The Issue That Goes Ignored
In the article, "The Issue That Goes Ignored," the author uses several techniques to sway the reader's opinion in favor of gun control. Firstly, certain diction is used to make us as the reader feel sympathy for those supporting gun control, and the opposite for those opposing it. For instance, the writer introduces the piece by saying, "it took an ordinary citizen, Nina Gonzalez, to stand up at the presidential debate," and by using the word "ordinary" the reader has immediate sympathy for the woman who could be the next door neighbor, co-worker, or friend. Also, when the author calls the issue of gun control a "phantom" issue, it gives the connotation that a large issue has disappeared completely without a trace, making us appreciate the fight for an important issue and therefore, the issue itself.
Imagery is also used to make the same point that gun control is necessary. From the quote, "Mr. Obama and his administration never made a priority despite the many horrific mass shootings during his term," we unfortunately picture devastating loss while a president sits idly by. This is a strong image to use and almost suggests that by not doing anything, the president is at fault. When discussing the stand your ground laws the author tells us that they "permit machismo fantasists to shoot to kill when they feel threatened." Envisioning a random stranger with a gun having the ability to kill you with the loose excuse of self-defense is frightening for the reader, and could possibly be a turning point in decision making.
Another technique that leads readers to decide pro-gun control is the use of details. For example, in the first paragraph the writer tells us, "every year, more than 30,000 people are shot and killed in this country." Right off the bat we're hit with a huge number and a terrible fate for those that make up the statistic. A detail like this grabs the reader's sympathy and details later in the piece hold on to it. These details include, "among 23 populous, high-income nations, 80 percent
of firearm deaths occurred in the United States, where citizens suffer
homicide rates 6.9 times higher than in the other nations." With a detail like this, we know that the U.S. is different from other nations which means that it is possible to decrease the rate of homicides. With this conclusion, readers may begin to agree that the lack of gun control is a cause for increased shootings and homicides in the U.S. This agreement along with other details, diction, and imagery are strategically used to change the opinion of the reader to become pro-gun control.
In your paragraph about imagery, you provide some great examples of how the article uses strong language to create strong impressions on the reader. In particular, the remark about "machismo fantasists" definitely left a strong impression on me, showing me the injustice that lack of gun control often leads to. But by definition, imagery should appeal directly to one of the five senses. The examples you used in this paragraph don't quite belong in this category. I didn't see too much imagery used in the article. I would instead talk about the harsh, bitter language the writer used throughout the article.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Andrew's point about imagery; you have to be careful with the definition of that point. However, I think you could easily turn that paragraph into one about language. You did a very good job of finding examples that support your point and explaining how they support your point. This analysis is something we often forget while writing these. Another suggestion is to have a thesis that tells the reader exactly which techniques the author uses so the reader gets a little idea of what you are about to talk about. Other than that I thought you did a great job with the examples and analysis!
ReplyDeleteReally good piece overall Alison. It was easy to read and understand, and had very good examples. One thing I noticed was that you used "Firstly" to begin your first DIDLS technique, but make sure to follow through on the second and third. More of an introduction paragraph probably would have been helpful even if it was just a few sentences so the reader knows where you're going with the piece instead of jumping into it (although I think this would fall somehwhere in the middle, since you did include somewhat of an introduction.)
ReplyDeleteOverall, really great analysis.