After Martin Bryant ruthlessly fired a semi-automatic rifle on a café in Port Arthur, Tasmania, killing 35 innocent people and injuring 23, the Australian prime minister of the time, John Howard, introduced the National Firearms Agreement in the aftermath of the 1996 massacre (Grimson, 2016). Ever since the introduction of this powerful legislation, Australian citizens have not witnessed mass shootings as the occurrence of gun related violence has been dropping since the Port Arthur incident (ABC News, 2016).
This moment in Australian history is often brought to the attention of the American Government, using it as an example for America in the ever going debate of gun legislation. The drastic downfall in gun related violence in Australia …show more content…
Using interviews has played a major part in structuring Moore’s Bowling for Columbine. Alongside this persuasive format, Moore creates a sense of independence for the viewer, directly speaking to them through the use of rhetorical questioning.
Speaking to the viewer and the whole of America, Moore asks us “why are we afraid?” Before allowing us to make up our own answer, the answer is presented to us through news footage, demonstrating the influence that media networks have over the country. Explicitly using violence where the perpetrators are specifically ethnic groups and the youth, the media is successful in creating a terrified society such as referring to migrating bees as “Africanised bees”. By broadcasting this brutality and the constant need to protect yourself, all Americans despite age, race or gender are influenced to take extreme measures, like owning an AK-47 in order to do so. Using a device such as rhetorical questioning allows Moore to form a basis for persuasion, forcing you to think and react to the issues. This clearly influences us to agree with Moore – that a ‘need’ for guns settles in America in response to the overwhelming fear, forming a basis for violence as retaliation has become a first resort (Bowling For Columbine, …show more content…
Michael Moore, although presenting his documentary with a bias, has successfully created an eye opener to his audience, making them realise that gun control is becoming a necessity for America if they are to prevent disastrous events such as the Columbine High School massacre. By using visual techniques and common documentary devices such as interviews, rhetorical questioning and generalisation, Moore leaves us asking a question to be answered – why doesn’t the American Government introduce gun control in country that witnesses 91 deaths by the barrel of a gun each and every day? (EverytownResearch.org, 2014)(Bowling For Columbine,
This moment in Australian history is often brought to the attention of the American Government, using it as an example for America in the ever going debate of gun legislation. The drastic downfall in gun related violence in Australia …show more content…
Using interviews has played a major part in structuring Moore’s Bowling for Columbine. Alongside this persuasive format, Moore creates a sense of independence for the viewer, directly speaking to them through the use of rhetorical questioning.
Speaking to the viewer and the whole of America, Moore asks us “why are we afraid?” Before allowing us to make up our own answer, the answer is presented to us through news footage, demonstrating the influence that media networks have over the country. Explicitly using violence where the perpetrators are specifically ethnic groups and the youth, the media is successful in creating a terrified society such as referring to migrating bees as “Africanised bees”. By broadcasting this brutality and the constant need to protect yourself, all Americans despite age, race or gender are influenced to take extreme measures, like owning an AK-47 in order to do so. Using a device such as rhetorical questioning allows Moore to form a basis for persuasion, forcing you to think and react to the issues. This clearly influences us to agree with Moore – that a ‘need’ for guns settles in America in response to the overwhelming fear, forming a basis for violence as retaliation has become a first resort (Bowling For Columbine, …show more content…
Michael Moore, although presenting his documentary with a bias, has successfully created an eye opener to his audience, making them realise that gun control is becoming a necessity for America if they are to prevent disastrous events such as the Columbine High School massacre. By using visual techniques and common documentary devices such as interviews, rhetorical questioning and generalisation, Moore leaves us asking a question to be answered – why doesn’t the American Government introduce gun control in country that witnesses 91 deaths by the barrel of a gun each and every day? (EverytownResearch.org, 2014)(Bowling For Columbine,