Ryan, Valyntina, and Amani
Description: We have two people: Donald Trump and Dr Fauci. Dr Fauci is presenting advice for how to deal with coronavirus from the experts; however, Trump is saying he is getting a second opinion from his gut.
Our rhetorical analysis:
This political cartoon is targeting people who are left leaning in the political spectrum, and people who dislike Donald Trump. The cartoon is making fun of Donald Trump’s decision making over the virus by pointing out he ignores advice from the experts. There is an appeal to pathos because it makes the target audience laugh. It gets an emotional reaction from the audience because the main argument is that Donald Trump is ignoring the experts, and the audience would surely agree with this. The only problem is that some people might not understand it if they do not know the context. In a few years this cartoon will not be understandable. The line, “I’m getting a second opinion from my gut”, is stating that Donald Trump relies on his own opinion over the medical professionals. Dr. Fauci is in a lab coat, and this shows he is a doctor who has expertise on the subject. This builds onto the idea that Trump ignores someone who has actual experience.
Overall, the argument is very effective because it appeals to the thinking of its target audience. The images and dialogue shown make it clear what the message is. It is a great argument that knows its target audience, and is effective.
