JonathanDavis

RhetoricalAnalysis
Composition2
EricasStory

BernieSanders,candidatefortheDemocraticNomineeforPresidentof

theUnitedStates,releasedonFebruary12,2016,anendorsementadbyErica
Garner.EricaisthedaughterofEricGarner,themanwhowaskilledbypolice
officerswithachokeholdin2014.Withtheuseofvideoclipsandnarrative,
disenchantedvoters,whodonotthinkthingsarefairseeandhearEricaasa
caringmother,adevoteddaughter,andasanactivist.Inthisrhetoricalad,Erica
tellsherstoryaboutherfatherbeingkilled,howitaffectedherandhowshe
becameaprotesterforthetruth.EricabelievesthatBernieSanderswillstandfor
thetruth.BernieSanderswantthisworldtochangeonthefactthatAfrican
Americanmenandwomenarestillbeingraciallydiscriminatedagainst.
First,mediaexpertsrecognizethatyoumustconnectonmanylevelswith
theiraudience.Thoselevelsincludeethos,pathosandlogos.
Ethosisusedto
convincesomeoneusingcredibility.Pathosisusedtopersuadethereaderby
usingemotion.Logosuseslogictopersuadethereader.Politicalconsultants
understandtheneedtomobilizeperspectivevoters.Toaccomplishthistheyrely
ondevelopingadsthatconfrontvotersonmanylevelssuchasethos,pathosand
logos.Thispoliticaladiseffectiveinmakingyoubelievethenarrator,evokeyour

emotionsfortheunjustkillingofherfatherandlogicallyunderstandracial
discrimination.
EricabeginsherstorybyemphasizingthatEverythingthatIhaveismy
family(BernieSanders)andMostlyIlikebeingamother(BernieSanders)while
thevideohasherdaughterholdingherhand.Alyssalikestoreadhermom
books,tellherstoriesandtalktoheraboutwhatsheislearningaboutinschool.
Ericareallyenjoysbeingamothertoheronlydaughterandherdaughteralways
triestocomfortherthroughthistimebecauseshedoesntlikehowupsetsheis.
EricasdaughterwaslearningaboutMartinLutherKingJr.andRosaParksand
sheaskedhermom,DidRosaParksgiveupherseatforawhitemanand
wasntthatonlybackintheolddays?(BernieSanders)andEricahadtoexplain
toherthatitisstillhappeningintheworldtoday.ThetoneofEricasmessageis
verypersonal.Sheaccomplishesthisbytalkinginanormalconversationtone
directlytotheperspectiveindividualvoter.Ericausesethosfirstwithher
personalapproachwiththevoterandbyshowingthatshelovesherdaughterby
teachinghertostandupforherrights.
ThevideoshiftstoapicturewithEricGarnerandthedates19702014
andEricabeginstotellthestoryofhowherfatherwasmurderedandhowshe
sawitonnationalTV.EricGarnerwaskilledunjustlybybeingputinachokehold
byapoliceofficer.Hewasaskedaquestionbytheofficerandtheofficerdidnt
likethewaythatEricansweredthequestionsohechokedhimuntilhewasdead.
Thepathosofthepaperishowemotionalitisthatherfatherwaskilled,alsoall

thepicturesofherpoorneighborhoodtryandshowyouhowsheisjustanormal
persontryingtomakeadifference.ThereasonthattheykilledEricwas
completelyunnecessaryandverywrong.ThisaffectedEricainaverybigway
becausenowtheonlypeoplethatshehasleftisherdaughterAlyssawhoisonly
sixyearsoldandherfriendsbutherdadmeantabsolutelyeverythingtoher.
Ericahadtowatchherfathergetkilledonnationaltelevisionfordoingabsolutely
nothingwrongandnoteveryonegetstoseehisorherparentslastmoments.
Alyssareallymisseshergranddadandseeshowterriblythisaffectedhermom.
Alyssaaskshermomifshewishesherdadwasstillherebecauseshereally
wishesthathewere.Thevideoclipofherfatherbeingchokedandkilledbythe
policeofficerissenselessandbringsoutfeelingsofangeranddisgust,Ericaand
herfamilyalsoexperiencesadnessandloss.Pathosispresentedbymakingthe
vieweroftheadfeelthesameemotionssuchasanger,disgust,sadnessand
lossbyseeingthevideoofherfatherbeingmurderedandhowitimpactedErica.
ThisadwantstheaudiencetoseehowAfricanAmericansarestillbeing
raciallydiscriminatedagainst.ThiscampaignstatesthatBernieSandersisready
tosupportachangeinracismandendunfairandunnecessaryeventslikeEricas
fatherdying.BernieSandersisnotonlyreachingouttoAfricanAmericans,but
everyotherhumanwhothinksthatthingsareunjust.Heuseslogostoshowthat
thereisnologicalexplanationforthedeathofEricasfatherorracism.

