Analyzing a Written Argument

Analyzing a Visual Argument By: http://adsoftheworld.com/media/tv/virginia_tobacco_settlement_foundation_vtsf_forest This visual argument targets all female and male smokers. The age range would be from 20 to 50 that may be environmental. This argument says that “Everyday, 1.5 million trees are cut down to make cigarettes.” Other than the businessmen running the guy dressed up as bunny out of his territory so they could cut down the tree, the statement at the end says it all. Any smoker that may be concerned about the environment would be attracted to this visual argument.
This visual argument was made to catch the attention of the smokers and let them know that they are not only hurting themselves, but they are hurting the environment. After reading a couple of articles about how much cigarettes affect the environment I can see why they made this visual argument. The article that stood out the most is an article by Jessica Taylor-Cassan, “How Smoking Affects our Environment.” Jessica is an ex-smoker that took the time to research what cigarettes do to the environment. In her research she found out that it takes one tree to produce 300 cigarettes. Can you imagine how many trees they cut down a day just to supply smokers. The trees are not the only things being affected. When people throw their cigarette buds on the ground it pollutes the soil. Smokers are not only hurting themselves, but they are hurting the trees that help people breath. Smokers are also contaminating the soil that the living trees need to grow.
This visual argument raises the awareness that smokers are not only hurting themselves, but they are hurting the trees that help us breath. Any smoker that cares about the people around them and the environment would think about trying to quit after seeing this ad. This visual argument clearly states that the trees and living creatures are being harmed. This visual argument is aimed to get people to stop smoking. Making people aware of what smoking does not only to them, but also to the environment and people around them should make them think twice.
This visual argument uses both Logos and Pathos to attract the audience. They used logos when they forced the bunny out of his home and cut down the tree. When the bunny went out into the woods there was no longer any trees to look at because they had all been cut down to help produce cigarettes. They are saying that if you stop smoking you will be helping not only yourself but also the trees that help the environment. They used pathos by creating emotion because they forced the bunny from his home and the bunny was mad but couldn’t do anything about it. When the bunny saw that most of the trees had been cut down he was very sad which created emotion for the viewer.
The ad uses dull colors to illustrate sadness. The atmosphere in the background was foggy like something was harming the environment. When he looked into the forest all the trees were gone and you could really see the sadness from the bunny. They used the businessmen in the beginning of the video to run the bunny out of his home and they had brief cases in there hands simulating they are all about the money and not the environment. The argument was very well played out. When you watch the video it makes you want to stop doing things to the environment to help save the trees that help us breath.

Reference Page http://www.aboutmyplanet.com/environment/smoking-affects/, August 29th, 2007 by: Jessica Taylor-Cassan “How Smoking Affects our Environment”.

http://adsoftheworld.com/media/tv/virginia_tobacco_settlement_foundation_vtsf_forest, Director: Adam Cameron; Producer: James Graves; and Executive Producer: Andrew Denyer. “Virginia Tobacco Settlement Foundation (VTSF): Forest/Ads of the World”.