Film director Micheal Moore created a persuasive documentary about the shooting at Columbine High School. In his film he addresses the issues with guns in America.
One strategy he included in his film, to make it more persuasive, was sarcasm. At a point in the film a man believed America doesn't kill people. Moore continued in the film to show thousands of murders that America committed playing "What a Wonderful World". He also narrated, "...our country bombs another country who's name we can't pronounce". His sarcastic view shows his viewers the extent of which some Americans are uninformed about their own country's affairs. America does kill people.
Another strategy he uses are personal interviews, which instills emotion into his audience. In his film he interviewed two boys that had disabilities from being shot at Columbine. It is heartbreaking to see their scars and to know they will never be the same as they were before the shooting. They even had remains of the bullets inside of them. Moore used the compassion towards the boys to pressure a big company into not selling bullets of firearms anymore.
Along with using some other strategy's, such as: irony, and shock, Moore created a persuasive film that addresses gun issues in America.
I thought it very interesting when Moore interviewed citizens in Canada about gun issues in America. And that they're responses went along the lines of, "...we wouldn't shoot anybody if we got mad" and "yes we own guns...", "we keep our doors unlocked", "yes I have been robbed before". Then he goes to the leader of the NRA's home in Hollywood and he keeps loaded guns in his locked house, even though he has never been robbed, and has a very large spiked fence surrounding his property with high-tech security.
Maybe the gun issues surround the fact that most Americans store their guns loaded. In case of an emergency the guns can be used quickly for protection. In Japan, who has virtually eliminated shooting deaths, they keep their guns and their bullets locked in different parts of the house. If Americans did this it would be unlikely that accidental shootings would happen and that a child would be able to get a hold of the gun and a bullet. Also, Japan citizens tell their police where the gun is located. This would allow police more control over any situation involving a gun.
Moore's film persuades his audience that America has a gun issue, if children are dying and murdering(which they are) there is an issue. He persuades his audience through the strategies of shock, irony, personal interviews, and sarcasm. Do "Americans have the responsibility to be armed" at the extent of thousands of lives, many children's lives?
Hi Anissa! Nice work! Indeed, "Bowling for Columbine" is a very persuasive documentary that takes a stand on the ever controversial topic of gun control. As you partially mentioned, the accessibility to loaded guns may be the reason for 587 accidental deaths in the U.S. I don't feel that the majority of Americans recognize the severity of this issue. Those that are mourning the loss of American's children are also making sure that they have accessible guns 'just in case'.
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ReplyDeleteI agree that one strategy he included in his film was sarcasm to prove his point about the use of guns in our country. There was a comedian, Chris Rock, who was making fun of bullets and guns. He mentioned how if the bullets themselves were super expensive, he used $5,000 per, no one would kill anyone because they would have to take out another mortgage to do so. I found that funny but shockingly true, which is sad.
Hey Anissa! I also found that he used a lot of sarcasm in his film. It seems like that was definitely one of the most persuasive devices he used. It makes the listener rethink things. As you mentioned, in Japan they have way stricter controls on guns. One thing that could help us Americans in preventing the accidental deaths would be to include more training. If everyone was properly trained before owning a gun then the accidents could hopefully be prevented.
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