Rhetorical Analysis of Demise of Language

Rhetorical Analysis

Pathos is the most effective appeal used in Food, Inc. because many strong visual images evoke the viewer’s emotions. The food industry’s maltreatment of farm animals provides several examples of pathos. A particularly disturbing scene of a close up of a dying chicken lying on his back, bleeding and gasping for air appears early in the film when a farmer allows cameras into her chicken houses. A farmer, Carole Morrison, explains quite candidly that the chickens are grown too quickly and that their bodies cannot support the rapidly growing internal organs and oversized breasts. The crowded filthy conditions in which the chickens live are deplorable. Later sick cows, unable to walk and mistreated by workers, further illustrates the deplorable treatment of farm animals. The filmmaker reinforces his point that the industry is inhumane to the animals prior to slaughtering them for food, while visually appealing to the viewer’s emotions.

The most recognizable use of pathos in the documentary involves real people who have been negatively affected by the food industry. A mother whose young old child died after eating hamburger infected with E. coli is especially moving. Another family depicted supports the point that the fast food is cheaper than more nutritious fruits and vegetables. The family consists of a husband and wife and two young daughters. The girls visit a grocery store and weigh fruits in order to determine if they can to buy any as the mother looks on sadly. The mother chooses to buy fast food burgers because they are more filling and affordable. The father in this family has Type II Diabetes caused by poor diet. The family’s limited income creates a dilemma whether to buy cheap food and ...

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...slaughter at the same inhumane factories? I think that the most effective solution includes major changes to current laws. I am not sure how this could be done as so many of the problems are intertwined within each other. Buying local organic food seems like a good solution for some people, but it does not help those most in need. Organic food is generally more expensive than regular food and not an option for many poor people.

The film enlightened me about many topics concerning the production of food. Although I would prefer not to view many of the graphic animal scenes I believe that they are necessary to present the arguments. I was also surprised to see the connections between so many political figures and the major corporations. I do not think that my eating habits will change, but I do think that I will give more thought to something before I eat it.