Rhetorical Analysis Of 'Manipulation Or Persuasion?'
Ayrika Pier
Meghann Bassett
Rhetorical Analysis
English W131
28 October 2013
Manipulation or Persuasion? Robert Blecker’s “With death penalty, let punishment truly fit the crime” was printed on CNN August 22, 2013. In this article Blecker has a hard time drawing a line as to when capital punishment should be enforced. He uses many controversial topics that are attached to the death penalty to make the reader question their own belief on the death penalty. This article also questions the methods in which the United States uses for capital punishment. It makes the reader ask questions in their head such as, are some of these methods essential to the execution of a criminal? Lastly, this article questions the prison systems and the process in which the regulate prison life for criminals. Blecker composes this article with many premises, which are not backed up, to manipulate the reader to agree with his thoughts on capital punishment.
When first skimming through the article it seemed like Blecker was completely against capital punishment by the way he started the first paragraph. The reader will then notice that he is merely just exemplifying both arguments. Blecker first approaches this article using an opposing viewpoint from his own. The opposing argument Blecker …show more content…
He then mentions that in the firing squad, some of the shooters are loaded with blanks. None of the shooters are aware if they have a live bullet or a blank. This eliminates the shooter from feeling responsible for the criminal’s death. Blecker shows his frustration with societies inability to take responsibility for the punishment of criminals. This strengthens his argument because it brings more examples of different styles of executions in the United States. This also helps the reader understand that Blecker is well educated on the topic of capital punishment, which in all increases his
Meghann Bassett
Rhetorical Analysis
English W131
28 October 2013
Manipulation or Persuasion? Robert Blecker’s “With death penalty, let punishment truly fit the crime” was printed on CNN August 22, 2013. In this article Blecker has a hard time drawing a line as to when capital punishment should be enforced. He uses many controversial topics that are attached to the death penalty to make the reader question their own belief on the death penalty. This article also questions the methods in which the United States uses for capital punishment. It makes the reader ask questions in their head such as, are some of these methods essential to the execution of a criminal? Lastly, this article questions the prison systems and the process in which the regulate prison life for criminals. Blecker composes this article with many premises, which are not backed up, to manipulate the reader to agree with his thoughts on capital punishment.
When first skimming through the article it seemed like Blecker was completely against capital punishment by the way he started the first paragraph. The reader will then notice that he is merely just exemplifying both arguments. Blecker first approaches this article using an opposing viewpoint from his own. The opposing argument Blecker …show more content…
He then mentions that in the firing squad, some of the shooters are loaded with blanks. None of the shooters are aware if they have a live bullet or a blank. This eliminates the shooter from feeling responsible for the criminal’s death. Blecker shows his frustration with societies inability to take responsibility for the punishment of criminals. This strengthens his argument because it brings more examples of different styles of executions in the United States. This also helps the reader understand that Blecker is well educated on the topic of capital punishment, which in all increases his