John F. Kennedy - "Ich Bin Ein Berliner"

http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/jfkberliner.html

Argument

Argument: Communism is evil.

Reason: Because communism takes away freedom from the people.

Implicit Assumption: Whatever takes away the freedom of the people is evil.

Audience

The people of Berlin.

Goal

To convince them that communism is an evil sytem of government that does not work and will not work. The speech also serves to icononize the city of Berlin as a symbol of freedom and congratulate the people on their struggle.

How

Kennedy uses pathos in the way he repeats "Let them come to Berlin" after every positive remark about communism. This arouses an emotion of comradery and patriotism. These people have seen the dire consequences of communistic rule and they hear the lack of experience in the remarks made. Every time he repeats "Let them come to Berlin" it is a reminder of what happened there and what they survived together. While the memory may be difficult for some, it brings them solidarity. Kennedy admits that democracy is not perfect, but points out that a democratic government never created a wall separating families from their loved ones. This is another appeal to emotion as the people remember the heartache and pain they felt during this trial. The appeals and evidence he gives certainly are sufficient for the audience, most of whom likely already agree with him that communism is evil.

Effective

While Kennedy may be a little biased the argument he makes is effective. The example of Berlin certainly proves that communism can result in a lack of freedom. He uses strong evidence combined with emotional appeals to sway his audience. I think after he concluded his speech that everyone in the audience was convinced that communism was evil.

Twilight Sucks! Emo Vampire Song : The Key of Awesome #3

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1gINuQiE77E&feature=featured

Arument:

What are the consequences of the new Twilight series on vampires worldwide?

Claim: The new Twilight series has ruined the lives of vampires across the globe.

Reason: The new Twilight series has changed the public perception of vampires so that traditional vampires are no longer considered seductive.

Implicit Assumption: Whatever detracts from the seductiveness of old-fashioned vampires also ruins their lives.

Audience:

People who dislike Twilight and/or pity old-school vampires.

Goal:

To convince people that Twilight is not an accurate depiction of traditional vampires, but rather a modern distortion of the classic mythical creature.

How:

The lead singer is himself an ancient vampire (roughly 600 years of age) thus lending credibility to his argument. In fact he is an authority figure on this matter and his mannerisms are in direct contrast with Edward's actions which proves his claim. He gives the example where he, the classic vampire attempts to seduce women with no restraint, but Edward the modern vampire, just pouts and runs away. His assessment of Edward is spot on. Edward is not a real vampire. He does not act like one. Nor does he share any of the common attributes held by vampires of the bygone era. Thus the claim is accurate.

Effective:

The argument is very effective. The evidence is clear and indisputable. Twilight is not an accurate portrayal of vampires. This series has caused horrific repercussions in the lives of vampires from Transylvania to Tennessee.

A Florida Thing Under Rhetorical Analysis

Argument:

What are the consequences of lowering the drinking age from 21 to 18?

Claim: Lowering the drinking age will help young people in the long run.

Reason: Lowering the drinking age from 21 to 18 will allow young people to learn from their mistakes earlier when they will have less of an impact on their future.

Audience:

Parents living in Florida who drink, but don't want their kids to drink until the age of 21.

Goal:

To persuade these semi-conservative parents to vote for a lower drinking age.

How:

Logos is evident in the paper, even if it is not always directly supporting our reason. The logical argument was made that if people over the age of 18 are legally considered adults, can serve in the military, and start a family, then they should be allowed the right to drink alcohol. Facts were also given regarding the percentage of Americans who drink alcohol, proving that it is part of our culture and thus acceptable in a sense. It is justified by the majority.

Effective:

I found this essay to be ineffective as the enthymeme was unclear. Each paragraph presented a different argument and there was little to no connection. The evidence was lacking regarding our initial reason. The best parts of the paper were that the tone was conversational and by the end of the paper the voice was more unified, but this did not make up for the lack of clarity in pupose.

2012

http://www.apple.com/trailers/sony_pictures/2012/theatrical_high.html

Argument:

What are the consequences of watching the movie 2012 on your life?

