Project 2 - Rhetorical Analysis

PROJECT 2

Rhetorical Analysis

Jason Wittler

HORSE RACING: HOW MUCH WHIPPING IS TOO MUCH?

Robinson, Diana. “American Pharoah at the start of the race at Belmont”. 6/6/2015 via Flickr. Attribution 2.0 Generic.

The article “Horse Racing: How Much Whipping Is Too Much?” written by Pia Catton was published in the Wall Street Journal. The article, written to coincide with the most watched horse race series in America, the run for the Triple Crown, was published on May 25, 2015. The text is a commentary on the current issue of whipping in horse racing and follows on the heels of American Pharoah winning both the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes but under very different uses of the crop by the jockey. Though not directly in the horse racing industry, Pia Catton writes about the subject as a secondary assignment to her normal performing arts pieces. Her lack of expertise is of no consequence as she has interviewed some of the most notable figures in the sport and analyzed every aspect of the issue giving detailed information to the reader. Through expert knowledge and cited opinion, she has built a credibility with the reader and flawlessly walks a tight-rope of staying unbiased. The subject matter requires little help from the author to incite an emotional response from the reader due to the cultural bias about animal cruelty and humane treatment of animals. The author builds a strong, credible case for reform without having to wave a banner for a cause or rally any support. Her masterful use of keywords and choice of interviewees completely removes any doubt one may have towards her level of expertise in the area of horse racing and the reader is swept along through the article. By the conclusion, the reader is very well informed and puts down the text feeling knowledgeable about the subject.

The Author and the Experts

Athayde, John. "Gary Interview". 5/7/2005. via Flickr
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With almost no validation for expertise in the area of horse racing, Pia Catton deftly navigates the issue by choosing some of the most renowned figures in the industry. Her list of interviewees includes Hall of Famers, World Champions and veterans with decades of experience. She also makes sure to tell the reader this by attaching these keywords to all the names. She continues the pattern with organizations and even includes a famous celebrity from a prestigious panel who most would consider an opponent of the current policies. By selectively choosing the elite experts in the field she gives the reader a sense of credibility the text would not have had without them. In the reader’s mind, this gives weight to the stated facts and opinions. Whether an industry veteran or a racing newcomer, a reader immediately gives credibility to the text because of these illustrious expert’s quotes. The appeal made to both the logical and credible senses of the reader are without doubt. The extremely effective use of keywords combined with who’s saying what allows the author to spend her time informing the audience of the issue rather than trying to sell them on why they should listen to her in the first place. The other aspect of rhetorical situation, the appeal to emotion, is completely disregarded by the author, but we will touch on that a bit later.

Gather ‘round everybody, the shows about to begin!

Because the Triple Crown was being vied for at the time of the writing, it made perfect sense to publish when they did. The chase for the Triple Crown is the number one draw that horse racing has in the United States. Attention toward the sport is at its annual high, the perfect time to bring forth an issue of controversy. It also helped that the jockey who won the first two legs of the Crown, was in the midst of a controversy over his use of the whip. The audience may or may not have been aware of the inner workings depending on their closeness to the sport, but most everyone was caught up in the speculation of whether or not a 37 year drought would come to an end. The strategy to put forth the text when the publishing company did was extremely effective. The normal readership was going to read the article regardless, but due to the current events it probably received greater viewing and by a more diverse audience. Another strategy used to great effect was the unbiased approach to the subject matter. There are no accusations or relating of events that pull at the emotions, just a stating of facts and acknowledgement by industry experts to their validity. There is a cross-section of interviews touching upon all the players of the sport and the reader believes they are hearing all of the different points of view. The author makes no overt effort to persuade the reader to think one way or the other but simply puts forth information and allows a conclusion to be formed without assistance. There is a pattern to keyword usage that upon deeper analysis can be viewed as slightly biased. The word association plays well in the text and if you don’t go back and reread you would never know. The overall strategy works extremely well and all facets mesh together to form an eloquent article.

...And Justice for All

Wayne-Amethyst Photog..."Whip Hand". 4/14/2011 via Flickr.
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As I mentioned earlier, the appeal to emotion was untouched by the author. There is no need to rehash something that our cultural beliefs has ingrained so well. In America we value our animals. Whether it’s the family dog, national bird, historic native or circus attraction, there is a law or regulation guiding the humane treatment of these animals. We have pet lawyers and doggie psychiatrists. American’s love their animals. An overwhelming majority of people in the U.S. are against animal cruelty and most of us feel a pit in our stomach when we see those commercials on T.V. about dogs and cats being abused. Due to this ethos we share, the author has no need to tarnish her text but including what could be perceived as a rant or a bash against the industry of horse racing. The subject matter alone conjures images in the reader’s mind and that very nature is tied to the text. The keywords associated with certain behavior changes slightly as she moves the reader from where we are to where we should be. The word strike changes to encourage, abusive and brutal become focused and safety. The word play is masterfully done but not over the top. She isn’t trying to create the next wave of anti-horse racing in America but how she weaves the patterns and word choices blends into a fabric that caters to everyone. This effect keeps the reader’s attention and doesn’t alienate anyone from either side of the fence. Another strategy she uses in conjunction with culture values and ideology is in reference to laws and regulations. American’s have a strong sense of law and order. The vast majority of us live our lives within the limits of the law and try our best to abide them regardless of our personal views. The author uses this belief to instill hope in the reader that things are going to change for the better. By referencing the laws that govern horse racing the reader gets a sense that offenders will be punished and right will prevail. She backs that up, once again, with industry experts parroting her words and echoing the very ideas she writes about. Overall, the author exquisitely melded the cultural views or her audience with flow of her writing. She has lead the reader’s through her story, down a path filled with information and enlightenment. Nimbly she has crossed the streams of bias and at the end the reader is left with only one logical conclusion, which is exactly where the author wanted them.

Are we there yet?

Without trying to overtly persuade the reader, the text accomplishes it covertly. The style and tone set by the author reminds us of an information paper. She has flawlessly brought together multiple sides of an issue and informed the audience without any bias. Combined with the emotional appeal felt through cultural values the reader is left wanting to bring about change without ever being asked to do so. This is the epitome of rhetoric. Getting your audience to do something or feel something without actually asking them to.

Brine, Bill. "Kentucky Derby 2014-0214". 5/7/2014. via Flickr. Attribution 2.0 Generic.