3. FOR THE BLOG write a contrast paragraph on the effectiveness of the two death penalty essays. Which of the two - Mencken or Kroll - do you find to be more effective in persuading you and why?


While Kroll and Mencken are arguing about the same topic, they are most definitely not arguing for the same side. Mencken uses a straightforward, logical, credible approach to persuading the reader into going for the support of capital punishment. Kroll uses a heavily emotional, firsthand account to give the reader a describe view into why the death penalty should not be carried out as it is. After reading both articles, I felt Kroll's use of pathos to persuade me was much more efficient in his argument. In paragraph 23, the sentence "He writhed for seven minutes, his head falling on his chest, saliva drooling from his open mouth." Kroll doesn't come outright and say he is against the death penalty, but instead he uses certain words with negative connotation to make us feel as if the death penalty is horrible. If Kroll was for it, we would realize if he described the murder with a certain tone of happiness or sadist voice. After we read sentences like the one above, we get a sick feeling to our stomachs. Kroll's pathos approach was effective in arguing the validation of his point to me, someone who is easily persuaded by emotion and feeling.

Sixteen Military Wives

1. This song is about the wonders that America can accomplish. It also discusses how many people are involved, but not everyone is fully into the situation.
2. The theme is this song is that America is not the huge, involved, invincible power it is made out to be. "Seventeen company men/out of which only twelve will make it back again" in tandem with the chorus, "cause America can/cause America can't say no" is saying that we take so much pride in these patriotic things, but they really aren't doing good for us. The death of these men will hurt the wives, but we justify it by saying it is in the name of America. "Eighteen academy chairs/ out of which only seven really even care" is discussing how there is a big celebration admired by the majority of America, but the people involved in the event barely even care about what they are presenting. The song is trying to get us to realize saying America can, America says it's so is not a valid excuse, we must stop doing things for the outward appearance. The cannibals, the lower class of the nation, often go unnoticed by eventually consume what they are being told by the people above them in the social hierarchy, like the military wives or the celebrities.

Race for the Prize

The theme of this song is that perseverance may not always bring you the desired outcome. During the song, "theirs is to win/ if it kills them" is repeated during the chorus. It refers to the scientist who are continuously fighting for the top. In the end, it changes to "theirs is to win/ it will kill them." It is saying this perseverance may not bring the people to their ultimate goal or dream, but instead be the death of them. The tone of the song is ominous and freaky, almost symbolizing and referencing an eerie death. Some people felt the song was calm, but I was unable to get past the spooky undertones.

Patrick Henry Fallacy

1) write a quote from the speech that commits a fallacy. 2) Tell what fallacy it commits and explain why it is guilty of committing that logical flaw. 3) Explain why a speech that blatantly commits so many fallacies can still be so effective and so famous.  


1. "For my own part I consider it as nothing less than a question of freedom or slavery; and in proportion to the magnitude of the subject ought to be the freedom of the debate." (paragraph 2)
2. This quote reflects the excluded middle fallacy. Excluded middle leaves room for only two options, having no third option available. Patrick Henry is stating the country can either be enslaved or be free; he is not giving any other options to the situation. This creates a very dramatic situation that people are more likely to pay attention to. When they realize they can fight for one or submit to the other, their feelings become intensified and they end up agreeing to the point the author is trying to make.
3. If a speech can effectively stir the feelings of people, it will be successful in convincing the audience of whatever the message may be. Most fallacies mess with how people think or feel, or target logos/pathos. Fallacies tend to be dramatic and catch people's attention, drawing them into the speech and giving special thought to the issue at hand.

Duck & Cover

The overt message is to duck and dover when you see an atomic bomb or when you hear an atomic bomb warning. It also tells you to obey civil service officers.
The unintentional covert message is that the government can keep you safe.

This is partly informational and persuasion; it is informing you what to do during atomic bombs and persuading you to do it for your safety. This is propaganda in a way because we know in the back of our minds that ducking and covering will not protect us. This is keeping our fear and naivety. It presents the fact that the government can keep us safe in times of fear.

Destination Earth

What is the overt message in this ad? How do we know this? What is the covert message in this ad? How do we know that? How is this propaganda (include and be specific about how it uses the specific types of propaganda we have read about)?


The overt message in this ad is the USA is better than other countries or places because of the freedom involved with supply and competition. We are also convinced oil is good for us.
The covert message is that the petroleum companies are doing good for us. It is trying to also convince us to be afraid of communism because they do not have a free economy like we do. It is holding the USA over everyone; the martians came to our country and were amazed at how we functioned. The video took no note of any other country or place other than the United States.
This is propaganda because it leaves you with a lasting, underlying message. The message is that the USA is better than other places like Russia because of our free market. We have supply and competition, which allows for a happy country. They are also trying to convince us the oil companies are doing more good than harm. 

The Clash - Clampdown

Look at the lyrics to this song. What are they about? How do you know (what is your proof from the song)? What musical elements (volume, tempo, instrumentation) helps to push your lyrical interpretation of the song? Find me something in the song that relates to propaganda, persuasion, deception, rhetoric, or argument and explain it. 


The lyrics to the song are about persuading people to the extent of total control. The people have successfully fallen pray to the persuasion techniques, "working for the clampdown," and sacrificing their time "the judge said five to ten but I say double that again."
Musical elements that help push the message are the constant, repeating beat. This could perhaps symbolize the individuality lost once everyone is persuaded into believing something. 
"They put a poster saying we earn more than you" relates to propaganda and persuasion, covertly convincing people they must obey and work hard to be parallel or above everyone else.

Propaganda, Persuasion, Rhetoric, and Argument

1032.Many slogans and catchphrases are so general and abstract as to be practically meaningless to critical perception.... if they are taken merely at their face value, they can easily become a substitute for analytical thinking and serious argument, thus preventing meaningful debate. WILLIAM E. TANNER & J. DEAN BISHOP, Rhetoric and Change, 1985.

• Explained: A critical aspect of propaganda is to let the viewer interpret them as they choose to do so. There is a certain thought created when the propaganda is made, but there is no outright covert message. Instead, there are several ways to inspect the information and mold it to your own beliefs. This is why propaganda can be so effective; people have room for personal interpretation. It imposes an argument that you can always find a solution to because you are creating it yourself. For example, take old Russian communism propaganda. They made communism seem appealing and urgent, covertly encouraging people to blindly agree with communism. People could create their own reasons for the decision; communism will save us, communism will protect our country, etc. 

1050.The most powerful forms of social control maybe found not in dramatic coercive situations, but in everyday institutions that shape our lives: family, community, school, church. SARAH TRENHOLM, Persuasion and Social Influence, 1989.

1062.A man who wishes to impose his opinions on others is unsure of their value. He has to uphold them by all possible means. He adopts a special tone of voice, thumps the table, smiles on some and browbeats others. In short, he borrows from his body the wherewithal to bolster up his mind. PAUL VALERY (1871-1945), Bad Thoughts and Not So Bad, 1942.

1071.[H]uman beings are extremely sensitive to coincidence. We are fascinated and bewildered by events that come together despite seemingly impossible odds. Their very improbability leads us to search for their deeper significance. STUART A. VYSE, Believing In Magic: The Psychology of Superstition, 1997.