4 pages essay about personal writing reflection

The elements of rhetorical appeals play important roles in facilitating understanding and appreciation of any work of art as well as critical analysis of the contents of such artwork. Most speakers leverage the benefits of rhetorical appeals to enliven their speech and sustaining the interest of the audience (Bhatia, 2014). Some of the most commonly used aspects of appeals include ethos, pathos, and logos. The use of such elements not only enables the speakers to convey their message but also to shape the opinions and perspective of the prospective audience. The “How the Borderline massacre and last year’s fires changed Thousand Oaks” by Dawn Megli is an article on the violation of human rights characterized by mass murder in the Borderline regions (Megli, 2019). The journal article features numerous aspects of rhetorical appeals. Therefore, the purpose of this essay paper is to analyze elements of rhetoric in the selected article as discussed below.

The aspects of rhetorical appeal in any artwork are critical in helping the readers or audience to evaluate the work or art to eliminate the impact of biases (Selzer, 2003). Rhetorical theorists such as Aristotle contributed greatly on practical approaches of making communication more effective. The elements of logos, ethos, and pathos improve the clarity and effectiveness of the intended message to the targeted audience. In other words, the author can manipulate the perceptions of the audience, thus, enhancing the success of their work. Ethos is an element of rhetoric that depends on the speaker or author’s sense of ethics when communicating intended message to the targeted audience (Foss, 2017). The element of pathos influences audience to a specific frame of mind. Thirdly, the element of logos entails the provision of factual proof to authenticate the contents of the artwork. In the selected article, the author has leveraged such aspects in making the artwork more effective as discussed below.

The assessment of the element of ethos shows tremendous success of the author in delivering his message to the intended audience. For instance, the author has extensive academic and professional background in reporting cases of abuse of human rights. Dawn Megli is a professional reporter for the Thousand Oak Acorn (Megli, 2019). Moreover, the author is an expert of the history of mass murder has witnessed in the Borderline. Such features reinforce the aspects of believability and authenticity of the contents of the selected article. Most importantly, the author also packaged his intended message to suit his audience, the reader. She appeals to the relevant authorities to respond and stop the periodic mass murder witnessed in the Borderline areas. “Two wildfires broke out within hours of the massacre, and each wildfire this fall has triggered flashbacks to those dark days last November…many in the region to flee.” The author also appeals to the relevant stakeholders including the firefighter to improve their capacities when responding to emergencies such as fire outbreaks and minimizing the adverse impacts on the victims (Bhatia, 2014). She is quick to mention the agony that the victims of fire outbreak undergo during such unfortunate events (Megli, 2019). The houses of the victims are left in ashes with increase mortality arising from the acts of terrors. She laments the dilapidated neighborhoods where homes once stood. She uses the element of ethos to appeal to the relevant stakeholders to reconsider the need to enhance security for all and to protect the vulnerable from the acts of terror. Therefore, the use of ethos enhanced the effectiveness of the intended message to the targeted audience.

Moreover, the author creatively employed the use of logos in improving the believability of the contents of the article, especially in addressing the topic of interest. Critical evaluation of the selected article reveals numerous instances where the author appealed to the readers’ sense of logic (Bhatia, 2014). She resorts to statistical reports and figures in communicating the challenges facing the victims as well as the impacts of mass murder witnessed in Borderline area. For instance, she states that she was able to perceive terrors from different directions to signify the widespread impacts of the mass murder and terror attacks (Megli, 2019). “I’ve heard so many accounts of the shooting and the fires…I see the terror in 360 degrees”. It shows that the entire Borderline Oak is affected by the shooting and mass murder.

Nonetheless, Dawn resorts to the use of statistical data to inform the readers on the general hardships facing the victims of terror attacks and mass murder. “I see the open space surrounding the city erupting into a ring of fire that would eventually burn 100,000 acres and leave three people dead…still be fighting two weeks later.” By invoking the logical appeal of the readers, Dawn intends to enable the audience to form mental pictures on the upheavals facing the victims of frequent killing and fire outbreaks in Borderline area (Bhatia, 2014; Selzer, 2003). She recounts the huge loss of lives of innocent people in the wake of terror activities, “…written down so many details about the 12 lives lost in the shooting…” Such statistical references enable the readers to believe and evaluate the challenges facing the residents of Borderline area. Therefore, logos are critical in manipulating the opinion and perspectives of the readers (Selzer, 2003). She indicates that about 75% of thousand oaks residents are forced to flee the area. Most residents were forced postpone their borderline grief in the face of issued evacuation orders.

Additionally, pathos has been used extensively throughout the selected article to further influence the opinion and perspectives of the targeted readers. Dawn plays with the emotions of the readers concerning mass murder changed the lives of thousand Oaks. She highlights some statements that captured the horrific nature of the Borderline massacre. “… The sight of flames and the smell of smoke were the backdrop to mass murder. Death and ashes are forever linked.” Such statements vividly describe the situation at the affected area which is characterized by frequent mass murder and torching of the houses of the Oaks (Bhatia, 2014). Her artwork is a clarion call to end the Borderline massacre which has been happening over the years. She implores the relevant authority to take up their rightful positions in restoring order and averting such happening in the future.

In conclusion, therefore, it is important to note that the effective use of elements of rhetorical appeals is useful in achieving desired success in any piece of writing. In the selected articles, Dawn creatively used the aspects of pathos, ethos and logos in influencing the perspectives of the regarding the hardships facing Borderline Oak residents such as increased mortality, forceful movement of people from their residential areas, torching of their homes, and so forth. The rhetorical appeals enhance believability, retentions of information as well as changing the perspectives of the readers regarding the subject matter. Furthermore, this is also important in achieving high levels of the persuasiveness of the written material.

References

Bhatia, K. V. (2014). Analysing genre: Language use in professional settings. New York: Routledge.

Foss, S. K. (2017). Rhetorical criticism: Exploration and practice. New York: Waveland Press.

Megli, D. (2019, Nov 3). Opinion: How the Borderline massacre and last year’s fires changed Thousand Oaks — and me as a reporter. Retrieved from Los Angeles Times: https://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2019-11-03/borderline-shooting-woolsey-easy-fires-thousand-oaks

Selzer, J. (2003). Rhetorical analysis: Understanding how texts persuade readers." What writing does and how it does it. New York : Routledge.