Date: 10 April 2015

Assignment: MWA #2
Rhetorical Analysis Cover letter
The following essay is a rhetorical analysis of the movie trailer for Paper Towns,
based on a best-selling novel by John Green. Given the medium of the paper, I chose to
write it in analytical tone in efforts to prevent inappropriate use of bias into the paper.
Therefore, my objective of analyzing how the producers decisions influenced the
effectiveness of advertisement in his preview was not compromised. In this paper, I
decided to focus my attention on the usage of the three main rhetorical devices of ethos,
pathos, and logos in the preview and how it helped convince the intended audience to
spend money watching the full movie once it has been released. After having dissected
the preview and sorted it into many pieces, I realized that the producer mainly focused
the audiences emotions and how this further persuades people.
As a very opinionated person, I found the process of writing this paper was rather
difficult for me. I was forced to solely focus on the reasoning of why the producer chose
what methods he did in advertising the Paper Towns movie. As a result, I had major
writers block throughout the entirety of this sequence. It literally took me hours of staring
a blank word document for several hours. Not to mention, this cover letter. However, I
feel as if this exercise was definitely needed because I definitely struggled. I can see it
assisting me in my future writing endeavors as well as analyzing the methods of
advertisement implemented when I have fallen subject as the audience. Based on my
knowledge gained about rhetorical devices and the validity of the argument used, I can
make a better decision as a consumer. Conversely, I find the knowledge obtained from

this sequence, rather helpful in my future argumentative papers so I can effectively

incorporate rhetorical devices, but also being cognizant of possible logical fallacies that
might have slipped into my paper.
In order to complete this essay, I found myself trying to broaden my
understanding of ethos, pathos, and logos by effectively researching certain instances that
might parallel those that were in the preview of the movie. After not having practiced
writing a rhetorical analysis essay in over a year, I found this quite helpful in writing a
stronger analysis. When doing this, I often found myself forgetting relating the rhetorical
devices back to the rhetorical patterns and how the patterns help support the argument.
I understand that the flow of this essay isnt great. In fact, I find it god-awful.
However, given the allotted time to complete the essay, Im not too worried by it. I would
like some advice on how to smooth out the rough edges to the paper in order to make it
flow better. I would also like some input on how some of the examples Ive made sound
reasonable or if there are other rhetorical patterns that help support my argument for the
specific rhetorical devices given. As I have said before, I havent written a rhetorical
analysis paper in a very long time, so I know its not the most eloquent paper Ive written.
Also, since this rhetorical analysis is based on the appeal to the emotion of the audience,
do you personally think that it holds a strong argument? Would you be convinced to
watch this movie?

Paper Towns Rhetorical Analysis

We, as humans, have this tendency to be overly intrigued by the thrill of curiosity.
It mentally stimulates us to unravel the ending of a story and the producers of Paper
Towns, a movie based on a novel written by John Green, understand the psychology of
this all too well. In the movie trailer the producers pieced together, they effectively
advertise the movie by incorporating several kinds of rhetorical devices. The producer
achieves this by appealing to the credentials of author of the story and through the brief
narrative of the main character, Quinton, played by Nat Wolfe. Through the course of the
narration, Quinton begins on the story of how he fell in love with a girl he grew up living
next to named Margo. However, the preview reveals that after the two ignite a
relationship, Margo ends up missing. By selecting this outline for the preview, the
producer strives to manipulate the heartstrings of his viewers as well as feeding their
curiosity by abruptly concluding the preview with a mystery.
In the preview, the first obvious rhetorical device implemented was ethosthe
appeal to authority. In between a couple of clips near the beginning of the trailer, the
producer decides to insert a black clip with white lettering informing his viewers that the
movie is based on the best selling novel by John Green. This strategy is meant to
convince the viewers that since the movie is based on a best selling novel, the movie is
just as noteworthy via the rhetorical pattern of classification. However, even though this
claim might not necessarily be true, it is done in such a subtle way that its still effective.
Another subtle application of ethos within the trailer begins at the onset of Quintons
narrative where he illustrates that everyone has a miracle. This argument not only
entices the viewers because of the need to clarify, but also because of how he says it with

such confidence. This ultimately gives the viewers this sense of validation in his claim;
which flows into the need for the viewers process of description rhetorical patterns.
Once the credibility of the film solidifies, the narration leads into the meat of the
story, where a majority of rhetoric is utilized in means of persuasion to view the movie.
The movie of Paper Towns focuses primarily on hooking the viewers with pathos. The
producers make an effort to include the rhetorical pattern of compare and contrast by
having Quinton explain that his first love was his miracle. When he describes the
effervescent personality of his first love, Margo, oddly, it still falls under this generic
experience of awkward first encounters with a high school crush, which a majority of the
audience can probably relate to and have past feelings arise from the preview. As Quinton
continues to reference specific experiences he has with Margo, he describes how they
facilitated in him falling in love with her even more. The producer of the film emphasizes
how socially unacceptable and bold these experiences these were. For example, spraypainting the insides of an ex-boyfriends house and wrapping his car with cling-wrap
because he cheated on you. These are definitely things the audience has contemplated
doing, but were to afraid to carry out because of the fear of getting in trouble or being
called crazy, so this allows the audience to compare and contrast an awful breakup with
Margos. Even though the film appears to be exciting, it is also twisted with a tinge of
sadness, as Quinton pauses and continues by saying Margo always loved mysteries so
much, she decided to be one. This cause and effect pattern and change in tone sends the
audience on an emotional rollercoaster feeling sad and happy for the main character. The
producer doesnt fail to keep adding more emotions into the mix as he reveals that
Quinton decides to search for Margo. When Quinton finds bread crumbs and notes for

Quinton, giving him hints as to where he can find her, it appeals to pathos in that in
instills hope.
Even though the producer appeals mostly to the rhetorical device of pathos, the
backbone of his argument rests mainly on the rhetorical device of logos. The rhetorical
device of logos is the appeal to logic, or most often, the logic of the stone line and or
theme. The producer highlights the theme of the paper towns that Margo and Quinton
were describing while overlooking the city in the midst of one of their memorable
escapades. Since the audience knows Paper Towns remains the name of the movie and
the book it was based on, they know it appeals to logos through the rhetorical pattern of
description. Ultimately, the audience has a better understanding of the story line. This
theme branches off to other themes such as searching for the one is worth it. The story
plot insinuates that if one falls in love with another, they must give it their all in order to
maintenance the relationship or prevent them from falling into the background. This
cause and effect situation ties in with an appeal to pathos the producer used previously.
This appeal included that if one lacks to take a risk in the direction of passion, their life
lacks the excitement they need to motive them. Consequently, the rhetorical device of
logos in the movie trailer, ties all of the loose ends together, forming a more solid
argument for watching the movie.
Through the sensible use of rhetorical devices throughout the trailer of the movie
Paper Towns, it successfully hooks the viewers into watching the full film when released
into theatres. The producer knowledgably gains credibility near the beginning of the
trailer in order to convince the viewers to complete the two-minute-long trailer and be
further influenced through the concentrated appeal to pathos and logos, but whilst

withholding the secrets to the very end of the story. This selective clip splicing concludes
the preview, leaving the audience with many unanswered questions.