While reading the article “8 Missing in Mexico After Vessel Sinks” written by Elizabeth A. Harris, it was hard for me to draw a clear image in my mind of what had actually happened. This is the fault of Harris, who did not use effective descriptive language throughout the article. By using phrases such as “…it was bad weather and possibly waves..” a clear illustration about the strength or effects of the storm is not made. In addition, there are no clear details as to where the vessel sank, but rather stated it was “60 miles south of San Felipe.” Another brief description is given with regards to the conditions of the sea. It is only acknowledged that “The water temperature in the Sea of Cortez is very warm, the air temperature is really warm…” The term “warm” is a relative condition. What is warm to one person is different than what another person considers to be warm. The actual temperature is not given, which would give the reader a better understanding of what conditions the passengers endured while the vessel was sinking. Finally, the situation which occurred while the two men paddled back to shore is left uncertain. It is only confirmed that they paddled, leaving out the details of how far they paddled or the length of time during which they paddled. These are all descriptions that could have been far more effective in creating a mental picture for the reader to understand if they had more detail.
Based off of what I have learned in class, I was able to do a rhetorical analysis of this article. Rhetorical appeals, for one, were present throughout the piece of writing. Ethos, or the qualifications stated in order to gain the trust of the audience, is found within the text. The ethe are mostly given where quotations are present in this article. For example, there are quotes from the spokesman of the Coast Guard. That is obviously a reliable and well known source for information given about a sunken vessel. Some other trustworthy sources include the Associated Press and a survivor from the accident. Another type of rhetorical appeal is logos, the logical appeal to a reader. Logos are not found within this article, but there are definitely some that could have been added by the author. Harris could have mentioned the facts and statistics about survival at sea, engaging the readers more and making them think in a deeper manner about the remaining passengers at sea. Lastly, pathos is the emotional appeal found in written works. Pathos is minimal in this article, but it can be found. The quote from the survivor, “I’m relieved I’m alive, but I’m scared for the people who haven’t been found yet.” can draw emotion as readers feel empathy for what he has gone through. To continue with the rhetorical analysis, the exigence, or motivation behind the rhetor is to simply inform the readers about the accident in Mexico. There is no message or meaning deeper than the pure facts and information given about the accident. The audience, although it can be said to be the general public, is more specifically the readers of The New York Times. Harris informs her audience through the context of a news article, so she can get her point across directly and quickly since news papers are usually something many people read. This rhetorical analysis allows me to better understand everything Harris put into writing this article.
Janelle - You show how this article could have used more effective description in addition to singling out different rhetorical devices.
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