In a documentary titled “Bowling for Columbine” the director, Michael Moore, argues that the United States has more gun violence than any other nation. This 2002 documentary is based on a deadly shooting that occurred at Columbine High School. In this film, Moore analyzes what caused Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold to commit such violent attacks. This film aims to open the eyes of the American people and make them realize that the lack of law and regulation on gun ownership is a major problem in the United States. In “Bowling for Columbine,” Michael Moore uses ethos, logos, and pathos to effectively convince the audience that America’s culture of fear is a major cause of gun violence.
The film “Bowling for Columbine” focuses on a range of contexts, …show more content…
Although this film is about gun control Moore’s main argument is that the media causes American’s to be paranoid resulting in increased crime and gun abuse. There are a number of factors that influence fear such as the media, the government, news channels, and racial and religious differences. According to an article in “The Huffington Post,” it states that “American society suffers from a pervasive culture of fear, distrust, and selfishness. The desire to have guns for protection stems from fear of others and fear of losing one’s material possessions” (Traphagan). This statement helps support Moore’s argument that fear causes tension and uncertainty which can lead to irrational behavior such as …show more content…
The director uses many emotional scenes, such as the camera footage from the Columbine High School shooting, to justify his argument. The images of the high school shooting cause the audience to have an overwhelming feeling of grief and heartache. It is important that Moore includes this footage to demonstrate how lethal and destructive these weapons can be. The filmmaker also includes scenes of the students soon after the violent shooting. During this, the students are sobbing and explaining how they had to beg for their lives as the shooter held a gun to their head (Moore). From these scenes, the audience can see how terrified these students were which displays the urgency for gun control in the United States. Another example is when the father of a student who was shot at Columbine speaks at a gun control rally. He states that he came to this protest because his son would have wanted him there. This scene shows you firsthand the suffering and heartbreak many of these loved ones had to endure. All of these examples stimulate some kind of emotional response which compels the audience to think twice about gun
The film “Bowling for Columbine” focuses on a range of contexts, …show more content…
Although this film is about gun control Moore’s main argument is that the media causes American’s to be paranoid resulting in increased crime and gun abuse. There are a number of factors that influence fear such as the media, the government, news channels, and racial and religious differences. According to an article in “The Huffington Post,” it states that “American society suffers from a pervasive culture of fear, distrust, and selfishness. The desire to have guns for protection stems from fear of others and fear of losing one’s material possessions” (Traphagan). This statement helps support Moore’s argument that fear causes tension and uncertainty which can lead to irrational behavior such as …show more content…
The director uses many emotional scenes, such as the camera footage from the Columbine High School shooting, to justify his argument. The images of the high school shooting cause the audience to have an overwhelming feeling of grief and heartache. It is important that Moore includes this footage to demonstrate how lethal and destructive these weapons can be. The filmmaker also includes scenes of the students soon after the violent shooting. During this, the students are sobbing and explaining how they had to beg for their lives as the shooter held a gun to their head (Moore). From these scenes, the audience can see how terrified these students were which displays the urgency for gun control in the United States. Another example is when the father of a student who was shot at Columbine speaks at a gun control rally. He states that he came to this protest because his son would have wanted him there. This scene shows you firsthand the suffering and heartbreak many of these loved ones had to endure. All of these examples stimulate some kind of emotional response which compels the audience to think twice about gun