Claim: Watching the movie 2012 will change your life.

Reason: Watching the movie 2012 will help you accept the truth of the end of the world.

Audience:

The audience is United States citizens. Specifically those who go to theater regularly.

Goal:

To convince people buy tickets and go see 2012.

How:

This movie trailer makes excellent use of ethos in convincing the audience that the end of the world is coming. It begins with a shot of a Mayan temple and the words "Mankinds earliest civilization warned us this day would come." The Mayans themselves are given credibilty simply by being the "earliest civilization." In turn the Mayan calendar lends credibility to the prediction that the year 2012 will be the end of the world, because that's when their calendar ends. When the world is being destroyed the trailer shows clips of famous places and objects from around the world. It shows the White House, Everest, and the USS John F Kennedy either collapsing or being covered with water. This makes it seem more believable when people watch sites they recognize be destroyed.

Effective:

It is a very effective argument. The Mayans have been right this far, why would they be wrong now? If the world really is going to end in 2012 certainly that would be life-changing. Personally, however, I am unconvinced and I'm sure many others disagree as well. Many people I'm sure couldn't accept the idea that the world was going to end even if the evidence was staring them in the face. It's just too difficult for most people to imagine. I'm convinced that the world will not end in 2012 for religious reasons, but I guess we'll just wait and see.

APHA Policies on Universal Health Care: Heath for a Few or Health for All?

Akhter, Mohammad N. “APHA Policies on Universal Health Care: Heath for a Few or Health for All?” American Journal of Public Health 93.1 (2003): 99-101.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1447699/

Argument:

What are the consequences of providing universal health care in the United States on the total cost of health care?

Claim: Providing universal health care in the United States will decrease the cost of health care for the government and the citizens.

Reason: Because providing universal health care in the United States will allow the government to run health care more efficiently.

Audience:

Subscribers to the American Public Health Association. Probably doctors and nurses in the US.

Goal:

To convince the audience that universal health care is a good thing, that it is will be more cost-effective, and that it is needed in the United States. The article also suggests a method of reform to begin a universal health care progam in this country.

How:

The article establishes credibility with a number of facts including the number of uninsured Americans, past attempts at establishing universal health care in the United States, and examples of the success of this program in other countries. It makes a logical argument that if in other countries they were able to provide health care for a larger portion of the population at a fraction of the cost, then why can't we do the same? The information shared is all very relevant to the topic. The facts support the argument and prove the author's point.

Effective:

The article appears convincing. I personally am not convinced because of information which I've gained from other sources, but if someone was to rely solely on this one source I think they would come to the conclusion that we, as a nation, should adopt a policy of universal health care.

The Encounter

As soon as we stepped out of our car at the Porsche/Audi dealership a hispanic man walked up to us and said hello. He shook our hands and asked us what we were looking for. We were honest so we told him we were college students and that we were looking for something with a 4-wheel drive and in an affordable price range. So he took us back to see some used cars. On the way he asked, "Yo hablos espanol?" I replied that I didn't speak spanish and we continued. The first car we looked at was a red Mazda which he said was in perfect condition, but had visible scratches on the side. He then left for about five minutes to get the keys so we could see the interior and the mileage. I asked him if it was a 4-wheel drive. His reply, "I think so." He asked us about how we would pay down payments several times so we told him our parents would help finance our purchase. As soon as he heard that he moved on to some more expensive cars. The next car we looked at was a subaru. Again he said it was "perfect." This time it actually did seem to be in good condition. We asked him some questions about the mileage and warranty and he gave us vague answers. The last car we looked at was a Jetta. It was nice. Again he used too many adjectives and not enough data, but we thanked him for his service and said, "We'll think about it." At which point he pulled out his buisness card and offered us a "bonus discount" if we called him. As we were leaving he asked for my sister's number to inform her about upcoming deals. She gave it to him and we left.

Argument

Claim: Buying a used car is a smart choice.

Reason: Buying a used car will give you a quality vehicle for a reduced price.

Implicit Assumption: Whatever gives you a quality vehicle for a reduced price is a smart choice.

