Shemtob's Essay Executions Should Be Televised
Down with Decapitalization
If unusual punishments were not cruel enough, now people want to videotape it. Zachary Shemtob and David Lat wrote an essay, Executions Should Be Televised, that appeared in the New York Times in 2011. Many of the literary devices used in the essay is to help relate and communicate with the audience. This essay shows many writing skills and these skills are going to be analyzed; as to how the essay is structured and written. Shemtob and Lat’s thesis is that executions should not be open to the public either through television or social media. This essay consists of rhetorical appeals: ethos, pathos, and logos that strongly supports their claims.
The evidence provided in their essay strongly supports their thesis. Many interesting points are brought up in their essay. For example, “President Obama successfully presses for the videotaping of homicide interrogations and confessions.” (81) This demonstrates logos in the essay. Their sources are credible because the president’s actions are documented and can be found as a fact. Some literary devices used in this essay are tone and imagery. The tone of this essay is violent because televising …show more content…
For example, Shemtob and Lat state, “the prisoner jerked his head, grimaced, gasped, and lurched, according to a medical expert’s affidavit.” (80-81) Shemtob and Lat are using pathos to get the audience emotional about what executions are really like and to get them to imagine the stimulation of the pain in the executions. Not only is pathos used in this example, but there is also imagery. This statement provided is credible because they included in the end that it was according to a medical expert. Another example of pathos in this essay, “Like many of our fellow citizens, we are deeply conflicted about the death penalty…” (82)Shemtob and Lat are clearly stating that their target is the citizens and that they all have common thoughts on this
If unusual punishments were not cruel enough, now people want to videotape it. Zachary Shemtob and David Lat wrote an essay, Executions Should Be Televised, that appeared in the New York Times in 2011. Many of the literary devices used in the essay is to help relate and communicate with the audience. This essay shows many writing skills and these skills are going to be analyzed; as to how the essay is structured and written. Shemtob and Lat’s thesis is that executions should not be open to the public either through television or social media. This essay consists of rhetorical appeals: ethos, pathos, and logos that strongly supports their claims.
The evidence provided in their essay strongly supports their thesis. Many interesting points are brought up in their essay. For example, “President Obama successfully presses for the videotaping of homicide interrogations and confessions.” (81) This demonstrates logos in the essay. Their sources are credible because the president’s actions are documented and can be found as a fact. Some literary devices used in this essay are tone and imagery. The tone of this essay is violent because televising …show more content…
For example, Shemtob and Lat state, “the prisoner jerked his head, grimaced, gasped, and lurched, according to a medical expert’s affidavit.” (80-81) Shemtob and Lat are using pathos to get the audience emotional about what executions are really like and to get them to imagine the stimulation of the pain in the executions. Not only is pathos used in this example, but there is also imagery. This statement provided is credible because they included in the end that it was according to a medical expert. Another example of pathos in this essay, “Like many of our fellow citizens, we are deeply conflicted about the death penalty…” (82)Shemtob and Lat are clearly stating that their target is the citizens and that they all have common thoughts on this