Rhetorical Analysis
Anti-Wal-Mart Advertisement
Claim: Wal-Mart’s uncharacteristic low prices on merchandise in comparison to other businesses have jeopardized the survival of smaller companies.
When anyone in general thinks about Wal-Mart, they would probably think to themselves that it is a great place to shop for merchandise and apparel, and how there is so much selection. While they think of the previously mentioned, their number one reason in all likelyhood for considering Wal-Mart is the low prices. This advertisement uses Wal-Mart's motto ''Always Low Prices. Always.'' against them by adding the attacking shark plus the phrase ''Predator of the Poor'', using pathos (emotional) appeal through fear, and ethos (ethical) appeal. If the viewer does not know about Wal-Mart and how they have the lowest prices on merchandise in comparison to everyone else anywhere, then they would have a hard time understanding the logos (logical) appeal. The purpose of this ad and argument is to show anyone and everyone (since Wal-Mart is a place for anyone to go and buy merchandise) the dark side of Wal-Mart, and how they possibly take down other smaller businesses. If a person would like to reach out to someone through an advertisement in a convincing and persuading manner, pathos would arguably be the strongest way to do it. In this ad, pathos is the main appeal for which the creator was aiming. With the close-up view of the shark looking as if it was about to attack the camera, the main element of pathos for this particular ad is fear. The phrase "Predator of the Poor" is intended to show two appeals simultaneously: pathos and ethos. After seeing the attacking shark, the intended result of striking initial fear into the viewer supports the purpose of the predator phrase, which is to generate anger in the viewer, and possibly sympathy for other smaller businesses that have been destroyed in Wal-Mart's stampede. As mentioned earlier, the phrase "Predator of the Poor" has ethos
Claim: Wal-Mart’s uncharacteristic low prices on merchandise in comparison to other businesses have jeopardized the survival of smaller companies.
When anyone in general thinks about Wal-Mart, they would probably think to themselves that it is a great place to shop for merchandise and apparel, and how there is so much selection. While they think of the previously mentioned, their number one reason in all likelyhood for considering Wal-Mart is the low prices. This advertisement uses Wal-Mart's motto ''Always Low Prices. Always.'' against them by adding the attacking shark plus the phrase ''Predator of the Poor'', using pathos (emotional) appeal through fear, and ethos (ethical) appeal. If the viewer does not know about Wal-Mart and how they have the lowest prices on merchandise in comparison to everyone else anywhere, then they would have a hard time understanding the logos (logical) appeal. The purpose of this ad and argument is to show anyone and everyone (since Wal-Mart is a place for anyone to go and buy merchandise) the dark side of Wal-Mart, and how they possibly take down other smaller businesses. If a person would like to reach out to someone through an advertisement in a convincing and persuading manner, pathos would arguably be the strongest way to do it. In this ad, pathos is the main appeal for which the creator was aiming. With the close-up view of the shark looking as if it was about to attack the camera, the main element of pathos for this particular ad is fear. The phrase "Predator of the Poor" is intended to show two appeals simultaneously: pathos and ethos. After seeing the attacking shark, the intended result of striking initial fear into the viewer supports the purpose of the predator phrase, which is to generate anger in the viewer, and possibly sympathy for other smaller businesses that have been destroyed in Wal-Mart's stampede. As mentioned earlier, the phrase "Predator of the Poor" has ethos