In the age of the internet, “Click bait” and “fake news” are more prevalent and accessible than ever. It is found in the form of false, useless, and biased information. “He knew he was right” by Louis Menard is an effective example of a “Click bait” argument that convinces Americans to change their opinions of Barry Goldwater. Menard uses metaphors, imagery, and citations to show the audience the ties between Barry Goldwater and the modern-day GOP’s leaders to convince them that Goldwater was a bad political candidate of his time.
To begin proving his point, Menard sets up his article by describing Goldwater in terms of a man and a candidate. He uses a metaphor in the quote, “Goldwater was uncommonly quick on the trigger, and, when he shot, …show more content…
He aims to make the readers feel like they were there with Goldwater and that they understand the sensual characteristics of his candidacy and campaign. He states that, “Goldwater was not entirely a lone gunslinger. He plainly had a constituency, loath as he was to stroke it, and even in 1964 people could read the signs.” The use of imagery to paint Goldwater as a gunslinger relates back to earlier in the article, when Menard stated that when Goldwater shot, he shot straight. This metaphor used the same imagery of comparing Goldwater to a weapon. This statement reiterates the connotation of Goldwater being a weapon, used for unjust or evil …show more content…
Menard uses a metaphor to compare Goldwater to a loaded gun, ready to shoot his beliefs into the masses. He also uses imagery to continue the loaded gun comparison and to state that Goldwater didn’t care for his constituency. Finally, Menard uses outside source citations in an attempt to prove that his argument was valid and that other scholars who have analyzed Barry Goldwater have come to the same conclusion; he was an unfit candidate for public office. The rhetorical tools Menard uses throughout his article make it appear well written and unbiased, when in reality this seemingly safe article is a clear example of opinion based “fake news.” Menard’s article is a clear example of an author who hides fake news in plain sight to use it as an outlet to push his political
To begin proving his point, Menard sets up his article by describing Goldwater in terms of a man and a candidate. He uses a metaphor in the quote, “Goldwater was uncommonly quick on the trigger, and, when he shot, …show more content…
He aims to make the readers feel like they were there with Goldwater and that they understand the sensual characteristics of his candidacy and campaign. He states that, “Goldwater was not entirely a lone gunslinger. He plainly had a constituency, loath as he was to stroke it, and even in 1964 people could read the signs.” The use of imagery to paint Goldwater as a gunslinger relates back to earlier in the article, when Menard stated that when Goldwater shot, he shot straight. This metaphor used the same imagery of comparing Goldwater to a weapon. This statement reiterates the connotation of Goldwater being a weapon, used for unjust or evil …show more content…
Menard uses a metaphor to compare Goldwater to a loaded gun, ready to shoot his beliefs into the masses. He also uses imagery to continue the loaded gun comparison and to state that Goldwater didn’t care for his constituency. Finally, Menard uses outside source citations in an attempt to prove that his argument was valid and that other scholars who have analyzed Barry Goldwater have come to the same conclusion; he was an unfit candidate for public office. The rhetorical tools Menard uses throughout his article make it appear well written and unbiased, when in reality this seemingly safe article is a clear example of opinion based “fake news.” Menard’s article is a clear example of an author who hides fake news in plain sight to use it as an outlet to push his political