1

Running Head: DEPRESSION

Blanca Acevedo
Visual Analysis of Depression
University of Texas at El Paso

2
DEPRESSION

Image #1:

Image #2:

3
DEPRESSION

Visual Analysis of Depression

The two images that will be analyzed in this visual analysis come from a mental illness
called depression. This analysis will examine these visual images for the rhetorical elements of
ethos, pathos, and logos. The intended audience characteristics, the purpose of the image, and the
message it conveys and the strategies used by the author to achieve their purpose will also be
analyzed.
Purpose of the Image and its Message
The images suggests that the author is using this image to make a statement on how
serious depression in adolescents leads to. The position for maintaining focus on the issue on
depression is for things like this not to occur as often as they do. The first image makes a
different inference by how some people deal with depression at their age, resorting to cutting or
overdosing on drugs or prescribed pills. The author could also be implying that it is really big
deal that many teens resort to these type of things because they do not receive the help they need
to deal with this illness. This could also imply that this issue is not taken very seriously in this
society which leads many teenagers to commit suicide. It appears that by making this image it is
showing that depression is very serious issue in teenagers that needs to be taken seriously.
Audience Characteristics
Since this image is making an emotional commentary, it is likely to be targeted at those
who 1) dealing with depression, 2) are of high school to college, about 15 to 25 years of age, 3)
are primarily not aware of this situation and 4) are those who hold a similar point of view.

4
DEPRESSION

Ethos
The element of ethos in this serious issue of depression is objective. Since the
commentary makes a strong statement that teenagers that deal with depression may resort to
these types of methods, than the ethos is objective rather that subjective. Therefore, it might be
more credible with adolescents that deal with depression than with people who do not.
Pathos
Depending on the audience, the image might have different effects. Someone that is
dealing with depression and may be doing this it might be very hard to swallow these images that
portray what they may be doing. The first image would be very hard for people that may not
know a lot of what depression may lead to and also to family members who may have someone
in their family that is dealing with depression and know that this is may be an escape for them in
some way. Observers from the outside may not want to acknowledge that depression is a serious
issue that is occurring worldwide because of the shocking image that these images portray. The
same emotion could be created in those who are who do not want to believe that young adults are
dealing with this kind of mental illness that can lead to the demonstration in these images.
Logos
The author is showing that this mental illness (depression) in young adults can
sometimes lead to this what is being shown in images one and two, therefore their logic can be
described as objective. Because as depression gets more and more serious it is hard to understand
what may happen in the future and how this could be prevented from occurring. At the present
time, however, the quality of the logic in this is that depression does not need to lead to this type

5
DEPRESSION

of images. It would be logical to use this type of images as a starting point to create a
conversation about how to prevent things like this to happen in young adults that deal with
depression.
Strategy
The images that are shown here are controversial because it shows a dark light on
depression, the images portray sentimental opinions that create sad emotions. The images show a
way that people that deal with depression deal with their illness and may not be known by some
of the people who see it. The picture of a cut up wrist is used to show that sometimes self-harm is
a coping method for some adolescents that deal with depression. This image builds on the issue
of depression in teenagers by using elements that catch the audience by surprise. This can be an
effective strategy if the observer has no knowledge of depression in young adults and what it
means. This should cause a sort of acknowledgement towards depression and what it can lead to.
The images show that worst parts of depression and it creates an image that portrays all
depressed people cutting their wrist or taking drugs or prescribed pills. The weakness of this
strategy is that it creates offense by appropriating self-harm on one self.

6
DEPRESSION

Resources:
Jirsak (Photagarpher). Suicide [digital image]. Retrieved from: https://www.google.com/url?
sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwiQyum3kpzLA
hWK7iYKHVQMDgQQjB0IBg&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.minddisorders.com%2FPy-Z
%2FSuicide.html&psig=AFQjCNE0s8B9Pkx9NztJrNVKwS8HNgU_OA&ust=1456806744337
864
Bryan (Photographer). Girl Cutting herself [digital image]. Retrieved from:
https://www.google.com/url?
sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwjN8ZG0lJzLA
hXEOiYKHb3-AGIQjB0IBg&url=http%3A%2F%2Fsadisticeyes.tumblr.com%2Fpost
%2F31023959710&bvm=bv.115339255,d.eWE&psig=AFQjCNH_nRsWcJ6Q7qzKI_WUIMEd
2t3icA&ust=1456807320933234