Drugs to Death

Composition II
2/10/14
Peer Review of Cyana Chilton’s Rhetorical Analysis of a Political Cartoon

First Impressions: What writing and rhetorical strategies work really well in this essay?
-O’Brien went through and specifically explained every detail of the cartoon with evidence and then tied it together to show the argument. O’Brien used a lot of imagery to help visualize the cartoon and explain the purpose behind it.

Analysis of the Draft:
-I agree with O’Brien’s analysis of the draft. The cartoon is oversimplifying the truth of the matter. Mexico’s government is working very hard to cleanse itself of drugs and other problems, but the cartoon describes it as a useless, immobile object.

Title: What do you think of the title? Is it interesting, informative, and indicative of the writer’s stance?
-The title introduces the idea that maybe we are jumping to conclusions and not looking at the full picture. It is indicating the writer’s stance and also inspiring thoughts to the reader.

Introduction and Thesis: Read through the introduction and assess the thesis. Does the thesis make a clear and compelling argument about the use of rhetorical appeals in the visual text being examined? How so/how not?
-Yes. O’Brien lists several examples of how the cartoon is limiting the blame to one party. “Through the use of color, stereotypes, and the pathos connected with images of death, the cartoonist blames the violent Latin American drug cartels for Mexico’s problems and undermines the legitimacy of the attempts of the Mexican government, as represented by the immobile piñata, to solve the drug issue.”

Argument and Evidence: Is the thesis well supported in the body of the essay with specific visual evidence? How so/how not? Does the argument use the rhetorical terms we’ve learned in class?
-The thesis is well supported throughout the paper with O’Brien’s use of taking details of the cartoon and analyzing them one by one. The argument uses rhetorical terms we’ve learning in class such as color in the picture and how it can reflect the mood or atmosphere.

Persuasion and Assessment: Do you find the analysis and argument convincing? How so/how not? What can you recommend that would make the essay more compelling?
-I personally find the argument to be eye-opening and convincing. To make the argument even more compelling, I would go into more detail on the issues Mexico’s government is dealing with on top of the drug cartels.

Closing remarks:

A) What do you think the writer might work on for next time and why?
-The writer may analyze another cartoon that proves her point of we as people jump to conclusions. She may give another example of something leading straight to death.

B) Your reflection: What did you learn from reading this essay that you did not know before, either about the text under analysis or about writing strategies in the essay?
-I was not fully aware of the tense relationship the United States has with Mexico and the negative portrayal we often have of the country.