its message. Thus, the article is convincing for the readers and conveys the main idea of propaganda through the media and public relations. Chomsky uses compelling vocabulary with emotionally-charged words and examples from the American history. At the same time, he is biased and argues only his position, while the opposite is not considered.

Reference

Chomsky, Noam. Media Control: The Spectacular Achievements of Propaganda. Seven Stories, 1997.

Lincolns speech during the Civil War had a meaningful impact on listeners and helped people continue to fight for independence. It is significant, concise, with little specifics, but filled with deep meaning. Vocabulary, psychological techniques, as well as speaker pauses give the semantic load of this message. Through the Gettysburg Address, Lincoln wanted to honor ancestors memory, emphasizing the need to continue the struggle for freedom and equality through the praise of national and moral principles.

With his speech, the orator wanted to express gratitude and pay eternal respect to the ancestors who occupied the territory and died in the North and the Confederates battle. The event took place at the cemetery opening and was a significant occasion since it was dedicated to the Civil Wars bloodiest battle. The speech aimed to penetrate peoples hearts, cheer them up after a hard struggle and the loss of loved ones. According to Jordan, it was reasonably open; those words were uttered neither behind the backs nor to the surprise of soldiers or former slaves (96). Besides being sincere, the author expresses respect and honor. By the phrase for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live, the speaker ambitiously thank the ancestors for their sacrifice, which earns respect from the public (Basler). Lincoln delivered a brief speech filled with meaning and appealing to the audiences emotions.

The talk is relatively short and lasts only about 2 minutes; however, it is filled with various techniques and speech patterns. In the first sentence, the author uses four different psychological strategies of influence, such as telling a story, calling for consent, personal plural pronouns, and reasons. The speaker begins with the story of the ancestors who gave birth to a new, improved nation and accepted equality. This phrase was said to gain approval from the people to agree with the president. Lincoln uses plural personal pronouns such as we to evoke a sense of community unity. Likewise, throughout the speech, the presenter talks about the reasons why the audience should think or act in a certain way. For instance, it is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us  that from these honored dead we take increased devotion (Basler). By the expression, they tell about the goal and show the cause why the nation should continue to fight. Thanks to his speechs brevity and semantic message, Lincoln could support and direct the audience to further development.

The struggle for freedom and equality was the main goal of the Wars outbreak; hence the president needed to remind it. The circumstances that people face during achieving the goal sometimes make humans forget why they even started all this. The speaker strongly influences emotions such as pride, regret, the anticipation of a new life. Civil War was not just a fight to save the Union, but a struggle for freedom and equality for all, an idea Lincoln had championed during the War (History.com Editors). By the story of the dead people, they recall many efforts that have previously been made and about the victims that have suffered. The concept of peoples unity is confirmed in the second part and is expressed in the phrase That this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom (Basler). In the last term of the unit, they express a call to action: This nation will have a new birth of freedom. The narrator tries to reinforce the idea that people should be united and continue to act towards a common goal.

Lincoln talks about the birth of new freedom, which means helping those who are still in bondage. In this case, they also focus on the pronouns we and our. It assumes the absence of prejudice and racial discrimination. The effect is amplified through syntactic techniques such as ellipsis. For example, we can not consecrate& we can not hallow& (Basler); These small stops enable the audience to comprehend the information they heard and interpret it correctly. The dots help one assess the severity and importance of the Civil War and its aftermath. Syntactic techniques make Lincolns speech full and deep; the speaker conveyed fears and wishes and expressed the meaning of the idea of a united America. The president, through diction, guides the audience through a logical cycle, cause, effect, and call to action.

Civil religion occupies a particular place in peoples hearts; consequently, the president turned to values and principles to call people to harmony. The speech consists of large meta-ideas and does not carry specific details such as the number of soldiers killed or the battles location. This technique is relevant regardless of time and place and is suitable for all events in a similar context. The commonality of the presenters expressions enables each listener to accept the information in their own way and direct the souls high impulses to a great cause. According to Smith, His idea of a civil religion was based on a few simple dogmas (392). The main ones are the existence of a single supreme being, belief in the world to come, and the sanctity of the social contract and its laws (Smith 392). The principles refer to civic responsibilities and values, which are still valid today.

