Get A Knife Ivins

680 Words3 Pages

In Get a Knife, Get a Dog, but Get Rid of Guns Ivins uses sarcastic humor, and analogies effectively when criticizing the gun laws that America has today. Ivins uses sarcasm and humor to mock her position on guns. Ivins also uses analogies. The use of these two devices make her argument very persuasive in her criticism. The points she brings up along with the rhetorical devices that she uses makes the satire effective. Ivins uses sarcastic humor in her satire . In the first sentence of her essay she begins with “Let me start the discussion that I am not anti gun. I am pro knife” ( Ivins 100). She then proceeds to list benefits of a knife over a gun. “A general substitute of knives for guns would promote physical fitness.” (line 3). Ivins uses these lines to show her position on gun laws. Ivins is using sarcasm and the substitution of knives over guns to state her position on the topic critically. The satirical device of sarcastic humor makes her satire effective. She immediately states her opinion on the gun …show more content…

Ivins compares the danger level of automobiles to guns. “...another lethal object that is regularly used to wreck great carnage” (line 8). “Obviously, this society is full of people who haven 't had enough common sense to use an automobile properly. But we haven 't outlawed cars” (line 9). She acknowledges a common rebuttal against gun laws, but then immediately argues against that. “We do however liscence them and their owners, restrict their use to Wyly 3 presumably sane and sober adults, and keep them, and keep track of who sells to whom. At the minimum, we should do the same with guns” ( line 9). The use of these two devices make her argument very persuasive in her criticism. The points she brings up along with the rhetorical devices that she uses makes the satire effective. She uses these devices to criticize the gun laws that are in place today. She effectively applies sarcasm and analogies to persuade the reader to think about her