The Effectiveness of Rhetorical Devices in “Banning assault rifles is fine, but handguns are the problem” The article titled “Banning assault rifles is fine, but handguns are the problem” by the Toronto Star Editorial Board uses the three forms of persuasion, logos, pathos and ethos, to effectively convince its readers that handguns are a much more formidable enemy than they get credit for. The use of logos in the article is evident, although not the most effective rhetorical device used. However, by providing many examples of gun violence, the Editorial Board uses researched and recorded facts to support their claims. As well, by including the city’s statistics, “a record 490 shootings last year.” they help create trust in the article and its believability. Furthermore, the article appeals to the reasoning behind banning handguns as well as assault rifles, by stating “The shootings that have become all too common in Toronto and other Canadian cities are perpetrated, almost all of them, by people wielding handguns”. Ultimately, the facts and logic present in the text are precisely included to persuade readers in a subtly impactful way. …show more content…
Intense imagery is used to manipulate the reader’s emotions and appeal to their humanity. For example, phrases such as “shot to death”, “all the more disappointing” and “the mass shootings that took so many lives” use descriptive words to spark emotions. As well, by mentioning the ages of the victims in each example, the Editorial Board creates this image of the situation, and causes the readers to feel more remorse and empathy. By including pathos in this way, the text convinces the reader to have an emotional connection, and feel more strongly about the