Another critical factor in Lincolns speechs significance is faith, which helps in the struggle for the peoples moral principles. The biblical language is the principal formal property because it contains archaic words and the rhythm of biblical texts. For instance, the phrase fathers brought forth on this continent refers to the biblical lines of Jesus birth by Mary (Basler). This comparison shows the life cycle, which comprises three stages, birth, death, and rebirth. Jesus directly personifies rebirth according to the Bible, and in Lincolns speech, it non-verbally informs about the fathers who fought, died, and gave life to those present today to continue the circle. Another example is the expression Four score and seven years, which echoes one of Davids psalms; It talks about the time length of an individual has been on earth (Basler). The storys power lay in the idea, which the speaker suggested following more than the law.

The Gettysburg address is well structured and covers all the vital points for the audience. In the beginning, the speaker salutes his ancestors and expresses condolences to loved ones. Then they talk about what is happening now and what efforts were made to achieve the goal. In the end, he calls society to action and gives them reasons to do the duty. The presidents speech is endowed with specific techniques at all stages, which allows it to be robust and relevant.

Works Cited

Basler, Roy P. The Gettysburg Address by Abraham Lincoln. Abraham Lincoln Online. Speeches and Writings, 2020, Web.

History.com Editors. President Lincoln Delivers Gettysburg Address. HISTORY, 2019, Web.

Jordan, Brian Matthew. The Gettysburg Address: Perspectives on Lincolns Greatest Speech Ed. By Sean Conant. Gettysburg Magazine, vol. 55, no. 1, 2016, p. 96.

Smith, Steven B. Lincoln and The Politics of The Towering Genius. American Political Thought, vol. 7, no. 3, 2018, pp. 37599.

Summer is traditionally considered the time of year associated with rest, vacations and recovery, and the last thing you want to do in summer is work. It is the theme of the relationship between summer and peoples productivity that the author explores in his article. Throughout the text, the thesis is examined and proven, which is a statement of a Harvard librarian, John Langdon Sibley, complaining of the sweltering summer heat in 1852, which exhausts him (Konnikova). To confirm this observation, the author turns to modern research dating back to 2008 and 2021.

As shown by the obtained statistical data, the weather directly impacted the duration of peoples work. On rainy days, workers stayed at their workplaces half an hour longer and worked more productively than in the heat (Konnikova). A relationship between temperature and weather and cognitive ability has been established through other studies since much less compelling arguments were enough to persuade students in pleasant summer weather (Konnikova). Finally, the last derived relationship is the temperature on mood, which is an inverted-U pattern.

First of all, it is worth noting that the author supports most of the arguments presented with research, directly referring to them. This factor significantly enhances the articles credibility since the indicated facts can be verified. Besides, the articles text is presented sequentially, and the ideas follow one from the other, thereby creating a coherent narrative. However, the articles disadvantage is the too frequent use of third-party sources, research and statistics. So, in the second paragraph of the article, two studies are presented as an argument  data from the American Time Use Survey of 2008 and the work of researchers from two universities in 2012 (Konnikova). Despite direct references and numbers that support the proposed theses, the entire paragraph consists of paraphrasing information from sources. Research shows that workers are more productive on sunny days, but the author did not draw any conclusions from the data provided.

The lack of any reasoning on the topics raised is the articles main problem, which continues throughout almost the entire text. The following paragraph, which focuses on yet another study, briefly describes the experiment conducted on the effects of weather on cognitive abilities and the findings that the researchers themselves came to (Konnikova). However, the reader does not see any conclusions that the author would have made based on the given data. While the sources and data used are compelling enough, they are not an effective argument in the context of an article that aims to answer a specific question. The reader needs to independently analyze the provided statistical and qualitative data, thereby actually studying the topic on his own. The author in this article, in many ways, does not seem to set the task of convincing the reader of something, providing them with a compilation of data for independent study instead.

