An Analysis of “Shooting Dad”
← Divine Command Theory | Critical Analysis of James Q. WilsonРІР‚в„ўs Article “Against the Legalization of Drugs” → |
Introduction
An analytical approach is very important as it enhances one’s understanding of an essay. Notably, different approaches, rhetorical modes, and styles are used to present aspects of information that is deemed vital by the author so that the intended information is passed to the audience. Therefore, the purpose of this analysis is to evaluate whether the selected essay makes effective use of the major rhetorical mode it employs, which is mainly cause/effect.
Comprehensive evaluation of the essay
When examined carefully, the essay under analysis makes use of both narration in general and the cause/effect rhetorical model in presenting the author’s view about shooting video games. Although the narration model is a holistic approach that the author used to tell the story, she employed more specific cause/effect rhetorical models to make her points succinct. For example, the author used a cause/effect rhetorical model to recount the event that took place in Montana. She said that
During breakfast, my father heard a noise and jumped out of his chair. Grabbing a BB gun, he rushed out the front door. Standing in the yard, he started shooting at crows. My mother sprinted after him screaming, “Pat, you ought to check, but I don’t think they do that up here! (Vowell 153)
Perhaps, this was the scenario that the author used for creating the title of the documentary. The presentation shows a cause/effect occurrence in the house where the author was having her breakfast with the rest of the family. It is the noise that made the father jumped out of the room. Sensing danger, he carried his gun out and proceeded to shoot indiscriminately at crows. However, the author does not clarify why the crows were making noise. Moreover, the father’s action triggered the mother to follow him while screaming, perhaps, fearing that the man could mistakenly shoot unintended objects in their compound.
Another episode that depicted a similar rhetoric model was when she said that
It has been my experience that in order to impress potential suitors, skip the teen Debussy anecdotes and stick with the always attention-getting line “My dad makes guns.” Though it won’t cause the guy to like me any better, it will make him handle the inevitable breakup with diplomacy—just in case I happen to have any loaded family heirlooms lying around the house (Vowell 154).
In the passage provided above, the author was aware of the fact that in order to attract attention of potential suitors, she had to cause them to do so. Therefore, by referring to her father as a gun maker, she thought that potential suitors would handle her with extra caution, because mishandling the girl might have dire consequences. Possibly, this was a way of “intimidating men” for her benefit.
The author also used the cause/effect rhetorical model to justify that when they were left alone, it had an effect on them. Thus, they were able to hold the gun at will, which could not be the scenario when their dad was present at home. This is true when the author said: “So when Dad led us out to the backyard when we were six and, to Amy’s delight, put the gun in her hand, she says she felt it meant that Daddy trusted us and that he thought of us as “big girls.” (Vowell 154)
The author progressively used the cause/effect rhetorical model to emphasize that nothing happens without a cause. Thus, whatever happens, there must have been some significant gradual changes in a person or in the way events occur. This is shown when Vowell said: “We’re older now, my dad and I. The older I get, the more I’m interested in becoming a better daughter.” (Vowell 155) In this context, the author meant that advancement in age causes one to behave in a particular manner; thus, it has an effect on the way they relate with others. This is important because it shows that a cause and effect are complementary and will always trigger new ways of doing things or new beliefs.
Furthermore, the author effectively employed the cause/effect rhetorical model to show that a careful handling of some items could make them safer than in case they are carelessly used. She said: “Dad plunges his homemade bullets into the barrel, points it at an embankment just to be safe, and lights the fuse. When the fuse is lit, it resembles a cartoon” (Vowell 156). In this statement, the author attributed the safety of the fuse to the position where it was placed. She went further to indicate that lighting the fuse changed its effect, thus it looked like a cartoon.
In a different episode, the author used the cause/effect rhetorical model to point out a transition from one scene to another. She argued,
I haven’t changed my mind about guns. I can get behind the cannon because it is a completely ceremonial object. It’s unwieldy and impractical, just like everything else I care about. Try to rob a convenience store with this 110-pound Saturday night special, you’d still be dragging it in the door Sunday afternoon (Vowell 157).
