Rhetorical Analysis (2)
A November 2017 New York Times opinion piece tiled “Art Censorship at Guantanamo Bay” by Erin Thompson discusses a new military policy regarding the art of Guantanamo Bay detainees.The new policy states that all art created by the detainees belongs to the U.S. government. According to Thompson, the artwork can be legally burned and must remain within prison walls. In this article, Thompson explains that the art poses no threat; taking away rights of their art is completely unnecessary. Despite being detainees, they still deserve basic human rights. Thompson uses the rhetorical strategies, logos and pathos, to persuade readers to side with her arguments. She uses both figurative language and facts and reason to support her claims.
In this article, it is apparent that Thompson is an individual who appreciates art and expresses great empathy for the detainees. She states that she curated an exhibit at John Jay College that showcases the art of former detainees. Thompson’s reason for writing this opinion piece is to bring awareness to the cruel art censorship and destruction that the U.S. military is partaking in.
Thompson is effectively persuading readers to side with her argument by relying heavily on pathos to support her various points. She is supporting her argument through the use of emotional and figurative language. She describes the longing and desires of freedom of the detainees through the description of their art. She also consistently reminds the readers that the detainees are human beings, and that they should be allowed to give in to the natural human urge of creating art without consequences.
Pathos
Thompson uses pathos, emotional and figurative language, when describing the prisoners’ desires: “They paint the things they wish they could see: sunsets, meadows, cityscapes, and their homes.” This statement invokes the readers to feel sympathy for the detainees. It serves as a reminder that even though they are incarcerated, they’re still human beings who have emotions and long for the things they miss the most. Thompson also states that “The sea is central to their art, a symbol of freedom.” In her usage of pathos, Thompson is conveying that art is a crucial way that these detainees express themselves and allows them to feel a sense of freedom.
Logos
Not only does Thompson use emotion to make an argument, but she also uses logos, facts and reason. She states that “Art censorship and destruction are tactics fit for terrorist regimes, not for U.S. military.” Thompson makes an argument using facts and reason by stating that censoring and destroying the art of Guantanamo bay detainees is a tactic similar to those used by terrorist regimes. Creating art is a natural human urge. Allowing the prisoners to create art reminds us that they’re human beings and deserve to be treated as such. Thompson continues to support her argument by using an appeal to authority or credibility. She credits the Miami Herald: “…the Miami Herald reported a change in military policy: The art of Mr. al-Alwi and the other remaining Guantanamo prisoners is now U.S. government property.” In her usage of logos, Thompson is indicating that there is no just reason why the U.S. government should confiscate or destroy the art of the detainees.
Conclusion
In her article, Thompson effectively used rhetorical strategies, in particular pathos, to persuade readers. She used compelling language and reasoning to invoke emotion. I believe that she successfully convinced me to side with her argument. The U.S. government was unjust to enact the new policy regarding the art of Guantanamo detainees. The detainees deserve to keep the art they created. Taking away their art is an unreasonable exercise of the U.S. government’s authority.
Works cited
Thompson, Erin. “Art Censorship at Guantánamo Bay.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 27 Nov. 2017, www.nytimes.com/2017/11/27/opinion/guantanamo-art-prisoners.html.
