Rhetorical Analysis Essay

student ID: 88560244 English 1301 Crystal Avila David Firth's short film "Dog of Man," is about a man that longs and seeks for companionship. With the help of a dog, the man ends up forming a deadly friendship with a tumor. This short film blends black comedy with psychological horror to create an animation that invokes an array of connotations from the viewer. Therefore, from my perspective, the use of rhetorical devices helps the anecdote translate a message to the viewer about the desecration and exploitation of friendship. The rhetorical devices pathos, logos and ethos are utilized throughout the film through the subdued somber color scheme, macabre scenes, creditable characters and situations, and relatable experiences. Pathos is used as a way for the viewer to sympathize with the characters. The colors used in the film and the morbid scenes appeal to the emotions of the viewer. For example, the color scheme used in the animation is mostly gloomy, pale colors such as variations of gray. Psychologically, the colors impact the emotions of the audience and Firth uses these colors to set the viewer's emotions in a state of depression. By molding the viewer's emotions to fit the story, they can understand the loneliness faced by the man. In addition, macabre scenes, not only fixate the viewer to the story, but they also serve as a way for the viewer to sympathize with a character. For example, when the man cuts off the limbs of the dog the audience quickly mourned the death of the canine and abhorred the man.. The animation begins with a man crying as he longs for companionship and a dog quickly rushes over to be with him. Ethos is acknowledged because this situation quickly draws upon the common saying that "dogs are man's best friend." Therefore, the dog becomes a creditable source of loyalty and friendship. Another creditable source used in the film, is a tumor. Many know the harmful effects a tumor has on a body. Therefore, even though a tumor is bonded to the man and provides companionship, the effects of the relationship are slowly killing him. How the man treats the tumor and the dog, reflects the actions we take in our personal relationships. Firth, therefore, draws upon our own past experiences as credible sources because we have either been abused, the abuser, or the one looking for companionship in a relationship. The credibility of our experiences helps us relate to the loyal dog, the deadly tumor, or the lonely man. Logos is used through the combination of pathos and ethos to generate a logical conclusion about the meaning of the film. For example, the meaning of the film can be interpreted as reflection of how humans searching for company can desecrate and exploit true friendships. As the man searches for company, he takes advantage of the dog's loyalty by taking away it's body and exploits his dog's love and violates the relationship between them. In the end, the man thanks the tumor and holds him high on a sort of "pedestal." The viewer can logically conclude that the man is under the false impression that the tumor was his real "friend," but in reality the relationship was a parasitic one and he was never loved by it. To summarize, a logical conclusion to explain the meaning of the film can be this: while looking for company an individual might overlook true friends and mistakenly worship deceitful ones. Another logical conclusion that can be drawn from the film, is that Firth wanted to illustrate the control the media has over humanity. The mouthpiece on the dog can represent the voice of the media used to tell the man how he should be and what he should want. By making the main characters a dog and a man, 1

Rhetorical Analysis Essay

student ID: 88560244 English 1301 Crystal Avila Firth shows the relationship of "master and pet." In the animation the roles reverse and man becomes a pet to the media's control. The influence the media has over man, leads us to follow it blindly even though the consequences can be deadly, hence, the tumor on the man's chest. In conclusion, Firth's use of pathos, logos and ethos in his film "Dog of Man" create a story that helps the viewer emotionally and mentally connect to the characters of the story. Also, the combined rhetorical devices call upon the audience and their past experiences to relate to the moral of the story. Finally, the use of metaphors and symbolism embedded into the film can generate many logical conclusions from the viewer.