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Emily Molo
Mr. Newman
Rhetoric 101
8 October 2014
Ocean Sanctuary
The ocean makes up the majority of our world today but is never properly taken care of.
There is always a continuous protest or campaign about cleaning up the ocean to protect our
marine life but nothing ever seems to get accomplished. There thousands of people who wish to
improve the ocean life but sometimes it can just be too big to handle. However, National
Geographic magazine has presented an article from June 17, 2014 explaining President Obamas
new plan for an ocean sanctuary. The author, Brian Clark Howard, discusses the presidents
plan to create the new reserve that will cover hundreds of thousands of miles of the Pacific
Ocean. The purpose of creating this space is to not only protect our ocean animals but to also
help our economy and food sources. Howard's article touches on some key details, but
unsuccessfully informs readers about Obama's new ocean reserve because it lacks vivid images
and pathos that would convince readers more effectively.
The top of the article contains one picture of a dolphin in the ocean. This already creates
an unsuccessful piece because the picture seems to be unrelated. The article would benefit from
images of the animals you are saving. Instead of showing one picture of a dolphin in clean water,
there should be images of the animals that are being saved by the ocean reserve. Strong images
can pull in an authors audience by helping them to connect to the topic. People become more
attached to things they see so having more pictures would create more support for the ocean
reserve instead of just throwing around facts. Knowing that the ocean sanctuary will stop us from

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squandering one of humanities greatest treasures, is not enough. The audience needs to be
provided with pictures and diagrams to show what the largest protected area on the planet will
really do.
Another reason this article deems to be unsuccessful is because of the lack of emotional
appeal. Facts get thrown around all throughout the article but there is nothing to pull you in
emotionally. The author uses strong logos to inform the reader but does not convince them
through tugging at their emotions. Obama explains how he is using his authority as president to
protect some of our nation's most pristine marine monuments, just like we do on land. However,
this does not tell the readers about the impact it will have on the marine life or how we can be
saving multiple species. The author gives straight facts but nothing the reader can connect to.
Trying to connect to knowing the ocean reserve will be 87,000 square miles to nearly 782,000
square miles is difficult. The audience needs something to grasp onto that will make them think
Obamas plan will impact our planet greatly.
All in all, this article appears to be unsuccessful. There are insufficient images that would
have drawn the readers in and a lack of emotional appeal that would have helped the audience
connect to the piece. Adding these things would greatly impact the article and help it be more
successful.