Michael Moore Loves Rhetoric

Jeffrey leeward Professor Lewis English 2 10 February 2010 Michael Moore Loves Rhetoric One of the or so effective looks Moore draws our attention is by using real testimonies. By interviewing Ameri whoremongers who oblige been wronged by the health cargon system, he cleverly intertwines empty talk to create a strong argument for comprehensive health c be. For example, after he presents the hearing with a logos cost, an ethos and/or pathos appeal will fol busted, or vice versa. Like a chain reaction, the appeals go hand in hand, making the viewer spirit as if what they argon waiting is real and non exaggerated.From the beginning, Sicko relies heavily on ethos and pathos to luff that the health care industry is not sympathetic to the medical ineluctably of Americans. One example of this is the story of a human race named Tracy who had kidney cancer. His infirmary ref exampled to fulfill surgery on him and Tracy died soon after his wife ch completelyenged the hospital o n the issue. Tracys wife, Julie, says that Tracy wanted to know why a good some oneness like him had to be put into such an unfortunate situation. Here, Moore uses contrasting techniques to get hold of the audience to feel sympathy for this family.When the film first introduces us to Tracy and his family, we see segments of home videos depicting a happy family. As Tracys wife gives the interview, she tells an unfortunate story of Tracys expiry and how their health indemnity failed them which nurture grabs the audiences sympathy. She is interviewed in such a way where we feel as if she is in the living room with us she seems like a friend or neighbor, and we sympathize for her loss. We are made to feel that his death was preventable.Further, we learn that despite Tracys wife being employed in the very hospital that provided them with so-called health care, they were denied treatment even though Tracys brother was a perfect donor. Essentially, she was lap uping for the very ci tizenry who were denying her family the care they need. through the use of ethos and pathos, Moore makes the audience feel mournful for Tracy, turn making the American health care system seem by of touch with common ethical values. Tracys story is followed by another(prenominal) ethos and pathos appeal told by Dawnelle Keyes, a woman whose daughter, Mychelle, died due to the low value that insurance companies lace on peoples lives. The hospital claimed that certain portions of Mychelles treatment could not be paid for by the hospital. In order to coer these expenses, Keyes would lease to take Mychelle to a different hospital. Keyes did not want to do this, and she recalls, I just continued to petition them to treat her and they refused. Finally, Keyes took her daughter to an alternate hospital, but because of the delays, Mychelle went into cardiac arrest and died. later Keyes was done talking about her tragedy, she cried for her lost child. Just like the picture with Tracys w idow, this scene prompted the audience to sympathize with the victims.Again, this is a clever use of ethos and pathos. Moore also chooses his background wisely in order to appeal to the audiences emotions even more. Notice when Keyes tells her tragic story of Mychelle, the interview takes organise around a playground with children playing in the background. This is an effective way of appealing to our pathos because we are reminded of children and their innocence. Keyes testimony further persuades the audience that insurance companies are merciless and should therefore be replaced by mandatory comprehensive health care.Not only does Sicko have many scenes of Americans describing the hardships that insurance companies have put them through and through, the movie also criticized the way health care workers are forced to work. For instance, Becky Malke works for an insurance company and describes the distress she experiences at her job. Becky answers call calls for the company and tells the story of one phone call that disturbed her. Becky cries through most of her story. As she cries, Moore slowly zooms the camera onto her face, allowing us to see all her emotions, almost making the audience want to cry with her.This is a commodious technique for the films message here that even those who work for the health care industry are emotionally distraught by how uncharitable and inhumane medical insurance companies can be. We are left(p) to feel that the current system should be overthrown in favor of normal health care. Yet again, Moore strengthens his argument through the use of personal testimonies that draw out our emotions. As the film progresses we see Moore display himself as the common man in an effort to appeal to the audience the genuineness of his own oddball his ethos.He is casually refined wearing only jeans, T-shirt, and a baseball cap. His message is more acceptable to the audience when he is perceived as an everyday type of guy. The audience s guards are down. Where if he was dressed in a suit, the audience would surely view him differently, possibly tone of voice more distant and requiring Moore to defend his viewpoints. Instead, Moores stories are believable because he makes the audience relate with him and his storytellers. Another form of pathos used in Sicko is the association of happiness with oecumenical health care.For instance, Alexi Cremieux was recovering from chemotherapy that treated his tumor. Because Alexi lived in France, where there is universal health care, Alexi was inclined three months of paid holiday time to get well. Moore flashes images of Alexi relaxing with friends during his vacation, smiling in all his pictures. Through pathos, we are made to believe that Alexi is happier because he was assisted by universal health care. In turn, we too are left to feel that universal health care can help achieve our happiness, versus the U. S. counterpart that can only put people through hardship.Further more, Moore also uses humor as a form of a pathos appeal. For example, Moore visits a British hospital, which is managed under(a) a universal health care system, and tries to find out how the hospitals patients pay the bills for their stay. Moore asks a pregnant patient at the hospital, So what do you pay for a stay here? She replies, No one pays with a chuckle. Next, Moore asks a couple walking through the hospital with their newborn baby baby, What did they charge for that baby? The babys father answers, You know, its not America and the couple laughs. This is a right on scene because it mocks the U.S. system in an amusing fashion. It makes the viewer think hey those people dont have to pay for health care, why should we? Their humorous attitude towards the idea of pay for health care makes the viewer believe that the current system is zany and that the U. S. should adopt universal health care. Lastly, the music Moore uses also ties into the humorous appeal. He emphasizes an issue by accompanying it with a soundtrack. If it is a humorous scene, he will use sarcastic, over the top sounds if he wants to shock the audience, he plays something more melodramatic.For example, while telling the story of a woman who was worthy for health coverage but was later denied because of a mere yeast infection, when the film got to the yeast infection part, it was followed with a buh buh bum and a swash screeching. The use of these sounds dramatizes the ridiculous fact that this woman was (and should not have been) denied over a simple yeast infection. Through the use of each cajolery appeal, ethos, pathos and logos, Moore effectively convinces the audience that universal health care is more charitable than the current U.S. system and should therefore be replaced. He presents us with real-life people who the audience can easily identify with. The unjust manner in which these people are treated causes us to sympathize for them. And the facts given to us appear to b e supported and convincing. All three appeals are blended together in a way that conveys a powerful message to those watching it. After watching Sicko, it is hard not to be convinced that universal health care is essential. With that said, are you convinced?