Month: September 2019

Columbine. Pulse Night Club. Sandy Hook. San Bernardino. Las Vegas. Marjory Stoneman Douglas. All these shootings including many others have ignited a debate of second amendment rights and gun control legislation. On one side, democrats want legislation to restrict gun vendors, including universal background checks, limits on magazine clips, and ammunition restrictions. Conversely, republicans want to protect second amendment rights by limiting legislation on guns. Both sides refer to rhetoric to portray their side as correct. Many credible politicians have spoken for and against using an array of rhetorical devices to persuade their specific audiences. In a speech by former President Barack Obama at the University of Hartford after the tragic events of Sandy Hook, he utilizes pathos, kairos, and strong stylistic choices to convey to the necessity of “common sense gun laws;” whereas in a speech given on the Senate floor by Senator Mike Lee (UT-R) relies on logos and ethos to boost his credibility while giving facts on gun rights.  

I. Introduction 

1. 1. 1. The debate of gun control/second amendment rights has dominated media for decades; with an increase in domestic mass shootings, citizens have become more and more extreme on the issue. After the tragic events of the Sandy Hook shooting, former President Barack Obama spoke at the University of Hartford to advocate for “common sense gun laws.” (Attention Grabber) 
      2. Using pathos, kairos, and anaphora, President Obama urges Americans to reform gun policy to include background checks and ammunition limits. (central claim/preview) 

Transition: President Obama’s utilizes pathos to evoke the necessity of reform to protect the Nation’s children and others afflicted by gun violence. 

II. Body 

1. 1. 1. Pathos 

                a. Throughout the speech, Obama uses an emotional appeal to bring         about change. 

                             i. “[A ban on military style weapons] to make it harder for a gunman to fire 154 bullets into his victims in less than five minutes” 

1. 1. 1.                 ii. Displays the upsetting consequences of loose-gun laws 
      2.  
      3.     b. Additionally, an anecdote about police officers further evokes an emotional appeal to maintain peace in communities.
      4. 1. 1.   i. “A group of police officers in Colorado told me last week that, thanks to background checks, they’ve been able to stop convicted murderers, folks under restraining orders for committing violent domestic abuse from buying a gun.”
            2. ii. This testimony from the police officer creates a feeling of bipartisanship on the issue, therefore making it a commonplace in U.S. society. 
            3. iii. Necessity of maintaining peace in communities is a value held by all citizens.  

Transition: In conjunction with the evident pathos throughout, kairos is employed due the increase in mass/spree killings plaguing the nation.  

        2. Kairos 

                a. “right time, right place” because lives are at stake 

                          i. “It’s time to crack down on gun trafficking” 

                         ii. The shooting had national attention, necessary to create change so these events end 

               b. “it’s time to strengthen school safety… before it’s too late” 

                          i. Implores not only the people, but the government that change is inevitable, or people will continue to be hurt 

               c. Speaking in Connecticut, where the mass shooting occurred 

                         i. The community is still healing from the losses 

                        ii. Speaking directly to community will inform citizens of different ways of reform 

Transition: Additionally, stylistic choices such as anaphora succinct diction bolster his urging tone for gun reform. 

     3. Style 

               A. Anaphora 

                          a. Repetition of key phrases implore the need of quick  legislature/action to decrease gun violence. 

                          b. “We have to tell Congress…”  

                                    i. highlights that proper legislature needed to protect all populations 

                         c. “Let’s make that happen… Let’s get that done… Let’s put that to a vote” 

                                  i. Creates an insistent tone that conveys a sense of immediate actions, thereby solutions. 

                                 ii. Demands action from Legislature (e.g. Senators, Representatives, Governors, State Legislators) 

Transition/Ending Signaler: All three rhetorical devices accentuate the absolute necessity of actions, not just with citizens, but government officials. 

1. Conclusion 

Pathos evoked an emotional response to emphasize the obligation that the government must protect its citizens. Kairos presented an adequate time to address this controversial issue due to people afflicted by gun violence. President Obama’s stylistic choices further bolster his argument by creating an insistent tone to address gun violence. Ultimately, these rhetorical devices help persuade the audience that gun reform is necessary to bring communities back together and maintaining peace.  

George Bush’s Speech

On September 11th, 2001, terrorists attacked The United States of America, killing almost 3,000 people. This event affected every person across the nation, and across the world. Citizens were lost and did not know what lied ahead. Later that day, then-President George W. Bush addressed the nation by giving a grieving, yet hopeful speech that revitalized the country through displaying the resilience of the United States.

By giving the speech the same evening as the devastating event, it is kairotic because the nation needed to convey a sense of unity and durability to outside attack. President Bush repeats throughout that “our military is powerful” and “our country is strong.” This repetition reaffirms that while the nation was attacked, the people will hold together even in the face of evil.

Additionally, President Bush uses an extended metaphor to portray the toughness that America can endure; “Terrorist attacks can shake the foundations of our buildings, but they cannot touch the foundation of America.” This metaphor adds to the kairos of the piece due to its reaffirming nature that America is still America, meaning that we hold true to the same values as before.

One of these values highlighted in the speech is volunteerism. Throughout the introduction, President Bush identifies groups afflicted by the terrorist attacks. While initially, everyone was shocked, ordinary people became extraordinary. Firefighters, Police Officers, Nurses, Doctors, everyone who could help, came to help. From donating blood to giving to charity, volunteerism spurred across the nation. This unifying presence was symbolized throughout President Bush’s speech.

Ultimately, President Bush’s speech on 9/11 symbolized a turning point in American history. His condemnation was not just his, but the entire country’s. Additionally, the kairos of the speech disallowed The United States to become weakened, but to rebuild its already known strong ethos of  unity, durability, and volunteerism.

Within the realm of marketing products, advertisers struggle to market to multiple generations at once. With this ad, Beats headphones can market to the baby boomer generation up to Generation Z. By creating a commonplace of all genres of music, the ad reinvents the brand’s ethos to include a variety of tastes from rap to classic rock ‘n’ roll. Previously, the brand only marketed towards younger adults/teenagers who wanted name-brand headphones. By using Elvis Presley as the main focal point, it strengthens the brand’s argument that the headphones can be used by all people of all backgrounds, ages, and cultures.

Additionally, the purposeful color scheme of the advertisement adds emphasize on the headphones. All the surrounding area and background are neutral colors like black and gray; this is to highlight the bright, red headphones. By using this scheme, the audience’s attention is towards the brand Beats. Moreover, it adds a fashion component to the brand by alluding that if a consumer buys the headphones, it will make them more stylish. This ties back to Elvis because during his reign as “The King,” he was a fashion icon. Furthermore, the bold lettering of his nickname, “The King,” insinuates that not only Elvis is identified with the name, but also the brand Beats are referred, too. This type of passive persuasion is utilized to bolster the audience’s opinion of the brand. By connoting Beat’s headphones with a monarchal symbol, it signifies that Beat’s headphones are better than its competition.

With this combination of rhetorical strategies, the advertisement is extremely influential in persuading a diverse audience to buy this product. By reinventing the brand’s ethos and purposeful symbolism, the ad highlights the brand’s best qualities to influence consumers to purchase the product.