4 modes Rhetorical Analysis

Andrew Biersack
11/20/08
Robinson
Rhetorical Analysis

Mode 1 (Artwork):
One of the pieces I found to fulfill the artwork mode is a unique piece that is not traditionally thought of as artwork but performs the exact same function. For the artwork mode I chose a picture of signs that liter the highways in Southern California and along the border that display crossing of the border as prohibited. In my opinion, it represents the United States attitude towards “border crossers” illegal immigrants as prohibited. Its purpose is to inform anyone who reads it about the illegal nature of crossing the border undocumented. It argues crossing the border by Spanish speakers undocumented is prohibited by law, and consequently wrong. The intended audience is people who speak Spanish of any age, gender, etc. Furthermore the ethos appeal of this sign is the fact that it is a federal highway sign approved and paid for by the United States government. Next, the pathos appeal is the facts that it plays on the issue of immigration on which both sides opinions are very passionate. From the intended audience’s point of view it is offensive and invokes anger at the U.S. government for supporting something so clearly discriminatory. A logos appeal is the fact that it is an official informational sign like a stop sign. These rhetorical appeals are quiet effective in this piece as there is physically very little to it, but huge implications and assumptions behind it. I would use this piece in my presentation to help teach the audience about the large discriminatory factor that is much a part of the undocumented immigration debate. It can be used to prove to those that feel the U.S. does not discriminate against immigrants that the contrary is true.
Mode 2 (song):
In particular Ricardo Arjona’s song “Mojado” is a beautifully written and performed account of any given Mexican risking their life in the perils of crossing the border into the United States undocumented. The overall argument or purpose of the song is to entertain, of course, but also perhaps to educate about not only the horrible reality a human being faces trying to transgress the United Sates border undocumented, but also the emotional difficulty and pain involved as well. The audience for the song is most likely Spanish speakers some way affected by or involved with undocumented border crossing. One rhetorical appeal, ethos, is the fact that its written and performed by Ricardo Arjona a Spanish native himself, a person with intimate knowledge of the struggle people face attempting to cross the border. Likewise this song has its strongest appeal in pathos, as it plays to the emotions of fear, sadness and anger known all too well by anyone that has experienced the situation of which the song speaks. Its logos appeal is the fact that it recognizes the action of undocumented immigration as “illegal” and emphasizes the consequences for breaking the law. The rhetorical appeals are effective in this presentation but rely heavily on the pathos appeal to the audience. I could use this piece in my presentation to teach people about the far less known, challenges, struggles, and dangers that people, many of which honest and hardworking face to come to this country and explain how discrimination and persecution feels to them.
Mode 3 (Film):
Another mode film has far reaching capabilities and for this I chose the film A Day without Mexicans directed by Sergio Arau. Though the film can be categorized as a comedic satire, its message is serious and sincere. It deals with the issue of undocumented immigration by looking at the unique question, what if there were suddenly none. Briefly the film’s argument or purpose is that despite public or political opinion, undocumented Mexican immigrants are not only important and unappreciated, but they are vital to the world’s fifth largest economy, California. In particular the audience specific to this presentation is Mexicans and Americans, citizens and undocumented’s alike, all of adult age. First ethos is apparent in the presentation as its director, Sergio Arau, is a Mexico native who immigrated to the United States and is a highly educated and award winning director. Since he is accomplished and educated, people trust or at least listen to Arau. Also not to mention the fact this film is the second highest box office in the history of Mexican Cinema. Second the pathos of this presentation is the strongest and most apparent appeal because it plays on the strong emotions felt both by the underappreciated Mexicans and the formerly discriminatory citizens of California. There are little logos to be found in this fictional comedic satire but it does operate somewhat on the logical realistic repercussions of instantly removing one third of the population from California, the jobs formerly performed by Mexicans lie dormant for example. The pathos appeal is very effective and perhaps has the ability to change a few minds from one side of the debate to the other having “felt” or “experienced”, through this film, the feelings that are reality for those directly involved in the conflict. Although it is a fictional film, perhaps it can be used to teach others about illegal immigration by providing a non threatening, comedic forum in which to open and possibly discuss the immigration debate and to point out that whether beneficial or detrimental, these immigrants are vital to the economy.

Mode 4 (book):
In general books are the most in depth of the modes and are able to provide more explication rather cause the reader/audience to infer meaning and for this mode I chose Undocumented Mexicans in the United States by David M. Heer. For the most part Heer’s novel analyzes the statistics of a unique, recent survey and study conducted in the Los Angeles area concerning legal and illegal Mexicans inside the United States. On the one hand, Heer aims to objectively present and analyze the data for the audience. On the other hand he also offers a multivariate analysis of the impact of legal status on the hourly wage, hours worked per year, and annual earnings as well as policy options and their likely consequences. Granted the information contained within is useful in a plethora of ways and for many different groups the specific audience is Americans involved in the immigration debate including civilians and government personnel alike of adult age and moderately educated of high school or more. In particular the appeals to ethos for this presentation are the fact that it was published by the highly respected Cambridge University Press. For the most part this piece seeks to be as objective as possible therefore limiting the scope and effect of the pathos, if any, in the presentation. As for the logos it can be found in the many representations of factual statistical data presented in the novel concerning government polls and studies of the Mexican population. Particularly the ethos of the publishing company and the thorough statistical logos are highly effective, providing balance to the rest of the modes which rely more so on the pathos appeal, thus making my presentation more rounded. Ultimately this mode can be used to teach people about my topic of Illegal immigration in the United States by providing accurate factual data to present, and support claims made about the benefit and/or detriment of their presences in the U.S. Also this mode brings balance to the argument/claim of the overall presentation by providing needed facts and logos.