Maxed Out Rough Draft

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Maxed Out Rough Draft

The United States lending industry’s main focus has become accentuating profits; therefore, they have made it impossible to live without a credit card in today’s economy and to avoid being taken advantage of by the banks. James Scurlock, director and producer of the film, “Maxed Out”, devotes his movie to informing the audience of the credit card system and its many flaws and gives examples of people who are majorly affected by the pressure the lenders apply. Throughout the movie, numerous statistics, and expert testimonies are presented, as well as comparisons and appeals to emotion. Through the use of this support Scurlock, is able to convey his overall message and propose numerous minor arguments that clarify his argument and make it more credible.

One particular minor argument that Scurlock presents in “Maxed Out” is that banks prey on those people who are most likely unable to make payments, are in college, or who have already filed for bankruptcy once, which isn’t ethical. He compares lenders to rattlesnakes and how they, “inflict destroying poison on careless, unwary, and unprotected.” This comparison exhibits to the viewer how problematic and predator like lenders are, and why they have become such a major problem. Also, to illustrate this argument he includes clips of mothers of college students whose children were bombarded with credit card debts and constantly preyed on by the banks. These clips evoke strong emotion because of the utter sadness the mother’s show when revealing that their children both committed suicide to escape the heavy burden and in this section, sorrowful music to accompany the clips as well. Scurlock takes advantage of factual information to convey this minor argument a...

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...ese interviews are the simplest form of support because the lenders in them basically become an example for Scurlocks minor argument about their unethical behavior. The interviewees statements such as saying that this industry is fun because you get a lot of money and then comparing that feeling of making that high amount of profit to winning a football game, appeal to the audiences emotions and will most likely induce anger among the viewers.

Through the use of statistics, expert testimony, appeals to emotions, and a few comparisons, Scurlock tries to convey his message saying that because the lending industry’s main concern is maximizing profits, they have made it impossible to not have a credit card and avoid being taken advantage of. He accomplishes his goal of clearly relaying his argument to the audience with the high amount of credible support he provides.

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