Rhetorical Analysis

Rhetorical Analysis

  • Submitted By: rcalex02
  • Date Submitted: 03/16/2014 2:42 PM
  • Category: English
  • Words: 508
  • Page: 3
  • Views: 1


GNGL Response
1.) Analyze the rhetorical appeals (ethos, pathos and/or logos) used by Murrow and McCarthy during their televised debate.
Murrow and McCarthy both use the appeal pathos and ethos but only Murrow used logos in the correct way. McCarthy tries to trick his audience which is the American public. He knows how afraid everyone is of communism also known as the Red Scare and he is using it to his advantage by going on the news and “addressing his accusations” of the Irishman who was kicked out of the Air Force for being associated with communist. He doesn’t really address them, but he calls out Murrow and accuses him of being a communist. And says how involved he is with the party. Although all of these are lies, he uses the fear of his audience to try and control them and make them listen to him. Murrow fires back with the truth but also his credibility is more established with the viewers than McCarthy although he is a senator. It may have something to do with politicians being liars. Murrow uses pathos and logos at the same time. He mentions how he has been present in the homes of Americans for a number of years and that builds his credibility because not only is it a fact its shows how much people appreciate his opinion and information. They are emotionally connected to him although it may not be in an I love you so much kind of way it’s an I admire you so much that I bring you in my home. When Murrow gives his rebuttal to McCarthy he replies with facts that he isn’t a communist and the McCarthy just danced around the questions without answering them. McCarthy’s statements weren’t as credible as he thought so the Air Force decided to do an investigation on him. He wasn’t a communist but he unconstitutionally arrested a man who was accused of communism and didn’t give him a fair chance at anything until Murrow addressed it on television. That is when he caused a huge controversy and Murrow was accused of being a communist because he sided with...

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