Audience

My sister and I went to the dealership together so we were the audience.

Goal

To convince us to buy a car.

How

For me this man had no authority. He barely spoke my language. He didn't know his statistics. All he had going for him was a positive attitude. The fact that he left us for five minutes to get the keys was also very unprofessional. Emotionally, he was also unconvincing. His tone was flat and dull. There was little to no excitement. He didn't ask me about myself or my sister for that matter. He made no attempt to relate to either of us. Logic too had nothing to do with his presentation. Instead of quoting facts and statistics he just said, "This car is perfect." In fact in the 10 minutes we were there he probably said "perfect" 50 times. His argument was not sufficient. In fact it was lacking support.

Effective

I'm sure Willy is a wonderful man, but he is entirely ineffective as an English salesman. The little piece of paper taped on the Subaru made me want to buy the car more than he did.

Argument:

What are the consequences of making modern art a part of your life?

Claim: Making modern art a part of your life will improve the quality of your life.

Reason: Making modern art a part of your life will help you to recognize beauty in the world around you.

Implicit Assumption: Whatever helps you to recognize beauty in the world around you will improve the quality of your life.

Audience:

People who enjoy art, but perhaps do not appreciate the value of modern art or do not recognize the beauty in the world around them.

Goal:

To convince people to take a second look at modern art, go to an art museum, and look for examples of modern art in everything from silverware to buildings.

How:

At first glance the painting appears to be a simple table setting on a black and red background, but in reality the "plate" is actually a painter's pallete and the "knife" is a paintbrush. By using such conventional silverware the painter is actually incorporating ethos into his argument. The image is a familiar scene to any American. They recognize it and can relate to it. The subtle change draws attention from the careful examiner. It seems to express that even at your kitchen table you can find art. Art is not limited to a canvas and paint. Ordinary objects we see everyday can be art. This painting could also be interpreted to mean that everyone is an artist. The paintbrush has a red tip, implying that it's been used. In this case the everyday setting could represent how even the average Joe can paint. The painting is certainly relevant. It is in itself an example of modern art.

Effective:

The painting effectively conveys its message. It is simplistic in design and well-suited to its audience. It catches your eye and presents a clear message.

The Minimum Drinking Age Debate

http://primofe1.byu.edu/primo_library/libweb/action/display.do?ct=display&doc=RS_61040632882008eminimumdrinkingagedebate&indx=1&fromLogin=true&indx=1&fn=search&tab=remote&vl(freeText0)=lowering%20the%20drinking%20age&mode=Basic&scp.scps=000000200&vid=byu-cl
The minimum drinking age debate By Nancy P. Barnett, Ph.D
Brown University Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies

Argument

What are the consequences of lowering the drinking age on alcohol related harm?
Claim: Lowering the drinking age will lead to more fatalities.
Reason: Because lowering the drinking age will increase drunk driving.
Implicit Assumption: Whatever increases drunk driving will lead to more fatalities.

Audience

The article is in a newsletter at Brown University. So the audience is likely students who are interested law, drug addiction, and the effects of alcohol on society as a whole. It's definitely written to an educated audience who has some sort of interest in the matter. It doesn't have a catchy title like a newspaper tabloid, so I doubt the average Joe would be immediately drawn to its contents.

Goal

The article is subtly trying to convince the reader that lowering the drinking age is a bad idea, as it will lead to more deaths. At the same time it informs the reader, giving credibility to both sides, and allowing the reader to form an educated opinion on the matter.

How

The primary appeal is to Ethos and Logos. It doesn't attempt to sway the audience with emotion. Rather it presents the facts, adding credibility to the argument. The statistics she shares are from reliable sources and clearly support her argument. By presenting facts from both sides it makes the argument seem just. It concedes that there is opposition and even displays several counterarguments. In fact the opinion of the author isn't clear until the final paragraph. Once the author, Nancy Barnett, shared her opinion she immediately backed it up with Logos. She said, "there is no evidence that lowering the drinking age would result in less alcohol related harm... In fact there is considerable damage that it might lead to greater damage..." In two simple sentences she denies that the counterarguments have any validity and confirms the truth of her own assertion.

