I Want You for U.S Army

This poster was originally published as a cover of a July issue of Leslie’s Weekly in 1916. As the United States entered World War I between 1917 and 1918 over four million copies of this poster were printed. The overall success of this poster has a lot to attribute to its use of rhetoric appeals.

The imagery of uncle sam pointing out at the poster grabs viewers attention. It puts a face to the country. The patriotic top hat and overall color scheme create pathos and evoke a sense of patriot sentiment. Having the man pointing out of the poster with the print “I want YOU for US army” makes the viewer feel like Uncle Sam is speaking directly to him or her. This text also creates a feeling of patriotism and responsibly to ones country. It also evokes a sense of guilt. It makes the viewer feel like the country is depending on him or her therefore they should sign up for the arm.

Logos is used with the small print that says “nearest recruiting station” This tells people where to go to sign up to help their country. By including this small text, it gives people all the information they need to get active and join the military. It is crucial to the success of the poster to include information such as this.

Ethos is used with the image of uncle sam. This is a well known image that relates back to the United States government. Since the government has to much respect and is well known people will automatically acknowledge this poster.

Overall, this poster had tremendous success which can be in part due to its use of rhetorical appeals.

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3 Responses to I Want You for U.S Army

  1. Rachel Popivchak says:

    This poster is so iconic to the United States of America, and I cannot tell you how many times I’ve already seen it throughout my life! However, I never knew that four million copies were distributed nationally… that’s insane! As far as the analysis goes, great job! You hit on all three rhetorical appeals, and I never realized that the poster actually does make the viewer feel a bit guilty if they choose not to sign up for the draft. I liked how you kept things simple and clear; overall, wonderful job!

  2. Rose Schlenk says:

    Good job analyzing this. You made some great points and supported your claims Also, since this is an image almost everyone has seen, it is easier to follow your claims. It;s amazing how successful simple things like pictures can be when they use rhetorical principles.

  3. Alexandria Rogers says:

    Really good job! Very clear and concise! Awesome rhetorical analysis of such a famous poster in American history.

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