Do you like war stories or just like subjects about war? There are many ways to depict war, and a person’s perspective of war is a direct channel to it. I have recently read two essays that tell about the author’s experience with war. “Combat High” by Sebastian Junger is the first essay I read. This essay describes how a platoon of US soldiers lived in the deserts in Koregal Valley of Afghanistan, which was first seen in the Newsweek magazine in 2010. The other essay is “The Appeal -- and Danger -- of War Porn” by Jessica Ramirez, which also debuted in the Newsweek magazine in 2010. This essay examines combat footage of the Iraq and Afghanistan war, released via Internet. Both “Combat High” and “The Appeal – and Danger – of War Porn” use rhetorical
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Junger begins his appeal with a story about a group of US soldiers watching a hopeless, one-legged Afghan soldier crawl to his death alongside a mountain. As the enemy took his last breath the US soldiers began to rejoice and cheer. After seeing the US soldiers react this way, Junger continues to state that he had a restless night. By stating how he went through an emotional and physical discomfort, Junger tries to get his audience to feel the same displeasure that fell upon him. Junger also tells how young men around the ages of eighteen and nineteen are killing men from a foreign country, which Junger considers a man’s job. This hits home with parents or loved ones whose friends and family have gone off to war at a young age. Ramirez exceptionally uses pathos in a much similar way to Junger. Ramirez starts with a story of Nate J., who has never been to war, but loved the US Armed Forces and every shape and form. Nate J. enjoyed watching live feeds of the US soldiers slaughtering the foreign soldiers. Ramirez also tells of a Brown University professor by the name of James Der Darian who stated, “Unlike the photographs, the morning images creates a feeling that it more accurately depicts what it is representing, whether it does or not.” Ramirez uses Der Darian quote to “create a feeling” among her audience. Ramirez explains a photo of an US soldier holding a stripped, leashed …show more content…
While using the same rhetorical devices Ramirez and Junger used them in different and in similar ways. Unlike Junger, Ramirez does not use as much imagery. Why? Junger experienced the scenes and scenarios of war firsthand taking pictures; whereas, Ramirez tells about scenes shown on war through live feeds. Through this contrast Junger’s “Combat High” has the advantage over Ramirez when helping the audience have a mental picture of what goes on in the life of a soldier. Junger and Ramirez both do an exceptional job when appealing to the audience emotional. Junger uses vivid and disturbing examples to pierce his reader’s heart, making them feel sorry for the soldiers and their living conditions. Ramirez also uses some discomforting examples that might have some people reconsider how they feel about war. When using ethos, Ramirez executed this better than Junger. Ramirez appeals ethically by using trials with the State Attorney and the Pentagon. Using sources such as these gives Ramirez more credibility on his views. Junger simply uses examples of the soldier’s chain of
Junger begins his appeal with a story about a group of US soldiers watching a hopeless, one-legged Afghan soldier crawl to his death alongside a mountain. As the enemy took his last breath the US soldiers began to rejoice and cheer. After seeing the US soldiers react this way, Junger continues to state that he had a restless night. By stating how he went through an emotional and physical discomfort, Junger tries to get his audience to feel the same displeasure that fell upon him. Junger also tells how young men around the ages of eighteen and nineteen are killing men from a foreign country, which Junger considers a man’s job. This hits home with parents or loved ones whose friends and family have gone off to war at a young age. Ramirez exceptionally uses pathos in a much similar way to Junger. Ramirez starts with a story of Nate J., who has never been to war, but loved the US Armed Forces and every shape and form. Nate J. enjoyed watching live feeds of the US soldiers slaughtering the foreign soldiers. Ramirez also tells of a Brown University professor by the name of James Der Darian who stated, “Unlike the photographs, the morning images creates a feeling that it more accurately depicts what it is representing, whether it does or not.” Ramirez uses Der Darian quote to “create a feeling” among her audience. Ramirez explains a photo of an US soldier holding a stripped, leashed …show more content…
While using the same rhetorical devices Ramirez and Junger used them in different and in similar ways. Unlike Junger, Ramirez does not use as much imagery. Why? Junger experienced the scenes and scenarios of war firsthand taking pictures; whereas, Ramirez tells about scenes shown on war through live feeds. Through this contrast Junger’s “Combat High” has the advantage over Ramirez when helping the audience have a mental picture of what goes on in the life of a soldier. Junger and Ramirez both do an exceptional job when appealing to the audience emotional. Junger uses vivid and disturbing examples to pierce his reader’s heart, making them feel sorry for the soldiers and their living conditions. Ramirez also uses some discomforting examples that might have some people reconsider how they feel about war. When using ethos, Ramirez executed this better than Junger. Ramirez appeals ethically by using trials with the State Attorney and the Pentagon. Using sources such as these gives Ramirez more credibility on his views. Junger simply uses examples of the soldier’s chain of