Effective

Even though the opinion is very understated it is convincing to the audience. A more educated population would not respond well to emotional pleas of why 18 year olds shouldn't drink alcohol. However when presented with evidence, allowed to think on their and given a simple opinion, I think the majority will

This is a somewhat difficult song to understand so I thought I would include my own interpretation before my analysis.

Inaudible Melodies
(by Jack Johnson)

Brushfire fairytales (Lies spread fast)
Itsy bitsy diamond wells (Truth is hard to find)
Big fat hurricanes (The storms in life are big)
Yellow bellied given names (Sometimes we cowardly call people names)
Well shortcuts can slow you down (Cutting corners can give you more work to do)
And in the end we're bound (After it’s all over we’ll)
To rebound off of we (Blame it on someone else)

Well dust off your thinking caps (Start thinking)
Solar powered plastic plants (Human substitutes for nature)
Pretty pictures of things we ate (Mere memories of what we did) fake, unfulfilling)
We are only what we hate (We create our own enemies)
But in the long run we have found (Through experience we see)
Silent films are full of sound (Silent films have great meaning)
Inaudibly free (They aren’t limited by sound)

Slow down everyone (Everyone should slow down and just enjoy life for what it is)
You're moving too fast
Frames can't catch you when (he’s referring to frames in a motion picture)
You're moving like that

Inaudible melodies (Songs we can’t hear (outside influences ie. media)
Serve narrational strategies (Narrate our lives (tell us what to do)
Unobtrusive tones (We don’t notice them)
Help to notice nothing but the zone (They keep us focused on)
Of visual relevancy (What we see)
Frame-lines tell me what to see (again he’s referring to frames in a motion picture)Chopping like an axe (They cut things too quick)

Or maybe Eisenstein should just relax
(fyi. Eisenstein was the first director to use a method called montage which involves splicing a bunch of short clips together to be played in quick succession)

Slow down everyone (Everyone should slow down and just enjoy life for what it is)
You're moving too fast
Frames can't catch you when
You're moving like that

Well Plato's cave is full of freaks (We’re all like the people in Plato’s cave)
Demanding refunds for the things they've seen (We complain about our lives)
I wish they could believe (People don’t know)
In all the things that never made the screen
(There’s a lot of things that never make it to Hollywood)
And just slow down everyone
You're moving too fast
Frames can't catch you when
You're moving like that (Everyone should slow down and just enjoy life for what it is)
Slow down everyone
You're moving too fast
Frames can't catch you when
You're moving like that
Moving Too.... [ Inaudible Melodies Lyrics on http://www.lyricsmania.com/ ]

Argument

What are the consequences of living a fast-paced modern life on our happiness?
Claim: We are unhappy because we are living a fast-paced modern life.
Reason: Because living a fast-paced modern-life means that our lives are defined by the media.
Implicit Assumption: Whatever makes it so that our lives are defined by the media also makes us unhappy.

Audience

Anyone who's caught up in the media. Listeners of AAA Radio America.

Goal

To convince people to slow down their lives and smell the roses. They should free themselves from the media, materialism, and pop-culture.

How

The melody itself is very peaceful and the singing is unstrained. This induces a thoughtful state or emotion. The use of metaphor in the lyrics is another appeal to emotion. Jack Johnson takes abstract objects like "itsy bitsy diamond wells" and uses them to describe concepts like "truth is difficult to find". There's a kind of logic in the chorus. He basically says that, "because you are moving too fast you can't enjoy life". His reference to Eisenstein was definitely an appeal to authority. Eisenstein was the first director to use montage, a process which involves splicing a bunch of short clips together to be played in quick succession. This greatly increased the speed of films. In a way Jack Johnson himself can be seen as an authority, because even though he's tried to hold onto his surfer image he's become an icon of pop-culture, so he must have experience in "the fast life" or at least seen its effects on people around him. I would say his support is sufficient. It's only a song, it's not like he's writing his masters on the topic. It's also accurate, in my opinion. I think most people can see the harmful effects of life patterned after the media. The argument is relevant to the audience, because most of his listeners probably do struggle with living life to fast. Frankly it's a good message for anybody in this day and age.

