Rhetorical Analysis

I think the most effective type of media in presenting an aspect of rhetoric is a video because it can easily connect to ethos, pathos, or logos. I would have loved to do a video for my project but I do not have a camera or skills to make one. I feel like videos are the most effective because it provides visual and audio of what you are trying to convey.

"In response to the Taylor Swift article we read and discussed about in class, what is one song that means something to you? Is it by your favorite artist? Analyze the lyrics (if there are any). When listening to the song, what images come to mind? Why?"

The song "My Wish" by rascal flatts has meaning to me because it is the song that my mom played at my graduation party. My mom and I are really close so it really means a lot to me for her to play this for me in hopes that I have a bright future. Here are the lyrics...

"My Wish"

I hope that the days come easy and the moments pass slow,
And each road leads you where you want to go,
And if you're faced with a choice, and you have to choose,
I hope you choose the one that means the most to you.
And if one door opens to another door closed,
I hope you keep on walkin' till you find the window,
If it's cold outside, show the world the warmth of your smile,

But more than anything, more than anything,
My wish, for you, is that this life becomes all that you want it to,
Your dreams stay big, and your worries stay small,
You never need to carry more than you can hold,
And while you're out there getting where you're getting to,
I hope you know somebody loves you, and wants the same things too,
Yeah, this, is my wish.

I hope you never look back, but ya never forget,
All the ones who love you, in the place you left,
I hope you always forgive, and you never regret,
And you help somebody every chance you get,
Oh, you find God's grace, in every mistake,
And you always give more than you take.

But more than anything, yeah, and more than anything,
My wish, for you, is that this life becomes all that you want it to,
Your dreams stay big, and your worries stay small,
You never need to carry more than you can hold,
And while you're out there getting where you're getting to,
I hope you know somebody loves you, and wants the same things too,
Yeah, this, is my wish.

My wish, for you, is that this life becomes all that you want it to,
Your dreams stay big, and your worries stay small,
You never need to carry more than you can hold,
And while you're out there getting where you're getting to,
I hope you know somebody loves you, and wants the same things too,
Yeah, this, is my wish.

This is my wish
I hope you know somebody loves you
May all your dreams stay big

Honestly, the lyrics explain themselves but I just see it as advice for your future. It was a perfect graduation song because I know she wants the best for my future (mainly so I can buy her a big house and find her a hot husband). When I listen to this song I picture how she raised me, she did such a good job especially being a single mother so it excites me that I can show her how great I can be.

Ethos, pathos, or logos?

The most effective rhetoric form is Ethos because it makes the author credible towards what they are writing about. You want an author that is credible so you can believe what they are saying is true. Krakauer, in Into the Wild, uses a lot of Logos. He is constantly including interviews, texts, specific phrases, personal letters, as well as McCandless' diary entries. These are all important factors for Krakauer's story because they all contribute a strong variation of primary sources.

Group B Prompt

"how do you think the use of hitchhiking has changed over time?...what do you think is the cause of this? is it beneficial to those in need or just overall too dangerous?..explain your thoughts"

Hitchhiking has not necessarily changed but has probably decreased. I have heard a lot of stories from the past about the variety of people who have done it. For example, in the 70's my dad hitchhiked to Washington from Chicago like it was nothing. Now we have to worry about getting kidnapped or raped or murdered blah blah blah.. It's not to say that they didn't have to worry about it either but it was less of an issue as it is now. Especially going a long distance may create some uneasiness with travelers, I know that I would feel better hitching a ride if I was going a short distance rather than a long one. There is less of a chance of getting lost.