Indeed, the change in perception was similar to a transition from a past viewpoint that was rigid to a more rational and flexible belief. This was possible whether it was viewed as ceremonial or non-ceremonial. Similarly, it is a change in mind that is treated as a cause and a new perception now becomes the effect. This means that the author was objective in the use of this rhetorical model to articulate her viewpoints about the life she enjoyed with the other members of her family through systematic changes.
The most critical part of the author’s argument and use of cause/effect was when she said the following:
I will have my father’s body burned into ashes. I will pack these ashes into paper bags. I will go to the mountains with my mother, my sister, and the cannon. I will plunge his remains into the barrel and point it into a hill so that he doesn’t take anyone with him. I will light the fuse. But I will not cover my ears. Because when I blow what used to be my dad into the earth, I want it to hurt (Vowell 158).
Essentially, the author used a number of cause/effect rhetoric models in various aspects such as what the death of her father would result in. For instance, she would burn and keep the ashes. This implied that she treasured her father and did not imagine that the death would make them part ways. The ash was to be used at a later date, meaning that she knew that it would cause a particular effect on people. She said that blowing the ash would hurt, and it was that impact that the author wanted to create.
Conclusion
As demonstrated in this comprehensive analysis, the author used various cause/effect rhetorical models in her story to show that nothing happens without a cause. Moreover, it is the cause that triggers a consequence or an effect, which may be predetermined or unprecedented. Thus, the essay proved a succinct and effective use of cause/effect as the major rhetorical model it employed.
- Critical Analysis of James Q. Wilson’s Article “Against the Legalization of Drugs”
- Critical Analysis of an Essay “Shooting an Elephant”
- Divine Command Theory
- Reading Analysis
![]() |
Tricia A.
Calabasas, CA
|
|
Thanks for everything. I like your writing service a lot. Your staff is friendly and they’re always open. The papers that you’ve written for me have been very good. |
![]() |
Cleo P.
Oakland, CA
|
|
I submitted my order as a ‘rush order’. I only had 2 days to get my paper finished and I just felt like I was sinking. I didn’t understand the material I was writing about, and I didn’t know what I was going to do. My friend recommended EssaysEmpire.com. I had very little lost by attempting to use this writing service, so I did. It was an excellent move on my part, because, not only was my paper finished on time. It was also excellently written. I will always be grateful to my friend for recommending your service. It is wonderful. |
![]() |
Joyce T.
New Orleans, LA
|
|
I was trying to choose between EssaysEmpire.com and another online writing service and I didn’t know which one to pick. Then, I began to read reviews. I didn’t read even one thing negative about EssaysEmpire.com, and the other site was fraught with complaints. I went with EssaysEmpire.com, and it turned out that all the good things I had read about the service were true. My paper was fully guaranteed, but it was A-1 quality. The customer service people were great. The prices were right. Now, I am a devoted fan. When I need help with my writing, I go straight to EssaysEmpire.com! |
![]() |
Sharon S.
Dallas, TX
|
|
I greatly appreciate your assistance. Writing has never been my strong point. When I needed help, EssaysEmpire.com gave it to me. I am completely satisfied! |
![]() |
Langley R.
Los Angeles, CA
|
|
One of the things that I appreciate most about EssaysEmpire.com, is that they don’t resell your paper. Only you own it, if you hire them to write something. Other writing services that I have used, just circulate the same paper over and over, and if you get caught turning one in, too bad. You are expelled. EssaysEmpire.com will even give you a plagiarism report after they run it through their anti-plagiarism check. Such details set EssaysEmpire.com above the rest. |
![]() |
Gaia W.
Lexington, OK
|
|
EssaysEmpire.com gets an A+ for being the best writing service a student could ever ask for! Thank you for your continued high quality work, guys. I have purchased 6 papers from you over the last two years and they have been exquisite in their workmanship and content. I really appreciate how hard you guys work to please your customers. I’m not surprised that you are reported to be the best writing company online or off. To me, you are exactly that. |
![]() |
Patti F.
Boulder, CO
|
|
I have complete confidence in the quality of the work that I order from your writing service. You have always been the prime example of what a writing service should be. |
![]() |
Marcus H.
Eugene, OR
|
|
You’ve done it again! Every time I order a paper from EssaysEmpire.com, you top the last one. This latest one was the best yet. I truly do appreciate the fact that you offer such high quality writing. It never fails. With some of the other writing services online, you ever really know what you are going to get. Sometimes, they just sell you a paper that someone else has already bought. I never have to worry about things like that happening when I use EssaysEmpire.com. |
![]() |
Shirley R.