Effective

It is. While it may be hard to understand for those who don't take the time to think about it, the message itself is clear. It is well supported and makes use ethos, pathos, and logos.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KRbzJ0L1Zn8

Argument
Question: What are the consequences of buying a Porsche 911?

Claim: Buying a Porsche 911 will allow you to fulfill your childhood dreams.
Reason: Buying a Porsche 911 is the purist expression of who you are.
Implicit Assumption: Whatever purely expresses who you are will also allow you to fulfill your childhood dreams.

Target Audience
This commercial seems to be targeting upper-class middle-age male drivers. Even though the character depicted is a little boy, little boys don't have the money to buy a porsche. Sure maybe someday down the road, but by then they probably would have forgotten all about this commercial. So the target audience must be someone who can buy this product now. Even more specifically, this commercial is targeting those who dreamed of owning a porsche as a child. I say male drivers, because the main character is a boy and because logistically more men than women are drawn to expensive luxury cars, especially in the median of their life. This commercial does not use slang or crass words, rather the language is refined. Thus it is likely targeting an educated upper-class.

Goal
The goal of this commercial is to convince the target audience to buy a Porsche 911.

How
During the commercial, dramatic music plays creating a sense of nostalgia. There are also many illusions to childhood. There's the classic classroom scene with the bored little boy daydreaming and staring out the window. The bell rings and he rides off on his red bike. It's all very stereotypical and it was made that way so others could relate to it. Most of the commercial was on a more serious note, trying to emphasize the longing and the passion for a childhood dream, but there was a little humor in the boy's comment when he took the business card, turned to the salesman and said matter of factly "I'll see in you about 20 years."

Effective
This commercial is effective, in that it accomplishes its purpose. It is convincing to its audience, appealing to them in multiple fashions. The authority (ethos) is shown at the Porsche dealership. Everything from the sound of compressed air as the front door opens to the time when the boy leaves expresses a professional air and quality service. The salesman, an authoratative figure, treats the boy with respect and class. He even allows him to sit in the new 911 with no adult supervision. The prominent emotion (pathos) is clearly nostalgia. The commercial brings the audience back to a time when they rode their bike to school and couldn't afford a Porsche.

samsung rocks!

ARGUMENT

Issue Question: Which phone should I buy?
Claim: You should buy a samsung phone.
Reason: A samsung phone will allow you to "express your musical side".
Implicit Assumption: You should buy a phone that will allow you to "express your musical side".
Contract: Do other phones also allow me to "express my musical side"?

TARGET AUDIENCE

The target audience is new generation, concert-going, music-loving punk rockers who want a new phone. I'm judging rock by the hand symbol, which if you weren't aware is usually "thrown" at concerts. It's kind've the new-age way of waving a lighter in the air.

GOAL

To persuade the target audience to buy a Samsung phone.

HOW

This advertisement appeals to authority 1. by using the Samsung logo and 2. by incorporating the actual product into the ad. The blue flash on the black backdrop and the hand symbol remind the audience of the last time they were at a rock concert, thus appealing to their emotion. It gives them that "yeah that was cool" feeling and makes them want to buy the phone. Even the font is geared towards the audience. Notice the sans serif slanted writing appears active and modern. Had they used some swirly old Victorian style the ad likely would have been ineffective. The logic presented is simple. If you like music, then you should buy a Samsung phone. End of story.

Effective

I would say the rhetoric in this ad is effective. It catches your eye. It appeals to the target audience. It's simple and to the point, just like this blog.

fake blog

Issue Question: Should I buy a porsche cayenne?
Claim: You're an idiot for even thinking about it.
Reason: It's expensive and ugly.
Implicit Assumption: If you buy a porsche cayenne, then you're an idiot.
Contract: Give me 4 million dollars and I'll give you the keys.