A Rhetorical Analysis Of Amnesty International

Most big corporation’s goals are to convince consumers to buy their product for monetary gain. They appeal to consumers using eye-catching images and all means of persuasion to grab a viewer’s attention. An organization campaigning for human rights worldwide through advertisements is not all that much different from multi-million dollar companies. Amnesty International, a non-profit humanitarian organization, advocates for the rights of children through an eye-opening visual to create awareness of a social issue.
Initially viewing the advertisement, it appears that normal children are riding a school bus in the city cruising down the street, but upon closer inspection, the children are boys who are of varying races holding guns, and the bus

is no typical bus. At first glance, there is a bright sunlit background of a bustling city, but then the muted dark browns and yellows focused centrally on the picture captures focus.

The colors are reminiscent of the ones associated with armies and war, which contrasts strangely with the standard bright setting lighting up behind it. The bus full of war-torn boys looks incredibly out-of-place in the city
The ad appeals not only to sight, but also the audience’s emotions, logic, and ethics. Pathos, a mean of persuasion that plays on emotions, seems the most powerful to me. Despondence adorns the faces of the child soldiers who have lost their childlike demeanors through dehumanizing acts of war using the guns held in their tiny hands. Anyone who has a child, or even cares for their general wellbeing as a whole will feel moved by the image. Logos and ethos, Logic and ethics, presents itself in the fact displayed on the bus, “300,000

children go to war instead of school.” (CITED) It offers both supportive evidence that helps prove the ad’s argument and garners emotional reactions through a shocking fact. The caption shows the children are unable to live and act like normal children who have normal, safe childhoods, and in addition to missing out on being a kid they miss out on school. School is a rite of passage all children deserve to experience. Playing during recess, sitting in class astute and ready to learn, and forming bonds with other children, are little stepping stones leading to the big milestone of mastering school. In the second part of the ad, it finally appeals ethically to morals. “Help send them back.” ( Cite) as though it is our duty as kind, generous human beings to give to helpless children caught in an impossible situation. The last caption “This is a promotional school bus that demonstrates the reality of child soldiers. It will drive around major cities to raise awareness of the issue.” ( Cite) explains their advert and states their purpose; they want people to become aware that this is a real problem in our world and not remain ignorant to what is happening.
Guns are synonymous with death and violence, wars and casualties, a weapon that takes loved ones away.

Kids are synonymous with innocence. A beautiful blank slate untarnished from the evil in the world; they are content to play and be happy, unbeknownst to pain and agony. Guns and kids are opposites that should not be put together. It does not look nor feel right to witness. The organization captures the attention of those who have a want and need to protect children from the horrors of the world. These are real problems that exist in the world. Every day children get caught in the war started by the adults they are supposed to be able to look up to. Instead, their youth gets taken advantage of for nefarious purposes perpetuated by the evil that persists. The advertisement is implying that only capable adults can “Help send them

back.”
The advertisement is effective in fulfilling its purpose. The image, which occurred live, powerfully produces a distressing photo; furthermore, it includes a concerning fact that intends to pull at the heart strings. It intrigues anyone who has an interest in the right of children or anyone who wants to make the world a better place. The advertisement effectually advocates for the rights of the children by using a striking the ad to catch viewers’ attention.