Casper, WY
|
|
I would be honored to recommend your writing service to all of my friends. I don’t usually recommend anything unless I truly believe it to be a good thing. EssaysEmpire.com is a good thing! |
![]() |
Sanjaya K.
Calcutta, INDIA
|
|
I am fully satisfied with my research paper. It cannot have been easy for your writers to compose! The topic is called, "PARALLEL ALGORITHM FOR MULTI-DIMENSIONAL MATRIX MULTIPLICATION OPERATIONS REPRESENTATION USING KARNAUGH MAP”. That is a very difficult topic! However, your writers developed an algorithm, included a diagram and a graph and related multi-dimensional matrix multiplication perfectly. I am thrilled with the work I received and will be using your company again in the near future. Thank you for all of your hard work on this project. I love it! |
![]() |
Melissa C.
Rochester, NY
|
|
I am completely satisfied with the paper I purchased from your company. I only wish I had known about you last year when I took an F grade for not being able to complete a paper on time. The work you did was marvelous. Whenever I find myself falling behind in my school work, I will be sure to pass along some of my more difficult written assignments to you |
![]() |
Sylvia S.
Ardmore, OK
|
|
Dear EssaysEmpire.com, Over the last couple of years, I have used your writing service for a total of five times. I have never had the same writer twice, but I have had excellent results with the writers who were assigned to my projects. I could easily recommend you guys. You’re the greatest! |
![]() |
Bruce R.
Tulsa, OK
|
|
Thanks for everything. You guys know how to write so well! I will call on you again in the future. |
![]() |
Kyle N.
Tempe, AZ
|
|
Dear Sirs: I have just placed my third order from EssaysEmpire.com this term. I feel confident that my paper will be written on time and that the quality of it will be out of the ballpark. The first two papers I ordered from you got A+ marks, and I know this one will, too. It is so great to be able to sit back and concern myself with my reading and exams while you do the difficult writing projects for me. That is really great. You guys are a class act! |
![]() |
Pierre W.
Memphis, TN
|
|
There are four things that I look for in a good writing service. #1. They have to be fast. A good writing service won’t miss an important deadline. #2. A good writing service will let customers actually talk to the writer who is working on their customer’s papers, so the customer can work out important details. #3. A good writing service will have a user-friendly website that is easy for the customer to use and #4, a good writing service will offer quality guarantees. EssaysEmpire.com meets all of this criteria and more. EssaysEmpire.com is the best writing service and has the reputation to prove it. I wouldn’t even consider using another writing service since experiencing the excellence that is EssaysEmpire.com! |
![]() |
Della M.
Belfast, IR
|
|
I had to turn on my laptop for the express purpose of writing to you. I had to let you know what lifesavers you people are! I had never even considered hiring a professional writer to help me and was almost resigned to dropping out of school altogether. Then, I thought about it, and asked myself what it would hurt to try EssaysEmpire.com for just one paper. That paper was written astonishingly well! From that one paper, I learned many of the things that I did not know about writing. It was perfect, so I learned all about formatting in the APA style. I learned a lot, so I want to thank you for that. |
![]() |
Emily H.
Norman, OK
|
|
My writer revealed to me that when he isn’t working for you, he is teaching at a major university. He also told me that a lot of the other writers who work for you are professors. That is impressive! No wonder I got an A+ on my paper! |
![]() |
Bruce B.
Purcell, OK
|
|
I had a hard time articulating what my professor wanted, so I was able to speak straight to my writer. After I had explained a little bit, I could tell he understood everything. He then took the ball and ran with it, so to speak. He wrote my paper in two days and it was the picture of perfection! I am very grateful that he knew what to do and how to do it so perfectly. |
![]() |
Katy A.
London, England
|
|
Your writers are very good at what they do. I would recommend your service to anyone. It is impressive and it doesn’t cost too much. |
![]() |
Morgan W.
Eugene, OR
|
|
I don’t see how anyone could write a paper about something as boring as the psychology of the two year old, could make it sound so interesting, but your writers managed to pull it off. Thank you for putting forth such a concerted effort to do a good job. I really appreciate it. I will use your service again |