Running Head: RHETORICAL/VISUAL ANALYSIS

Rhetorical/Visual Analysis on Immigration Reform Clara I. Martinez University of Texas at El Paso

RHETORICAL/VISUAL ANALYSIS

Abstract This paper talks about an article regarding the immigration reform. I will analyze who are the target audiences, the effectiveness and false appeals to ethos, pathos, and logos that the article uses. Based on this methods I will determine how effective they were at convincing the audience with their persuasive argument. The article comes from an organization called Reform Immigration for America. They talk about how the House of Republicans need to take action and support the immigration reform, and not just avoid it. Because all that they are doing by avoiding this problem is separate families. The organization does this by providing an example of a family that has been separated because there is no solution.

RHETORICAL/VISUAL ANALYSIS
This article is trying to persuade its audience that it is time to demand action from House leadership and to stop separating families. It is geared toward the House of Republicans, the proimmigration group and for the actual illegal immigrants. Nevertheless, I will try to show if they were really successful trying to persuade its audience by showing you examples of ethos, pathos, logos given and by also backing it up by the argument presented in the two images included in their article. First I will present to you the ethos appeal, which over all wasnt really effective. The only credible thing here is when they say Demand action from House leadership by calling the Republican

National Committee Headquarters at 888-845-2087. By providing a number I was able to call and prove that it does exist and that it is meant for what they said. They use argument from authority the present to us Kica Matos who is a spokeswoman of Fair Immigration Reform Movement. She tells us that since the Senate passed its bill in late June, over 100,000 families have been torn apart Aside from being a spokeswoman how are we supposed to believe her of the number that 100,000 families have been torn apart? Which leads me to my second appeal. Secondly I will talk about the pathos appeal, in this appeal like the first it is more false. They use appeal to pity. The author does this presenting the story of Shannon. He says that Shannons husband was given a five year ban from returning to the US, it didnt matter if he is married to an American citizen, has American citizen children, that he has no criminal record speaks English and has paid all of his taxes. Even after all of this he was deported and his son who just turned 7 years could only see his dad thanks to Skype. She mentions that it doesnt no child should have to celebrate a birthday with his dad this way. Not only that but they use emotive language like for example; Our families are hurting in the process House of Republicans have held our families hostage in their political theater. Words like hurt and hostage are not really supported by evidence making it a false appeal to pathos. With this said I will present to you the appeal to logos.

RHETORICAL/VISUAL ANALYSIS
The appeal to logic did exist, by providing to us a syllogism. They achieved this by saying that A) Illegal immigrants couldnt be hurt or separated from their families, if B) they would have and

immigration reform, so if C) House of Republicans agree A) illegal immigrants and their families cant be hurt or separated, thus C) they (the House of Republicans) must agree to B) have an immigration reform. This goes to show on how the argument they are trying to make is correct making this appeal the only true effective appeal. This syllogism ties in to my two images because you are able to see families. The two images really show master narratives which they really kind of tie in which is unity and family. Unity and Family is important because they show a picture of Shannon family and how they are actually communicating with each other at their sons birthday trough Skype. Even if they are far apart they are in it together as a family, of course not the way they wanted to but for now something is better than nothing at all. The second it is also a powerful image demonstrating how important unity and family are because they show two little girls in a march and they have in their shirt dont deport my mom. How bad is it that kids are going through that at such a young age? Overall, this essay in my part was persuasive if you just read it not considering the three appeals: ethos, pathos, and logos. But since we did need to analyze the appeals it seemed like they used false appeals to try and persuade its audience.

RHETORICAL/VISUAL ANALYSIS
Reference http://www.reformimmigrationforamerica.org/?view=featured