Every individual has a message that they want to convey to other people. Expressing the message is not enough. Everyone wants others to be persuaded by the thing they want to believe. To be able to relay the message effectively and to convince the intended audience to agree with the message, Pathos, Logos, and Ethos can be used. The title of the text to be analyzed is “The Ugly Truth”, however, its author is not presented in the video clip. The text was analyzed to show how Pathos, Logos, and Ethos are used to convince the reader to agree with the message presented by the text. This text is presented through a video clip. The text doesn’t disclose anything about the author. Based from the context of the text, it can be assumed that the author is an advocate of animal anti-cruelty. The producer’s intended audience is the consumer who is buying coats with animal fur. The text pleads to its target audience to stop buying coats made with animal fur. If the consumers will stop buying this product, then the killing of animals to get fur will be put to an end. The main goal of the text is to inform the audience that refusing to buy this product is the most effective way to stop animal cruelty. This text aims to inform the audience about this fact. It can be seen that the three rhetorical strategies, which are Pathos, Logos, and Ethos, were used. Also, there is a balance on how the rhetorical strategies were incorporated in the text.
The first point in the text presented an appeal to the emotion. It shows that a gorgeous coat cost a lot of lives of animals. The text asked the question “Still hardhearted enough to wear them?” This statement intends to strike the audience’s emotion and to make them think of the consequences if they buy a fur coat. Thinking about this, it makes one to ask his self the question “Do lives of many animals needed to be sacrifice in order to make this coat?” It can also make one to realize that if the coat is made with another material then killing the animals just to make a fur coat can be put to an end. Having this in mind, one can be convinced to stop buying coat made with animal fur. Refusing to buy animal fur coat is one way to prevent animal cruelty. Writing about this topic is important since animal cruelty has always been an issue yet it is not resolved. The text shows that a large number of animals were killed in order to obtain the fur. It also shows reports stating how the animals are cruelly killed. The text assess that if there are less consumers of this product made from animals then animal cruelty can be lessen.
The second point that was presented makes use of the facts to show the credibility of the text. Thus, this point makes used of the rhetorical strategy which is Ethos. The text presented the number of animals that were killed to produce the product. It also shows a report that tells how cruel the animals were killed in order to get the fur. A data shows that animal fur is cheap in China. The cheap selling price of fur can help in increasing the number of consumers for this product. The increase in number of consumers will lead to increase in the demand for fur. This case explains that more animals will be killed in this area since there is a higher demand due to its lower price. The merciless and continuing killing of animals shows animal cruelty. If the demand is lower, where in only a few are patronizing the selling of fur coat, then killing of animals can be put into a stop.
The third point appeals to logic. A line in the text states “If we all can say no to real furs, then, we can stop the cruel killing behaviors.” The text shows a cycle that buying the fur coat signifies the start of its production. If there are consumers that are buying fur coats then, the production of this product will continue. Thus, killing animals to get fur will not be prevented. If there are no consumers for this product, then the whole cycle will not continue. This action will contribute to the alleviation of animal cruelty. The author does not only give the consequences of buying fur coats. An alternative for the fur as a material for the coat is also presented. If buying coat can’t be avoided, other materials can be used. In this way, the consumers can still have their beautiful coats while saving the lives of the animals.
The uses of the rhetorical strategies are balanced. The producer of the text not only relies on using just one strategy to convince the readers. All of the strategies are present in the text. Each strategy presents a statement that is related to the main message that the producer wants to convey. Every individual’s actions, though it might be little, has an impact on others. Thus we must consider various things to make a wise decision. We must also make used of the information that are available, think if our decisions are logical, and consider what we or the others will feel if we will make that choice.
Works Cited
"The Ugly Truth." Online video clip.YouTube. YouTube, 16 Apr. 2012. Web. 22 Sept. 2014.
