Acticle analysis of boris johnson PDF

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Arleen Kailey Professor Julia Grandison English 1100 20 October 2021 Effectiveness Of Boris Johnson Speech Humanity has continued to impact climate change tremendously and alter daily living, and now with the rise of COVID-19 society has taken notice and is beginning to learn from these issues? For instance, practicing social distancing, wearing masks, sanitizing, taking care of the environment by recycling, reducing food waste, and minimizing our carbon footprint, etc. These strategies are due to climate change and COVID-19. With that being said, Boris Johnson believes humans can overcome climate change and global warming, as he states, "... the adolescence of humanity is coming to an end" (1). Indicating that human existence is nearing the end, however, there is a chance of redemption if we alter our actions. Johnson goes on to explain how our actions will eventually modify future generations if we do not change our ways (Johnson 3). Boris Johnson claims that we have the resources and the tools needed to aid our planet, but the choice is up to us if we will take that chance and create the change needed for our world. "We have the technology; we have the choice before us" (6). Additionally, others may have found Boris Johnson's speech impractical or unconvincing, but after thoroughly understanding the text, Johnson’s speech can be an effective way of persuading an audience since he utilizes a variety of rhetorical modes and a large amount of evidence to support his claim. Although Boris Johnson uses different methods of persuading his audience, the most common tactic is rhetorical modes. Some of those are narration, comparison, and process analysis. Johnson creates a picture when he uses narration to describe humanity and how "the world – this precious blue sphere with its eggshell crust and wisp of an atmosphere – is not some indestructible toy, some bouncy plastic romper room…" (Johnson 2).

The significance of Boris dispensing the description of the world is ironic since he presents the world as this delicate toy but as always humanity continues to be cruel and destructive. He used comparison in the very beginning of the text when he contrasts humanity to a sixteen-year-old and process analysis when he describes what would happen to the temperatures if we don't fix our mistakes. "If you imagine that million years as the lifespan of an individual human being – about eighty years – then we are now sweet 16" (Johnson 1). This implies that we are at a vulnerable age where we must face responsibility for our actions and cannot rely on others to correct our mistakes (Johnson 1). The impact of the modes is quite significant and meaningful, which made Boris able to influence the reader to believe his argument and to strengthen it. Along with the use of rhetorical modes throughout his speech, Johnson provided plenty of evidence to support his argument, “an inspection of the fossil record over the last 178 million years – since mammals first appeared – reveals that the average mammalian species exists for about a million years before it evolves into something else or vanishes into extinction” (Johnson 1). Moreover, Boris used logos, pathos, and ethos. Logos are used several times throughout the speech since his argument is quite heavily based on the use of facts and stats. An example of the use of logos is when Johnson says, “When I was a kid we produced almost 80 percent of our electricity from coal; that is now down to two percent or less and will be gone altogether by 2024 (Johnson 3). While the argument was based on facts, that does not mean there was no use of pathos or ethos. For pathos can make many people feel sympathy and get carried away by the topic, "Daily, weekly, we are doing such irreversible damage that long before a million years are up, we will have made this beautiful planet effectively uninhabitable – not just for us, but for

many other species" (Johnson 2). Ethos has a great persuading effect as well. It makes the reader believe the argument because the author has provided a fact that is supported by someone who withholds the usage of credibility and authority which Johnson used in his speech, “It is time for us to listen to the warnings of the scientists – and look at Covid if you want an example of gloomy scientists being proved right – and to understand who we are and what we are doing” (Johnson 2). Though Boris Johnson begins his speech in a way that may not intrigue others at first and may not be persuasive, we can comprehend Boris Johnson's argument and evaluate whether his claim is effective after thoroughly examining, understanding, and reading his speech. Boris Johnson has used many different strategies in almost every part of his speech which helps the reader understand Johnson's argument. By using rhetorical modes, ethos, logos, pathos, and providing plenty of evidence, Johnson creates a well-written persuasive, and effective speech influencing and steering the future of human existence.

Work Cited Prime Minister’s Office, 10 Downing Street. “PM Speech at the UN General Assembly: 22 September 2021.” GOV.UK, 23 Sept. 2021, www.gov.uk/government/speeches/pmspeech-at-the-un-general-assembly-22-september-2021....