In the next part of the article, however, the author contradicts the concept expressed above. She stops describing specific studies and instead uses them as arguments in her analysis. However, it looks unconvincing due to the use of insufficiently correct semantic constructions. Konnikova seems to suggest some ideas, which later find very little development. For example, the author suggests that the cognitive shift may be related to emotion, as people feel happier in sunnier weather (Konnikova). Three short references to various studies support this, but no detailed study of the results or analysis methods is undertaken. Instead, the evidence from other peoples research is cited as quick facts, from which the equally short and inconclusive conclusion is drawn that the happiest season is summer.

Although the story is coherent enough, and one idea follows from the other, almost all are equally unconvincing. So, the transition from the influence of weather on productivity and brain activity to peoples emotional state at different temperatures and the sunlight is logical and consistent. However, none of the topics described is deeply investigated. All the cited sources are studied superficially; they are used to bring one or two specific facts, which should supposedly serve as arguments to convince the reader of the authors positions correctness. Finally, all the sources used and the arguments presented, even considering their ineffectiveness and inconclusiveness, must lead to a specific conclusion. However, the inconclusiveness of this article peaks at its end, as there is simply no resolution. The last paragraph of the text concludes only from the previously cited source; however, it does not consider or refer to all previously studied material.

Thus, the article breaks off after bringing another fact through a link to another study. Consequently, the author violates the texts very structure, which until then was a coherent narration with an introduction, a description of the problem, and attempts to explain it. There is no conclusion in the article that would emphasize the initially put forward thesis, compiling all sources together and collecting all the information to form a clear answer. Instead, the text is a designation of the problem and many references to studies on this topic, which would be convincing in its entirety, but not as conclusions taken separately from the work context. Therefore, it can be concluded that Konnikovas article has problems both with the format, which is observed throughout the entire text due to the lack of reasoning, and argumentation since none of the indicated factors has been disclosed convincingly enough. However, it is possible that the authors goal was to provide a compilation of facts and research for further independent study. Such an assumed goal was fulfilled perfectly, but it is entirely impossible to call the article in question convincing.

Work Cited

Konnikova, Maria. Why Summer Makes Us Lazy. The New Yorker, Web.

=â Susan B. Anthony Speech Analysis  Introduction

The speech delivered by Susan B. Anthony following her arrest for casting a vote in the presidential election stands as a remarkable exemplar of American oratory. In On Womens Right to Vote, Anthony set forth a clear objective: to persuade her audience that womens suffrage was not only constitutionally justified but also a fundamental right, as inherently granted to men. To achieve her goal, Anthony deftly employed a combination of logos, ethos, and historical parallels, weaving together a persuasive argument that resonated deeply with her listeners. With skillful logical reasoning, Susan B. Anthony established her credibility through ethos and cleverly linked the struggles of women to the historical struggle for equality. Anthony delivered a powerful and convincing plea for womens right to vote. Her succinct yet impactful rhetoric not only left an indelible mark on the suffrage movement but also solidified her position as a key figure in the fight for womens rights in American history. Read this essay sample of Susan B. Anthonys speech analysis to learn more about her purpose, contribution, and rhetorical devices used.

=Ý Logos in Susan B. Anthonys Speech

Logos is, by far, the most prominent rhetorical strategy used in the speech. Essentially, the core of the authors argument is a classical syllogism: the Constitution secures liberties for all people, women are people  therefore, women should enjoy the freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution  including suffrage  as much as men. She even adopts the form of a syllogism directly when she speaks of this discrimination from a legal perspective.

Any law that contradicts the universal suffrage is unconstitutional, and restrictions on voting are in contradiction to the Constitution  therefore, such law is a violation of the supreme law of the land (Anthony 5). Thus, Anthony represents her thesis  that women have the right to vote and restricting it is against the spirit and letter of the Constitution  as an inevitable logical conclusion of an impartial inquiry into the matter.

 Ethos in Susan B. Anthonys Speech

Anthonys use of ethos is not typical, but all the more impressive because of that. Closer to the end of her speech, she mentions that the only way do deny citizens rights to women is to deny they are persons and doubts that her opponents will have the hardihood to say they are not (Anthony 8). As a rule, the speaker tries to establish credibility by pointing to something that makes him or her more competent to speak on a given topic than others, be that knowledge or personal experience. However, Anthony does not opt for that  rather, she appeals to a bare minimum of credibility a sentient creature is entitled to: being considered a person. While not elevating her above the audience, this appeal to credibility is still enough for her rhetorical purpose.

