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Running Head: Rhetorical Analysis on Domestic Violence

Rhetorical Analysis on Domestic Violence

Maliyah Comer

The University of Texas at El Paso

RWS 1301

Professor Laura V. Castruita

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Rhetorical Analysis on Domestic Violence

The picture that is being analyzed pertains to domestic violence. In this assignment, I will

analyze the picture using the rhetorical elements: ethos, pathos, and logos. In this essay, I will

analyze the audience characteristics, the purpose, or message the picture is conveying.

Purpose of The Image

The purpose of this picture is to persuade people who are dealing with domestic violence

to speak up and not be scared to ask for help. The image is trying to explain to people that they

shouldnt be worried, about the situation there in because they didnt speak up. The other

message the picture is communicating, is trying encourage people, that he or she doesnt have to

go through domestic violence by themselves. If they would simply trust that person and speak up

when they have the chance. The picture is also communicating, to anyone who is a victim of

domestic violence, that their words are worth hearing, and are important to people. This images

shows how people are afraid, and no one is going to help them because of their situation.

Audience Characteristics

The image is pertaining to people who are being abused, or have been abused. The

audience is women, children, men, or anybody who has been abused. People who dont want to

say anything because they think people will judge them, and think they wanted it to happen. In a

relationship that they cant get out of because they have no family, or no one to go to. For those

people who are afraid to speak up, to someone about whats happening. People who are crying,

being hurt every day by someone they love, or look up to. People who are afraid, that the might

die if they speak up against their abuser. This picture relates to those people who are hurting,

been hurt, and dont know what to do.

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Ethos

The picture pertains to ethos because it gives an image pertaining to abuse, and making

people believe the child is being hurt, and mistreated by the words. The little boy would make

people want to get on board and get rid of violence. The picture is using the crying little boy to

convince people that prevention of domestic violence, should be considered more. The picture of

the little boy shows how people feel, and react to abuse, and verbal abuse. This picture would

draw more people in because of how powerful the words are, and how the little boy is being

portrayed. The picture will give people an understanding on how people feel, and what people go

through in a domestic violence situation.

Pathos

The image shows pathos through the little boy crying, and looking hopeless, and in need

of help. This picture appeals to people emotion because kids are supposed to be innocent and

have no worries. This image appeals to emotion because people can see that the boy is hurting,

and in some kid of pain. The picture is trying to persuade people the little boy is in pain because

of pain and abuse he is going through. The picture of the crying boy, relates to how other people

feel when they are being abused. The boy is a representation of all the emotion one feels when

there are being abused, or any kind of violence going on.

Logos

The picture doesnt pertain to logos because it doesnt really give facts, or statics in the picture.

The picture really deals with pathos and ethos, in which it is trying to persuade, and convince

people how the little boy is being portrayed, for people in that situation. When it comes to logos,
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it deals with facts, and basically having evidence to back the information up. To make the

information more credible to the audience.

Conclusion

The picture pertains to the rhetorical elements ethos, logos, and pathos. Through the

crying little boy, the words, and the meaning the picture is trying to show. The message the

picture is trying to tell is, to not be scared to speak up about domestic violence. By speaking up,

a person words can make them stronger and stop the situation they are in, by speaking up and

asking for help. The audience characteristics, are people who is being abused, alone, feel like its

their fault, or have nowhere else to go. So, the rhetorical elements help persuade and convince

people, about domestic violence, also what people usually go through and how they feel.
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