Rushdie’s essay, “Reality TV: A Dearth of Talent and the Death of Mortality”, focuses on the negative effects of media on today’s society. He believes the use of reality television is skewing the minds of everyday Americans by the way “regular” people are portrayed on television. Many readers are persuaded to believe in Rushdie’s cause, not because he is right or his topic is relevant in today’s world, but because of the rhetorical devices he uses to direct his audience in a similar belief. The rhetorical devices Rushdie uses are mainly tone of voice, sarcasm, and irony.
Rushdie uses tone of voice which he uses to set the pace for his readers. Much of what he uses is cryptic humor to joke about the effects of media on society as a whole more than individually. One example of this is when he says, “Add the contestants exhibitionism to the viewers’
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He talks about the negative effects of media on an individual’s brain several times. He also refers to the escalation of media on society multiple times. This causes the audience to wonder about the point of the essay itself and question whether or not reality television is harmful in all actuality. Overall, Rushdie uses too many anticipated questions in his essay to explain his points clearly and effectively.
Through the use of tone of voice, sarcasm, and irony, Rushdie is able to persuade his audience of the negative effects of media on society. Rushdie’s essay appeals to the audience logically, even if some of his points were not entirely correct or valid. Though Rushdie’s points are not all valid or logical, he uses emotion to get his point across to those around him. Rushdie’s essay describes in detail the effects of media on society and portrays the darkening future of reality television through the use of examples. Rushdie is able to relate to his audience through the use of these various rhetorical devices and clear writing