TOW #3- The Pope Throws Down for Religious Freedom

The Pope’s arrival in America this past week has been the talk of the town. The media is buzzing, trains and tickets are sold out, classes are canceled. The article The Pope Throws Down for Religious Freedom gives information about the Pope’s speech in Philadelphia. Emma Green, the author, is the managing editor of The Atlantic and writes mainly about religion and politics; which gives her credibility as the author of this article because she has had experience with writing about topics similar to this. It is evident through Green’s writing that her purpose is to simplify and further explain the Pope’s message from this speech so that Americans can better understand and readjust their behaviors accordingly.

Green’s most effective rhetorical strategy is the employment of direct quotes. By quoting the Pope’s speech, Green appeals to ethos by showing that she isn’t simply making up information about what the Pope’s message was. After the quote, she often continues to explain the meaning or significance of what he said and then asserts her own opinion. Because she has already established ethos, stating her opinion is effective because she has already convinced the reader that her message has worth. Green speaks about the geometrical metaphor utilized by Pope Francis that communicates his message: religious freedom is imperative. She quotes his words and then says: “Unfortunately, there were no graphical aids to help those in the audience who lost Francis at the geometry imagery…” (Green). This satirical statement effectively draws in her readers through the use of humor. Overall, Green’s use of direct quotes to establish ethos and then the assertion of her own opinion was effective in accomplishing her purpose of further explaining the Pope’s message about religious freedom so that Americans can better understand and readjust their behaviors accordingly.

http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2015/09/the-pope-throws-down-for-religious-freedom/407560/

TOW #2- Political Cartoon

http://townhall.com/political-cartoons/2015/09/16/135209

This political cartoon was created by a woman named Lisa Benson. Benson has been a cartoonist since the 1990s and has published many cartoons about the recent elections and other worldly events. This particular cartoon depicts her viewpoint of the Iranian nuclear deal. On the left, a donkey (the symbol of the Democratic Party) is shown blocking out the cries of the rest of the U.S. that say “Kill the DEAL!” On the right, the Ayatollah of Iran is shown to be agreeing with the cries of his people: “Death to AMERICA!” This drawing is aimed to send a powerful message to the citizens of the United States. Her depiction of the Donkey saying “I can’t hear you” to the desperate pleas of its citizens sends the message that the government is not representing the wishes of its people. The author’s purpose in drawing this cartoon is to convince readers that the Iranian Nuclear Deal is a bad idea. Her purpose is shown through her depiction of the Iranian Ayatollah. He is contentedly agreeing with his citizens as they scream for the destruction of America. She argues that as the American government ignores the opposition to the deal and defies the wishes of its people, it is essentially giving the Iranians the tools necessary to achieve their ultimate goal of destroying America.

Benson utilizes repetition to appeal to pathos and ethos, and a juxtaposition to appeal to logos and pathos. On the left, the words “Kill the DEAL!” are shown three times within a speech bubble that comes from the American public. Contrasted with the one time that the Iranian public states what they want and the acknowledgement by their Ayatollah, the American government’s (democratic party’s) refusal to listen is emphasized. The American public state their wishes three times and still are not heard. The Iranians state their wish once and are automatically given confirmation that their wish will be granted. This juxtaposition sends a powerful message about America’s fate if the Iranian Nuclear Deal is agreed upon, but also sends a powerful message about the American government’s loyalty to its people.

I find this political cartoon to be successful because of the emphasis on the betrayal of the US government to its people. Benson’s audience is US citizens, and because of this, the depiction of betrayal is extremely powerful in provoking rage towards the government. Her depiction of the Iranian side shows that Iran’s goal is to destroy America. This gives the reader the idea that if the deal is accepted, it will ultimately lead to America’s destruction. Overall, Benson’s use of repetition and her juxtaposition is successful in communicating her message that the Iranian nuclear idea is a recipe for disaster.