Running head: EMBRYONIC STEM CELL RESEARCH-PSA

Rhetorical Analysis of Embryonic Stem Cell Research-PSA

Niah Arevalo
University of Texas at El Paso

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What comes to mind when you hear the word abortion? The majority of people are aware
that abortion is the removal or execution of an unborn child. When it comes to the topic of
embryonic stem cell research, many people believe that the process of embryonic stem cell
research is considered to be a form of abortion because it involves the extermination of
embryonic stem cells. The YouTube video Embryonic Stem Cell Research-PSA, which was
created and posted by Maria Castagnetti, depicts a pro-life viewpoint. This video shows a
series of pictures along with a description and a few quotes based on embryonic stem cells and
why they should not be destroyed. This video is meant to change peoples viewpoints of
embryonic stem cells from pro-choice to pro-life. In order to have a better understanding of
Embryonic Stem Cell Research-PSA, this paper will analyze and discuss the audience,
purpose, and the use of the three rhetorical appeals: ethos, pathos, and logos.
The audience intended for Embryonic Stem Cell Research-PSA is specifically people
who are pro-choice in this ongoing issue, but this video can also be intended for all YouTube
viewers and internet users in general as well. Although many pro-life viewers might watch
this PSA, this video is directly focused on people who are pro-choice because of the meaning
that the video is portraying. The beginning of the video displays a picture as well as audio of a
heart monitor with a healthy and properly beating heart. The image soon changes to a picture and
audio of a heart monitor with a flat line (Castagnetti, 2013). Castagnetti used these images to
show that a human life can be taken away just by destroying embryonic stem cells. Therefore,
she displayed this in her video to try and change the viewpoint of people who are pro-choice
towards this arguing topic. Castagnetti also inputs certain quotes in her YouTube video that are

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specifically directed towards the pro-choice viewers (2013). These quotes show an obvious
sign that they are leaning on the pro-life side of embryonic stem cell research.
The purpose of the Embryonic Stem Cell Research-PSA video is mainly to persuade
viewers to change from a pro-choice stance to a pro-life stance on the embryonic stem cell
debate. The purpose is clearly stated in the video saying that we as people should speak up and,
Stop the annihilation of innocent human lives (Castagnatti, 2013). Even though this video is
extremely persuasive, there are hardly any facts and information in general about embryonic
stem cells. Thus, this YouTube video was not really meant to inform the audience. Also, there is
no evidence whatsoever that this video was attempting to entertain the audience. This video was
not trying to be funny or pleasing; it is only meant to persuade the audience to be part of the
pro-life perspective. The audience members are persuaded by the author of this video by
making it seem like the execution of embryonic stem cells is another category of abortion.
Therefore, the purpose of this video is to show that embryonic stem cells are being destroyed and
society has to take action and make it stop.
In continuation to the audience and purpose, the Embryonic Stem Cell Research-PSA
video has very little credibility making it lack ethos, which is the rhetorical appeal for credibility.
It is very clear that this video lacks ethos because it is extremely biased. Most of the video
discusses the pro-life viewpoint instead of discussing both stances of embryonic stem cell
research. Also, it is evident that this YouTube video has weak ethos because there is no contact
information or any specific sources cited about embryonic stem cell research. There is also no
specific organization that was involved or mentioned in this video, which makes it another

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reason why this video has poor ethos. The only credible item that is part of this YouTube video
are the quotes that were mentioned by Thomas A. Shannon and Dr. Seuss (Castagnetti, 2013).
Even though there are a couple of quotes in this video, there is not enough information or
credibility that makes this video believable. Therefore, these missing concepts are what make
Embryonic Stem Cell Research-PSA have weak ethos.
Unlike ethos, this video had very strong pathos, which is the rhetorical appeal for emotions.
The main emotions that Embryonic Stem Cell Research-PSA is trying to appeal are guilt and
sadness. It is clear that this video wants the audience members to feel guilty and sad because, as
mentioned earlier, the video depicts an image of a heart monitor and another image of a heart
monitor with a flat line (Castagnetti, 2013). These images made the audience think that there is
an obvious loss of human life, specifically embryonic stem cells. The author of this video also
targets the audiences emotions by adding a melancholy piano piece along with babies who have
sad expressions on their faces throughout most of the YouTube video (Castagnetti, 2013). Each
of these elements in the video persuade the audience members (more importantly the prochoice audience members) to feel guilty enough to change their viewpoint on embryonic stem
cell research to pro-life. Thus, the majority of the material in this video strongly affects the
audiences emotions of guilt and sadness, which makes it evident that pathos is the strongest
rhetorical appeal in this video.
Much like ethos, there is a lack of logos, which is the rhetorical appeal for logic and
reasoning. This video does not contain any facts or statistics about embryonic stem cell research.
However, there are a few quotes in the video that show good reasoning on this topic. Each of

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these quotes have a good explanation of the pro-life stance on embryonic stem cell research
(Castagnetti, 2013). The video also provides some examples of certain diseases and injuries that
embryonic stem cells are used to help treat or cure. An image is shown in the video of the
anatomy of the body that displays the different diseases and injuries that associate with the use of
embryonic stem cell research (Castagnetti, 2013). Knowing that these examples are part of the
video provides an idea of logical reasoning. Although there are some areas in the YouTube video
where logos is attempting to appeal towards the audience members, it is clear that logos is not
the main rhetorical appeal that is used in this video. Therefore, logos is more evident than ethos,
but pathos is the obvious rhetorical appeal that is meant to capture the audiences attention
towards this debatable topic.
In conclusion, the YouTube video Embryonic Stem Cell Research-PSA was created to
persuade an audience specifically of people who are pro-choice to change their viewpoint to
pro-life on the topic of embryonic stem cell research. It was evident that this video had a prolife stance after analyzing the intended audience, purpose, and each of the three rhetorical
appeals: ethos, pathos, and logos. Looking to the future, this YouTube video could become a
public service announcement for embryonic stem cell research, and it would be of excellent use
to viewers who need more knowledge on good examples of the use of pathos.

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References
Castagnetti, Maria (2013, November 10). Embryonic stem cell research-PSA [Video file].
Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ti4eFJGmRFw