=Ü Historical Parallels in Susan B. Anthonys Speech

To further her case and root it in the audiences relatively recent experiences, Anthony also draws a historical parallel with the emancipation and enfranchisement of former slaves. She emphasizes that the Constitution says, we, the people; not we, the white male citizens (Anthony 4). This specific reference to whiteness is a clear reference to the 15^th Amendment prohibiting the denial of the right to vote based on color, race, or previous condition of servitude.

By linking the issue of womens suffrage to voting rights for black citizens, Anthony claims the former is an important progressive endeavor, just like the latter. This parallel is likely an attempt to appeal to the audiences self-perception as progressive citizens of a free country. The implicit reasoning is clear: those who decided that race is an obstacle for casting a ballot cannot, in all honesty, claim that the gender is.

ª Susan B. Anthony Speech Rhetorical Analysis  Summary

As one can see, Susan B. Anthonys 1873 speech combines logos, ethos, and historical parallels to make a case for womens voting rights. Anthonys appeals to logic are simple and clear syllogisms based on the Constitution itself. She claims no greater credibility that is due to any sentient being, but that is just enough for her rhetorical purpose. Finally, a historical parallel with the recent enfranchisements of citizens of all races appeals to the audiences sense of justice and self-perception as progressive people.

=¡ Work Cited

Anthony, Susan B. On Womens Right to Vote. The History Place.

A rhetoric situation is an act of speaking or writing effectively. Rhetoric is also a situation that lacks a meaningful understanding. An example of rhetoric is someone talking about a serious problem, but making it sound like it is not a problem. When someone asks a rhetorical question, he necessarily does not need an answer for the question asked, but bases the discussion on an occasion to talk about a particular topic. The writer exemplifies this through a rhetorical question. The writer hints that an individual would never say, Ive smoked cigarettes for a long time, and I dont have lung cancer.

Therefore, theres no link between smoking cigarettes and lung cancer (Pozios, Kambam and Bender. Does Media Violence Lead to the Real Thing?). In addition, the writer further questions the necessity of such blemished perceptions concerning media violence. The writer does not need an answer to the question but tries to engage listeners in his argument. Among other factors, rhetoric is useful in the sense that the truth prevails over the opposite.

Ethos, logos and pathos each have a dissimilar connotation. Ethos is an appeal to ethics (Moss and Lapp 155). Ethos is more about trying to persuade or convince listeners of the credibility of a particular subject or discussion (Pozios, Kambam and Bender. Does Media Violence Lead to the Real Thing?). Ethos mostly evolves around a speakers intelligence and knowledge about a particular topic (Moss and Lapp 155).

The speaker should be able to understand more about the topic discussed. An example of ethos from the article is when Jim Carrey, who is a star of a new superhero film distances himself from the picture after the Sandy Hook massacre. Jim Carrey later states that in all good conscience, I cannot support. The movie contains extensive and graphically violent scenes (Pozios, Kambam and Bender. Does Media Violence Lead to the Real Thing?). Jim Carrey shows some ethics by stating his displeasure with the movie. He later distances himself because of the graphically violent scenes.

Logos is an appeal to logic (Moss and Lapp 155). Logos revolves majorly around the credibility of a speakers argument. It is more about the speaker proving the authenticity of his argument (Pozios, Kambam and Bender. Does Media Violence Lead to the Real Thing?). The speaker should be able to prove if the argument is true or prove otherwise. In the article, an example of logos is given when the writer states that smoking cigarettes and lung cancer are two different situations. The writer bases his arguments on that an individual had smoked cigarettes for a long time but was never diagnosed with lung cancer (Pozios, Kambam and Bender. Does Media Violence Lead to the Real Thing?).

The writer introduces logic by arguing that not everyone who smokes cigarettes acquires lung cancer. The credibility of the writer is evident because an individual introduced in the article confesses, not contracting cancer despite smoking cigarettes for quite a long time. Logos can diminish certain emotions (Munteanu 39). Emotions correlate with agitated distress.

