I am doing well in my class but having trouble with a particular assignment. I don't really understand bias, fallicies and rhetoric.
Here is my assignment, any help or enlightenment would be appreciated. I am not asking for my assignment to be done for me, I am just having problems with this.
The speech is :
Campaigner: There is only one man who can rid the politics of this State of the evil domination of Boss Jim Gettys. I am speaking of Charles Foster Kane, the fighting liberal, the friend of the working man, the next Governor of this State, who entered upon this campaign --
Kane: with one purpose only: to point out and make public the dishonesty, the downright villainy, of Boss Jim W. Gettys' political machine -- now in complete control of the government of this State! I made no campaign promises, because until a few weeks ago I had no hope of being elected.
Now, however, I have something more than a hope. And Jim Gettys -- Jim Gettys has something less than a chance. Every straw vote, every independent poll shows that I'll be elected. Now I can afford to make some promises!
The working man -- The working man and the slum child know they can expect my best efforts in their interests. The decent, ordinary citizens know that I'll do everything in my power to protect the underprivileged, the underpaid, and the the underfed!
Well, I'd make my promises now if I weren't too busy arranging to keep them.
Here's one promise I'll make, and boss Jim Gettys knows I'll keep it: My first official act as Governor of this State will be to appoint a Special District Attorney to arrange for the indictment, prosecution, and conviction of Boss Jim W. Gettys!
Answer the following questions in a minimum of 500 words: Identify examples of bias, fallacies, and specific rhetorical devices in the speech. How did the speaker address arguments and counterarguments? Were the speaker’s arguments effective? Explain your answers.
One rhetorical device is to shift himself from third person (when referring to himself as having not chance) to first person during the speech (when he promises to prosecute Gettys when elected). Instead of bragging directly, he makes up claims about how the poor and the working class respect and support him. One of his fallacies is to assume he will win and Gettys will be convicted of a crime. Is strikes me as an effective campaign speech, but devoid of substance.
A: The speakers intent is to show the public the corruption that has been introduced to the public by Jim Gettys and prove that he can do a better job as a governor to help the public.
I believe that Kane’s example of an argument was when he informs the public that he will make a promise to help “the working man, the slum child, ordinary citizens, the underprivileged, the underpaid, and the underfed” as opposed to what Jim Gettys has been offering to the people.
Charles Foster Kane’s counter argument is that after elected he promises to help the working man, the slum child, ordin ...
at these people need him to rescue the political state of the government.
Moreover, Kane uses several fallacies in his speech. He begins his speech by simultaneously using the poisoning the well fallacy and a personal attack ad hominem to address the issues that he has with Jim Gettys. He opens his speech by using the poisoning the well fallacy, which attempts to discredit what a person might say in advance by saying unflattering things about the person. Kane attempts to discredit anything that Gettys would have to say by relating unfavorable information about him. Kane calls Gettys a “dishonest” person. In the same opening statement, Kane uses a personal attack ad hominem to critique Gettys character, rather than crit ...
One rhetorical device is to shift himself from third person (when referring to himself as having not chance) to first person during the speech (when he promises to prosecute Gettys when elected). Instead of bragging directly, he makes up claims about how the poor and the working class respect and support him. One of his fallacies is to assume he will win and Gettys will be convicted of a crime. Is strikes me as an effective campaign speech, but devoid of substance.
If you do your own work rather than copying from this site, you will have the skills to succeed in college. If you copy this answer, you will be turned in for plagiarism and receive a warning or more severe penalty from Academic Affairs. Do you wish to succeed in college?
To Gina---
mind your own business!!!!
To begin analyzing the speech and identifying examples of bias, fallacies, and rhetorical devices, we first need a clear understanding of each of these concepts.
Bias refers to the tendency to favor or prejudice one thing over another, often based on personal beliefs or opinions. In a speech, bias can be reflected in the speaker's choice of words, tone, or emphasis on certain ideas.
Fallacies are errors in reasoning that can make an argument invalid or unsound. They can be deliberate or unintentional and are often used to deceive or manipulate the audience.
Rhetorical devices are techniques used to enhance or emphasize the speaker's message. These devices can include figures of speech, persuasive language, or repetition, among others.
Now let's analyze the speech in order to find examples of bias, fallacies, and rhetorical devices.
1. Bias:
The speech shows a clear bias towards Charles Foster Kane. The speaker portrays Kane as the only candidate capable of ridding politics of "evil domination." This biased emphasis on Kane's qualities is intended to persuade the audience to support him.
2. Fallacies:
a. False Dilemma: The speaker presents the situation as if there are only two options, either Charles Foster Kane or Boss Jim Gettys. This oversimplification ignores other potential candidates and limits the audience's choices.
b. Ad Hominem: The speaker attacks Boss Jim Gettys by calling him dishonest and villainous, without providing any evidence to support these claims. This fallacy attempts to discredit Gettys as an opponent without addressing the actual issues.
3. Rhetorical Devices:
a. Repetition: The repetition of phrases like "the fighting liberal," "the friend of the working man," and "the next Governor of this State" serves to emphasize Kane's positive attributes and create a memorable impression in the audience's mind.
b. Hyperbole: The speaker exaggerates Kane's chances of being elected by claiming that "every straw vote" and "every independent poll" show his certain victory. This hyperbolic language is designed to create excitement and boost support for Kane.
c. Use of Personal Pronouns: Throughout the speech, Kane consistently uses pronouns like "I," "my," and "me" to portray himself as an individual who will personally address the concerns of working-class citizens. This personal connection helps build trust and rapport with the audience.
4. Addressing Arguments and Counterarguments:
The speaker primarily focuses on attacking Boss Jim Gettys and does not address specific counterarguments or opposing views. By presenting Kane as the only solution to the stated problem, the speaker attempts to prevent counterarguments from emerging or receiving consideration.
5. Effectiveness of Arguments:
The speaker's arguments could be effective in persuading listeners who are already inclined to support Kane. However, they may not be as convincing to critical thinkers who are looking for more substantial evidence and a balanced discussion of the issues. The biases and fallacies in the speech can erode its overall credibility.
In conclusion, this analysis of the speech has identified several examples of bias, fallacies, and rhetorical devices. The speaker's focus on portraying Kane as the only viable candidate, the use of fallacies to discredit Gettys, and the utilization of rhetorical devices to create a persuasive impact are all evident. However, it is also important to note that the speaker's arguments could be more effective if they addressed counterarguments and provided evidence to support their claims.