Rhetorical Analysis Of Annie Leonard's 'The Story Of Stuff'

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“In December 2007, Annie Leonard released the online video The Story of Stuff, which, in a lively graphic style, sums up her past 20 years in global pursuit of the truth about the things we buy, use, and throw away”(Robins). As Robbins has stated in Annie Leonard’s Story of Stuff video she presented a claim. This claim is presented to the audience using three appeals, logic, ethics, and emotion. In this essay I will try to analyze Leonard’s claim and the way she used the three main rhetorical devices, ethical appeal, emotional appeal, and appeal to logic. In the Story Of Stuff, Annie Leonard the presenter has presented a very serious claim regarding a system in crisis called the materials economy, and such a solemn claim needs the right person to present it. According to Green Peace, an organization that promotes good attitudes and behaviors towards maintaining the planets healthy environment. They stated, “Leonard has over two decades of experience investigating and explaining the environmental and social impacts of our stuff” (Green Peace). Furthermore the video presented by Leonard is one with purpose for benefiting us and sustaining a healthy life and planet. With that said the presenter has no personal gain. Moreover all the information presented, the claims made, and the appeals said were to educate us on a system that is eradicating our resources. As stated by Leonard in the video” when people along this system get united, we can reclaim and transform this linear