A Rhetorical Analysis of "the Cove"
Directed by Louie Psihoyos
Viewer Discretion is Advised
This website was created to inform the public of the the rhetoric used in the documentary, The Cove. |
What is Rhetoric?
Rhetoric is the ability to find the best available means of persuasion for any given audience. In order to properly analyze this piece, we must understand how Psihoyos built his argument--that the people of Taiji should stop killing dolphins and porpoises every year.
In this website, we will break down the argument to analyse each of the four major components: kairos, ethos, logos, and pathos. These components are known as the Rhetorical Appeals. You can find each appeal with their definitions and how they are used under "Rhetoric Used" in the "About the Documentary" tab.
What is An argument?
An argument is an attempt to solve a problem where there are at least two conflicting sides. A proper argument achieves this through justifying claims, combining truth-seeking and persuasion, and by being both a product and a process. Here, the two major conflicting sides are:
- Taiji wanting to continue killing dolphins and porpoises and
- Ric O'Barry and his crew trying to stop Japan from killing dolphins and porpoises.
The rhetorical situation
The rhetorical situation has three key points:
- Text (video)
- Author (director)
- Reader (viewer)