Pathos is an appeal to emotions (Moss and Lapp 155). Pity, as introduced in the text, is exceptionally important. Pathos majorly revolves around the emotional state of the audience (Pozios, Kambam and Bender. Does Media Violence Lead to the Real Thing?). It entails using emotions as supplementing the persuasion of a speaker. The writer indicates an example of pathos by introducing media violence. In addition, the writer states that even if violent media conclusively cause real-life violence, a society may still decide that they are not willing to regulate violent content and in return stop violence (Pozios, Kambam and Bender. Media Violence).

In the article, the writer claim that stopping violence and embracing peace is a societal right. Even so, the author notes that before making any decision, evidence should be provided. The writer also notes that individuals in a society should strive to identify risk factors for violence. In addition, they should determine how they interact, those particularly affected by such factors and what recommendations fronted to reduce modifiable risk factors (Pozios, Kambam and Bender. Does Media Violence Lead to the Real Thing?).

This diminishes violence among individuals in society and further embraces peace amongst people. This also encourages goodwill and unity among individuals living together. The writer intentionally averts issues such as heart complications, AIDS, cancer amongst other calamities facing society. Society members are also encouraged to change factors interrelated with a negative consequence.

Understanding ethos, logos and pathos help students to become familiar with hidden messages in written texts and articles (Moss and Lapp 155). A student having an understanding of ethos, logos and pathos can distinguish between the three and understand more about each. By using the three appeals, students tend to formulate strong points when doing their assignments or even using these techniques in their arguments.

In conclusion, the writer presents the article effectively. This is evident as the writer affirms the relationship between actual violent behaviour and media violence. Media violence fans get a glimpse of what their comrades experience through airing and letting rival camps. In the form of revenge, comrades fight back their rivals and in return encourage more violence. The writer also poses that excessive smoking of tobacco products causes lung cancer, but not everyone who smokes tobacco contracts the disease.

Works Cited

Moss, Barbara and Lapp Diane. Teaching New Literacies in Grades 4-6: Resources For 21st-Century Classrooms. New York: Guilford Press, 2010. Print.

Pozios, Vasilis K, Praveen R. Kambam and Eric Bender. Does Media Violence Lead to the Real Thing?. The New York Times. 2013. Web.

-. Media Violence. Qatar Tribune. Web.

Introduction

Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglas published in 1845 is a classical autobiographical piece. In the book, Douglas described multiple injustices that American slaves faced on a regular basis and provided arguments against the practice of slavery.

He extensively utilized Biblical references and allusions to support his messages. It is possible to say that along with the passionate tone of Douglass narration, such a rhetorical strategy made his writing particularly convincing. Considering that the knowledge of scriptures was common in the 19^th century, the authors appeal to religion fostered readers better understanding. Based on this, in the present paper, two examples of biblical allegories used by Douglas in the Narrative will be analyzed to show why his audience could find those passages persuasive.

Main body

One of the most interesting biblical allusions that Douglas applied is the cursing of Ham as described in the book of Genesis. African people were regarded as the lineal descendants of Ham and, it is mentioned in the Narrative, that many slaveholders thus used the passage about their cursing to justify American slavery. However, by referring to the same biblical text and using bullet-proof logic, the author refuted slaveholders argument and noted that every year thousands of slaves were born to white fathers, like Douglas himself.

Thus, even if the prophecy about the cursing of Ham was valid and if the lineal descendants of Ham [were] alone to be scripturally enslaved, the fact that many of new slaves partially had European origins made slavery unscriptural (Douglas 4). It is possible to say that this statement is very convincing not only because it is impeccably logical but also because he employed the very same words that the supporters of American slavery used and were familiar with. At the same time, he provided a fresh perspective and demonstrated that those who enslave people could not be considered real Christians.

To support the latter statement, Douglas cited the book of Mathew and, in particular, the passage where Jesus exposed Pharisees as hypocrites. For Douglas, the Christians of America, especially those who sanctioned slavery, were similar to Pharisees who separated themselves from common people and attempted to represent themselves as pious and pure. However, in fact, Pharisees were sinful and immoral as they shut up the kingdom of heaven against men and neither could enter it themselves nor let others do so (Douglas 103).

