Cro Magnon Grandma Rhetorical Analysis

Rhetorical Analysis “Cro-Magnon Karma: One Dude and his Body Image Issues” is a poorly structured essay emphasizing far too much on its title, focusing largely on one man and his insecurities, stumbling across a point of bias in society that appears far beyond the conscious capabilities of the author, Chris Godsey, and taking what may have been the intentional purpose of his composure and transforming self-defense into self-ridicule. Godsey dotes upon personal experiences that, rather than emphasizing such as pathos should, drag out the focus of the essay. Due to a mixture of compare/contrast of three different subjects: society then and now on men, society then and now on women, and the societal relationship between men and women today,
the conclusion of each statement by Godsey instills an overwhelming fear of looking to the next cluster of words rather than an eagerness to see what he may say next. The essay bluntly begins “Brad Pitt is a beautiful man,” (Godsey 115).
This frank phrase may have been purposed to grab attention, and it does, but in a somewhat negative fashion. Godsey jumps to immediately defend himself and his level of masculinity. “I’m actually in pretty decent shape…” (Godsey 116). “…my body’s not bad…” (Godsey 117). This particular behavior may cause one to think that this a trick, that perhaps Godsey isn’t as confident in himself as he is going to play throughout the essay. He follows with pages of personal examples to justify why men have always been required to disguise insecurities and then snaps with muted hostility to explain the unfairness. “…men aren’t “supposed” to have such concerns,” (Godsey
116). Godsey eventually brings up women and “common knowledge” of insecurities and image issues.
“What I’ve been saying (and believing without realizing it) is that male value ultimately depends on reducing women to physical symbols of masculine superiority,” (Godsey 121). He makes continual references to the suffering that women have endured for decades, due to mans’ pleasures, and then abruptly returns to the society today. This exemplifies Godsey’s own personal confusion referencing his self- stability, causing doubt as to his credibility on the matter he chose to discuss, and his persona in general (ethos). As Godsey furthers to rant and rave about the mistreatment of men and the standards of masculinity that men must live to today, he completes each idea with attacks similar to “It’s like I’m a woman. My self-esteem frequently depends on how I see my body,” (Godsey 117). By making such obnoxious accusations, Godsey’s effectiveness plummets. He argues for the sake of women and their mistreatment by society, and then whips around and makes the worst of stereotypical announcements and on the behalf of women. Godsey occasionally makes legitimate remarks, and exemplifies incorporation of logos by referencing sources such as The Adonis Complex: The Secret Crisis of Male Body Obsession, by Harrison Pope, Katharine Phillips, and Roberto Olivardia, and Simpson’s 2002 Salon.com article “Meet the Metrosexual”. However, the reaction to each reference is over exaggerated
and some illogical, pushing Godsey’s justification of men’s insecurities and covers further into the ground, making his actual intent more apparent: Godsey needs his audience to feel sorry for him. The case of male insecurity would ideally be an excellent topic for discussion and study, and although Godsey’s presentation is frustrating and selfish, it is an almost perfect example of the issues men face. Godsey writes on and on about the way he feels about his body, essentially himself, and directs so many of his words back towards himself that what appeared to be the initial purpose of defending men and the insecurities instilled by today’s society transformed into a personal conquest to defend his own person. Perhaps had Godsey minimalized his history and selected a smaller yet diverse selection of person stories, his essay could have been more applicable to all men, perhaps even all society, and been a more agreeable and influential piece of writing. Despite a desperate attempt to create a composition with an immense employment of logos and pathos, the excessive interest the author expresses in himself, “Cro-Magnon Karma: One Dude and his Body-Image Issues” is an overall presentation of an inaccurately structured essay that defeats its own argument.