Pathos: If Russia Should Win
This propaganda poster mainly appealed to pathos by forcing American men to question if they had any dignity, honor, and American values. Will they just watch as the USSR comes into America and spreads Communism? Or are they bold enough to protect women and children and confront the Soviet Union? If they did not, they “would be sterilized” and the majority of American society would look down on them. Since this poster was released during a time when traditional gender roles were still apparent, men felt responsible for taking care of the family. Therefore, it would go against all of their morals to disagree with the propaganda poster’s message. They have no excuse and must make a stand against communism now.
I don't think this poster implies that people would be looked down upon for not stopping the Soviets. Such a claim would harm the intrinsic ethos of the poster. This propaganda poster, however, does focus on pathos, as you said, so it probably does not care much about ethos or logos.
ReplyDeleteI really liked how you asked questions that readers could relate to if they were questioning American values at this time. These questions adds pathos to your work, influencing your audience. You should reference the poster more and add specific details how the poster adds to the emotions of the audience.
ReplyDeleteI don't think this article is questioning the honor and dignity of Americans, but rather its feeding on a fear of a communist attack on the American lifestyle. This would better account for the line "would be sterilized" and the imagery in the poster.
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