Part 1:

In his/her chapter, Visual Rhetoric: Images as Arguments, author Sylvan Barnet and Hugo
Bedau informs that arguments rely heavily on pictures to appeal to their audience and get their
message across. Sylvan and Hugo develops/supports this information by presenting real world
examples and explaining how each example utilizes images for arguments. Their purpose is to
reveal how images are used in argument in order to help college students understand visual
rhetoric. Sylvan and Hugo uses an informative tone with their college student audience.

Part 2:
Images of suffering - human or, as animal rights activists have made us see, animal - can be
immensely persuasive.
-

I wasnt aware of this fact until this chapter pointed that out. I realized in the past that I
have been more affected by pictures that show suffering humans and animals. I found it
interesting and wonder why we do that.

Newspapers would not be allowed to photograph coffins returning with the bodies of military
personnel killed during the war.
-

I didnt know that United States did that, and I realized how controversial that is. Its
evident that the government knows how powerful pictures are, but that is borderline
censorship. I could understand if families of those deceased army men wanted to hide
those photos from the media, but freedom of the press shouldnt be suppressed like that.

The good feelings and impressions created by the ad will, the advertisers hope, travel with us
the next time we consider buying a sports drink.
-

I found that this quote best summarized what advertisers are trying to achieve into a
single sentence. Its simple and nicely worded in informing us that advertisements will
play with your emotions in order to buy their product.

Part 3:
Sylvan and Hugo open the first paragraph explaining what arguments are trying to appeal
to. They tell their audience that they are trying to appeal to both emotions and self-interest, and
that an effective argument has a great presentation/visual. They use real world examples that the
reader might be familiar with to help them be more engaged with the reading. Examples include
Martin Luther King, war, slavery, paintings, and many more. The titles helps organize their
information and help the reader anticipate what they are about to read. The pictures that they

supplement with their examples help reinforce the idea that images are a powerful tool in
argument. It also allows the reader to follow the reading even more. At the end, they teach their
audience how to use visuals in their own paper. Saving that for last is effective, because now
their readers are more aware of the rhetorical techniques that corporate giants use.

Part 4:
Medium: A chapter in the book
Audience: College Students
Purpose: to help identify how visual rhetoric is used in todays society and how to implement it
in our own writing

Part 5:
I agreed with almost all of the writing when it talks about how advertisements focus on our selfinterest and emotions. Pictures of suffering humans and animals make me cringe and powerfully
persuade me into taking action. I really like how they explained how visuals can also be used in
speeches like it was used in Martin Luther Kings. The location was perfect for the subject matter
and presentation can be crucial in court even if it doesnt make sense. I never thought deeply
about how pictures can have a lot of influence on a person, and I am impressed in how its been
utilized so much in our society. My favorite example was the Modern Family picture. Im
surprised I havent seen that photo before, but the chapter was right when it said there is careful
planning involved in advertising. Every small detail in visuals are intended and effective in
persuading people to take action.