Introduction
The following article is an analysis of two articles that convey similar messages with the main aim of identifying the general properties of both articles from pathos/ethos/logos to author’s credibility, organization vocabulary level, target audience, and convincingness of the articles.
Op-Ed: Sharp talk on guns prevents solutions-ARTICLE 1
In the article, the author’s main point of views is first why people are allowed to own assault rifles despite it being their right. Secondly, both sides’ arguments will lead to no problem being solved. Third, the author questions the government’s capability to solve complex gun problem when it cannot solve simple problem of smoking that kills many people in the country.
In the article, I agree and disagree with some of the authors arguments. The point of guns being our rights is definitely right since people use them for protection despite the recent inappropriate use of guns in the country. On one hand, I also disagree with his insistence of our founding fathers intentions. The author has to acknowledge that times have changed and that the reasoning then is not the reasoning now.
The author has emphasized on some points and at the same time leaving out others. The author emphasizes on what the founding fathers intentions and the necessary actions that should be and not be taken to handle this contentious issue. The author leaves out the option of both sides’ forcefully implementing or approving actions that they think might solve the problem. This technique is very effective in a way that it makes people focus on a certain area hence communicating the main ideas with clarity and seriousness.
In the article, the author reaches to the target audiences, which are the government and the citizens. The author interchanges in every paragraph which of the two he is sending the message to. At times, he personally addresses specific people or heads of specific groups and a country.
The author’s use of pathos in the article is not that effective. The author brings out small instances of emotion to the article, which is mostly at the beginning of the article where he talks about the shootings of the town Newtown. Instead, he uses rage to pass on his message to the audience. The writer should use bring out emotion by questioning the audience on their humanity which will make the audience sympathize with what he stands for thus appropriately passing the message.
The author’s article is illogical. His writing is based on emotion rather than rational claims. What the author argues is not true and really makes one to think about the situation at hand. For example where he talks about the government not being able to handle deaths caused by smoking. The author should know that smoking is voluntary and one cannot make one to stop smoking so that he cannot die. Things like smoking are uncontrollable and cannot be compared to guns.
The article uses certain style, vocabulary, and tone. The style used involves asking of rhetorical questions that trigger one to see the sense of the issue at hand. The author uses simple vocabulary that is understandable by even a 15 year old hence expanding his target audience. The tone of the article is condescending.
The article is not organized well. Information in the article has been generally placed without even topics or subtopics .This makes it hard for the target audience to isolate what is what .in addition there are no transitions in the article. The author does not relate one part of the article to the other leaving everything jumbled up hence no flow of information is observable.
There are no other articles by this author hence no comparing this article to the other ones he might have written.
The body of the article has an introduction, middle part, and conclusion with no front or back matter.
Obama’s gun violence measures: Would they work?-ARTICLE 2
The article mainly talks on whether the measures that Obama plans to take regarding gun violence will work. The measures include banning use of assault weapons by citizens, banning use of high capacity magazines, efficiently conducting universal background checks on gun buyers, and taking measures on people who are mentally ill.
The article has various parts or sections. The introduction section is the first paragraph, which contains the thesis statement and main ideas of the article. Then the front matter, which is divided into subtitles and it, comprises of the second and third paragraphs. They explain some of the main ideas found in the introduction. The back matter then follows which comprises of subtitles and the last two paragraphs of the article. These parts are related in way that, each complements and explain what is in the introduction part.
The author managed to reach the target audience in the best way possible. The author based all his arguments on evidence mainly from reliable secondary sources like newspapers and news stations. For example, he tells of CNN’s interview with the California Rep. Mike Thompson regarding high-capacity magazines. He also gets data from institutions like universities example The University of Pennsylvania. Information from such a source are highly reliable and are true since most are results of research and tests that are done on specific areas. His information is thus very credible which makes the audience to believe the authors work.
Besides the credible sources, the author himself is a well-known news reporter and from his background, I confirmed that he has done a couple of articles like this one and he has a good reputation in the field. This enhances his credibility and therefore his work is believable.
He also reaches out to the target audience through touching their emotions. He sympathizes with the victims of gun violence by giving examples of certain irrational decisions people make when selling guns. This decision leads to mentally ill persons possessing guns hence resulting in the killing of innocent lives.an example is the Virginia Tech person who in 2007 killed 33 people since his mentally sick status was not submitted to the database. He uses this technique widely in the article as opposed to the author in the first article.
The author also reaches out to the audience through use of logic. His ideas and suggestions are logical since he gives out evidence and moreover legislative evidence and laws that point out what can be done and what cannot be done. Example is of Schumer’s legislation that will inspire sharing of important information by states to the database. This is logical since this action results to another desired action.
The author has an appropriate angle of vision. The author’s style involves providing the audience with enough evidence that will enable them to make a decision on their own hence self- judgment. The author uses vocabulary that is simple and does not use bombastic words that are difficult to understand. This makes it easier for literate people of all age groups to understand. Therefore, a wider target audience. The article is organized into sub-topics that fully explain and relate to the main idea.it is also organized in a way that evidence is provided then a question that jogs the audiences mind is asked then followed by statistics that further prove the idea in discussion. The tone of the article is a formal one because the author means ‘business’ and gets to the point directly.
The target audience is the government and all those involved in the gun business. The reason being he addresses various government offices and institutions on how to deal with the problem an example is the legislature regarding the various legislative laws. The author also
addresses the people involved in selling guns by encouraging them to be more vigilant on whom they sell the guns to.
The author has other articles.an example is The great divide: Little common ground with pro- and anti -gun forces. In this one, the author also uses facts and statistics to argue his points. He also uses sub-topics to critically explain his main ideas. The author does not use questions in this one.
Well about this topic from history citizens are allowed to hold guns for protection purposes only but this right is currently being violated.so currently the laws are being proposed and President Barack Obama is advising county sheriffs and police chiefs to support the new gun control mechanisms. In the future, I think law enforcers will own guns since the trend is heading towards there.
Well from this topic I have learned new ways of capturing the audience’s attention, how to properly organize my work, and proper analysis of texts which I will use in the future.
Well I have no questions but I will comment that of the two articles the second one is more appealing to read and also in general structure and I would encourage all critical thinkers to exhibit such level of writing in the future.
Works cited
Mark, Plotzky.” Op-Ed: Sharp talk on guns prevents solutions.” New Republic 18 January 2013: 17-19. Print.
Allison, Brennan.” Obama’s gun violence measures: Would they work?” Daily Post 17 January 2013: B3+. Print