EricaisnowaprotesterandgoesouteveryTuesdayandThursday,every

yeartoprotestagainstdiscrimination.Shewearsasweatshirtthatreadsthelast

wordsherfathereversaidandthatis,ICantBreathe(BernieSanders).Erica
willalwaysstandsbehindsomeonethatisouttheretryingtogetthisissuefixed
andistheretolistenorhelphergetwhatsheistryingtosayouttotheworldby
usingpathos.Ericasays,
Theydontknowwhattheytookfromus.Hewasnt
justsomeone.HewasloveddearlyImjusttryingtogetthetruthouttotellhis
sideofthestory.Hewasmurdered.Ineverwanttheworldtoforgetwhat
happenedtomydad(BernieSanders).EricasaysthatBernieSandersisthe
onlypresidentialcandidatetalkingaboutthisissueandthatmorepeopleneedto
startthinkingabouthowbadthisreallyis.Seeingthishappentojustyour
averageperson,makesitsomuchmorerealtopeopleandfinallywhen
someonelikeBernieSanderswantstofinallydosomethingaboutit,itcatches
thevotersattention.
InoneofEricasstatementsshesays,Peoplearedying.Thisisreal.We
needapresidentthatwilltalkaboutit.IbelieveBernieSandersisaprotester.
Hesnotscaredtogoupagainstthecriminaljusticesystem.Heisnot
scared(BernieSanders).WhenEricasayspeoplearedyingisusingtheactof
pathostotryandpersuadethevoterstohelpherandBernieSandersgetthis
pointacross.Alotofpeopleareafraidtospeaktheirownopiniontowardsthe
criminaljusticesystemandtheyshouldntbe.Lawenforcementofficersare
breakingthelawandarenotbeingpunishedforit.Ibelieveeventhoughpolice
officershavetherighttodosomethingsthatnormalpeoplearentallowedtodo
theyshouldstillbepunishedforbreakingthelaws.Logicallyweallwantthingsto

becomebetterrightaway,butpoliticalchangetakestime.Theadstatesthat
BernieSanderswantstomakethatchangenow.
Thisadappealstothevoteronmanylevels.Startingwiththepersonal
conversationthatEricaishavingwiththeaudienceandherintroductiontoher
hometownallowstheviewertohaveanauthenticandemotionalconnectionwith
Ericaastheadprogresses.Sheevokesemotionsbyretellingthestoryofher
fathersunjustdeath.Logicisthenbroughttotheforefrontoftheadwiththe
discussionsoncurrentandhistoricalracismanddiscrimination.Sheconcludes
thatthebestpersontomaketheneededchangeisBernieSanders.Bernie
wantstheworldtobewhereablackmalecanwalkdownthestreetandnotbe
harassedbypoliceofficersoranyoneelseandjustbetreatedasanequal.After
readingeverythingaboutthisandwatchingtheadIreallybelievethatthisisa
verybigissueintodaysworldanditneedstobefixednow.Thisadreallycaught
myattentiononthissubjectandhowmuchBernieSanderscaresforeveryones
livesnomattertheraceorreligion.

WorksCited
"BernieSandersReleasestheMostPowerfulAdYou'llEverSee(VIDEO)."
U.S.
Uncut
.12Feb.2016.Web.19Mar.2016.
http://usuncut.com/news/ericagarnerfeaturedinberniesandersnewad/