In other words, American Christians who supported slavery treated racial minority representatives as lower beings, and separated themselves from them could not reach the kingdom of God. At the same time, they also prevented slaves from being members of the church while diminishing their value as human beings and showing no respect to them. Therefore, the parallel drawn by Douglas between ancient Pharisees and the 19th century American Christians seems valid. Since Christian values pervaded the US society at that time and were regarded as the ultimate standard of morality, Douglass claims against slaveholders and disclosure of their wickedness could have a tremendous impact.

Conclusion

Overall, as the analysis demonstrates, the use of biblical references was rather common during the time when Douglas wrote the Narrative because many of the slaveholders also cited some passages from the bible when trying to justify slavery. Nevertheless, Douglas demonstrated that they interpreted many of the biblical events, including the cursing of Ham, erroneously.

The reference to the same concepts as the ones applied by his opponents was one of the major strengths of the authors rhetoric strategy since it ensured that the target audience had the right knowledge background to understand the meaning of his messages. Secondly, Douglass arguments were persuasive because he talked about the ultimate Christian values. By exposing the immorality of American Christians, he could provoke a strong emotional response in readers.

Introduction

People use different types of speeches to achieve their communicative goals. Speeches are essential in managing the audiences mood, their attitude toward the presented topic, and their subsequent reactions. Good speech builds support and trust, which can be used to develop future interactions with the audience. Informative and persuasive speech types, more than others, are aids in this endeavor.

Discussion

Informative speeches are monologues in which the respondent conveys information about events, phenomena, or facts to the audience. Such speeches are characterized by fullness, breadth of topics, and depth of knowledge transfer. In addition, they are often accompanied by visual and interactive activities that allow them to disclose the topic better and convey it to the audience. Informative speeches are found everywhere: holding a lecture or seminar is an example of such a speech. The audience receives new information from the lecturer, after which they can reproduce it at least partially.

Persuasive speech supplements informative speech, but its purpose is to convince the audience of ones point of view. For example, a candidates speech for a diploma, masters, or doctoral degree is an example of persuasive speech. First, the respondent provides information about the phenomenon; second, he or she convinces the committee of its validity and legitimacy. Persuasive speeches are more expressive and interactive because, in this way, the speaker can communicate directly with the panel: to lead to reflection, force a change of viewpoint, to analyze.

Conclusion

Thus, informative and persuasive speeches are important tools for building potential interactions with the audience. Informative speech achieves this goal by conveying information that is known to be reliable and valuable to listeners, which can then be reproduced and implemented in their activities. Persuasive speech achieves this through a unique format of conducting  interactive contacts and pushing the audience to analyze the information independently.

Introduction

Stereotyping has been used as a tool in persuading others to embrace a certain cause. Therefore, with regard to the following given groups; Politicians, tattooed persons, feminists and senior citizens, they have been stereotyped in a particular way in the society on a daily basis (Fletcher, 2009). With relation to these, the paper discuses briefly on each group while at the same time providing explanation of how these groups invoke image to all persons, that is, positively, negatively or both. It gives a description of the rhetoric and language used in reinforcing the stereotypes in the groups. The paper is divided into four sections whereby each describes particularly the mentioned group.

Stereotypes Associated with Different Groups

Politicians

To start with, politicians are best known for stereotyping one another in order to influence the voting decisions of their citizens as well as gaining the respect that they need. For instance, politicians are usually referred to as liars and deceivers; this is simply because of the unpractical policies that they set to lure the attention of the citizens. They mainly enter into politics to fulfill a certain obligation and once they have gotten the votes, they forget everything. They may not be able to fulfill the promises and meet the demands of the citizens as they stated before. The lying stereotype is hence common among politicians that have basically made it difficult for people to trust them (Fletcher, 2009).

Tattooed persons

Many cultures consider tattooing as a mark of an important ceremony, which defines development and passage into adulthood. It is hence an ancient practice that signifies that one is eligible to participate into certain group activities. In modern society, tattooed persons are considered to be weird, freaks and criminals. Further, women with tattoos on their backs are stereotyped as easy sexual partners by the society, this however been proved to be false. Tattooing can be harmless in nature and basically a means through which a person chooses to express their natures in a particular form. People with tattoos have been mistakenly to possess the stereotype of sexual promiscuity. Despite this traditional attitude, tattoos have been used differently by certain communities to identify who their embers are and also as a form of paying allegiance to certain practices. Tattooing is done for various reasons, but regardless of this fact, the general public and the society associate tattoos with criminals and violent people. In a religious context, those with tattoos are considered as foolish individuals that dont respect their bodies. Biblically, it is sinful to mark the body like the case of tattooing.

