Running Head: Rhetorical Essay 1

Rhetorical Essay

Katlyn Monroe

ENGLISH 102

01/27/19
Running Head: Rhetorical Essay 2

Guess Which One.

America has countless issues that have been addressed through visual images found on a

variety of platforms. This is our way to express our concern or stand on issues happening in our

society. For example, gun control has been a controversial topic for decades, especially in the

last twenty years with a dramatic increase in school shootings. School shootings have been

happening for a long time, but the shooting that occurred at Sandy Hook Elementary on

December 14, 2012 really hit America for the worst. Since Sandy Hook there has been two

hundred and ninety school shootings (Wilson). These events caught eyes of millions causing

them to exercise their freedom of speech and expression. The purpose of releasing visual images

to the public is to influence, educate, or persuade the viewers based on the topic being showed.

In the United States today an eighteen year old, who cannot buy alcohol, can purchase a

gun with minimal requirements. Also in the United States today, it is illegal to import Kinder

Surprise Eggs because of the potential danger it causes to children according to the FDA. “​While

there have been at least ​seven reported child deaths worldwide​ due to choking on a Kinder

Surprise since 1989, many argue that the ​fatalities are quite low​ considering the billions of

Kinder eggs that are sold and consumed” (Khoo). A total of ten people worldwide died from

choking on the Kinder eggs. There were twenty children and six adults were killed in the Sandy

Hook shooting alone and after Sandy Hook, more than 400 people have been shot in over 200

school shootings (Patel). So going back to the image, why isn’t there better gun laws to protect

children in school like how the Kinder chocolate was banned for their safety?
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The visual has a lot components shown to take into consideration. The first thing to take

into consideration is that this visual

was released in July of 2013, shortly

after the Sandy Hook shooting. This

was a campaign done by Moms

Demand Action but was ​said to be

done by Grey, the ads by agency

which is award winning.​ The main

focus on the image is the boy and the

girl standing next to each other holding completely different object. The boy is holding a Kinder

Egg Surprise and the girl is holding a killing machine. This takes place in a classroom setting

which intensifies the difference between the two and the realization that the gun does not belong

in that setting. Overall the tone of the picture is dark and timid with the colors being dark and

the kids not smiling.

There are different text placed in different areas with different sizes and colors to help

enhance the message. The main text says, “one child is holding something that’s been banned in

America to protect them. Guess which one”. The answer should be obvious considering you are

comparing a chocolate candy with a surprise inside versus something that is built to kill. Also,
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the “guess which one” is the only words bolded in red which gives in a more morbid feel to give

that realization that gun control should really be put into action. Moving closer to the bottom of

the visual, it states “we won’t sell Kinder chocolate eggs in the interest of child safety. Why not

assault weapons?” which is another hypothetical question they want you to think about and

consider supporting their claim. The only other words left on this image is the information of the

organization that

supplied this

image which is

Moms Demand

Action. The

name itself is

symbolic and sensitive because these Moms have either gone through or are fearful of going

through the hell of losing a child to a school shooter.

This image holds a lot of meaning and is portrayed using different types of rhetorical

appeals. Pathos and ethos are the ones that are highly being used considering it is a highly

sensitive and emotional topic and it has the conversation of ethical reasoning to gun control.

Ethos shows up in the words of the website being an organization for Moms that demand a

change in gun laws showing that have some type of credibility. Just looking at this image can

cause a rush of emotions depending on the type of person viewing the image. Since it is such a

controversial topic, there will be split views and arguments that will rise because of the

interference with other people's beliefs with gun control. The image does a great job trying to
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convey the problem of school shootings and gun control by all the detail that was thought going

into this visual that will reach to millions of people.

In the end, the United States has a lot of major issues that need to be addressed and

changed. Many people recognize the dramatic increase in school shootings and demand change

in gun laws. The visual image has numerous aspects to it to make it a meaningful and effective to

many people. This image came out in 2013 and is still relevant to today's society because there

has been no major changes for gun control and the shooting are far from slowing down. The

visual contains numerous appeals including ethos, pathos, and a little bit of logos which helps

reach their goal of the overall message. All words and details that are held in the image are there

for a reason. The hypothetical question asked to the audience should be an easy answer but it’s

wrong, the obvious answer of the killing machine being the illegal one is not the case. There is

also another question in smaller letters on the bottom to continue their point of why this candy

the one illegal and not the assault weapon. Every detail helps convey the message that the Moms

Demand Change are trying to convey to America. Gun control has been one of the biggest

controversial topics in the past ten years and will continue to be until some major changes occur.
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https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2016/01/26/kinder-surprise-usa_n_9081286.html

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/02/15/us/school-shootings-sandy-hook-pa

rkland.html