Feminist

Feminism began with the struggle for equal rights and fairness under the law between men and women whereby women wanted similar rights as men and thus calling for an equal status with men. The feminists in the society are stereotyped as gay; man haters and lesbians. This fact is due to the reasoning that they desire the happenings around them to work to their favor. They seem to be uncomfortable about their feminine nature and always expect much more than the world can offer them (Ruggiero, 2008). It has traditionally believed that women are supposed to be homemakers with the main role of serving their husbands and children. This is a responsibility that modern women are opposed to and basically want to be found in leadership roles like the men.

Senior citizens

For the citizens that are considered to be senior in the society, they are viewed as people that resist changes due to their slow and senile nature. They are generally slack in their conducts and demand more than the society can deliver. They always think they are still young and can thus do things just as they did in their youthful years. They are generally stubborn individuals that are not ready to embrace change. They feel they can influence the society with their ancient thoughts that they insist are the best.

There are different perspectives that are held towards the stereotypes mentioned above. Every community has a specific way of looking at them in consideration of the main behavior that has been recorded in them. For instance, not all politicians are selfish and greedy, there are actually those that have the needs the citizens at heart and will strive at fulfilling what they promised (Ruggiero, 2008). On the other hand, tattooed persons are seen to produce a negative stereotype an attitude that is likely to affect their behavior. The feminine stereotype can not always be considered to be negative in nature. When viewed in terms of their abilities and capabilities, they have the ability to be equally as productive as their male counterparts do. Finally, senior citizens can be good sources of advice considering their experience that naturally come with age.

Various languages and rhetoric are used to reinforce the stereotype of different groups. Research proves that stereotyping and rhetoric language can have negative effects on targeted groups and individuals due to the attitudes that they hold topwards them (Noel, 2008). For instance, use of rhetoric language is enhanced through persuausion whereby different techniques are used. For instance, persuasive comparison, persuasive definition and persuasive explanation.

In the case of politicians, they tend to rely on persuasive explanation where they intend to influence the behavior and attitude of their people in order to convince and win them (Moore & Parker, 2007). Use of words such as personal attack by politicians help stir emotions against an issue which makes them to be described by these kind of language. Tattooed persons are commonly described by their language in that, they are unhappy, unsuccessful and use drugs. Feminists are described by common language which is quoted as; women are man haters and power driven. The kind of language used produces a negative effect on a listeners or readers attitude towards something which may be persuasive in its manner. Senior persons are defined by their own language in that, people complain they are slow, gets confused easily and always in need of supervision (Moore & Parker, 2007).

Conclusion

Different indivdiuals will be viewed differently in the society. This is also accompanied by the state of development within the society. Stereotyping of different groups remains constant in majority of the societies while it might as well vary within other societies. As observed, in general terms, majority of people will have varying viewpoints on different groups of people. Such groups incldue politicians, senior citizens, feminists among others. From these groups, theres fulfilling nature of stereotype and thus there appear to be an element of truth in the stereotypical language used. These serves to reinforce the stereotyped preconceptions of an individual which they may develop about a certain group of people. This has made it difficult for people to appreciate each other due to personal attitudes they may hold. When you keenly look at each group and take into account of what each group stands for, you find that there are higher chances that prove to what the society thinks about the mentioned group is true (Moore & Parker, 2007). From the above given groups, I have learned that there is an element of truth regarding stereotypical language which clearly defines the relation between the identified groups and the entire society.

References

Fletcher, J. (2009). History & Archaeology, Tattoos: The Ancient and Mysterious History. New York: New Press.

Moore, B. & Parker, R. (2007). Critical Thinking, Ashford University 8th. Ed. Boston: McGraw-Hill.

Noel, M. (2008). Critical Thinking. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Ruggiero, V. (2008). Thinking Critically about Ethical Issues. New York: McGraw Hill.