Rhetorical Analysis Of A Talk By Zak Ebrahim

Rhetorical Analysis

I am the Son of a Terrorist: Here’s How I chose Peace is the title of a talk by Zak Ebrahim given in Ted Talks. The speaker offers the talk with the aim of enhancing an open-minded approach towards extremism citing that it is not “inherent in one’s religion or race”. Ebrahim suffices as the voice of the rational Muslims that silently suffer from blanket condemnation when it comes to religious extremism. His intended audience is the misinformed public that perceives the whole Muslim community as suspect in relation to extremism. The talk can thus be said to be an eye-opener to the audience on the need for appreciation of diversity and open-mindedness. Ebrahim achieves this with his personal narrative.

To appreciate the talk’s effectiveness in conveying the speaker’s intended message, it is prudent analyze it through the rhetorical analysis lens. This is made possible with rhetorical strategies. Ethos is one such strategy that seeks to appeal to the credibility and reliability of a literal

piece. In this case, the speaker injects credibility in his talk by the virtue of being a Muslim and son to a terrorist. Ebrahim’s religion has exposed him to discrimination, which he notes in his talk. Being a son to El-Sayyid Nosair, one of the most famous terrorists in the early 90’s, he comes out as a reliable voice in assuring the audience on the negating effects of extremism. The speaker further emboldens his moral character by positing arguments from either side regarding extremism and Islam. He offers critical analysis of each side’s perceptions before offering his opinion. It creates a sense of good will and open minded discourse between him and his target audience. His allusion to John Stewart and The Daily Show enhances his moral compass and credibility. By associating John Stewart, a Jew, to a world-view father figure as compared to his extremist biological father, the author connects with the audience. The allusion speaks to his trustworthiness and credibility.
The speaker further uses logos in his talk to rationally appeal to his audience. His clear use of historical facts and dates surrounding his father’s terrorism activities allows the audience to connect with the talk’s subject matter. His use of deductive examination of counter arguments regarding Islam and extremism allows logic to prevail in his talk. He pits his father’s perception against his worldview to draw a logical conclusion on why blanket condemnation of people based on race or religion is wrong. His father deemed Americans, Jews, and other non-Muslims as enemies. In contrast, Ebrahim perceives everybody as part of the world citizenry that ought to dwell in unity. He even draws inspiration from a Jewish media personality, which erstwhile would have been termed as evil or un-Islamic. He cites that “being intellectually honest with himself “allowed him to be open-minded. This allows the audience to appreciate that his ideals are well thought-out given his extremist background. The use of rhetorical questions such as “why would I out myself…?” further provokes the rationality of the audience. The audience tries to deduce the weight of the statement by considering all facts divulged by Ebrahim regarding his extremist background.
Pathos as the next rhetorical strategy is effectively employed by the speaker to emotionally connect with his audience. Through the use of his personal narrative, he manages to tap into the audience wealth of emotions. The confession of him being a terrorist’s son in the earlier stages of the talk manages to elicit emotions of sympathy and hatred, which he manages to switch as he progresses with the exchange. The admission that he was not sociable as a child due to an unstable background as well as being a victim of bullying strikes a chord with the audience. It appeals to feelings of concern and empathy from the audience. He uses a dramatic and emotional language to appeal to the listeners’ imagination and sympathy. “I’m tired of hating people” for instance is a statement that the speaker uses to signal his indignation with extremism. The statement augurs with the audience emotions towards the issue of bigotry. His assurance to victims of terrorism at the end of the speech enhances the audience’ imagination of a hate-free world that the speaker wishes to establish. The applause given to Zak Ebrahim at the very end of the talk points to an emotionally charged audience. It might be associated with admiration and feeling of hope in the fight against extremism.
In conclusion, Zak Ebrahim is an exemplification of an open-minded citizen of the world.

His talk allows his listeners to broaden their view regarding extremism and Islam as a religion. Using his personal story, Ebrahim emerges as the alternative voice of the Islam community that has continuously being on the receiving end for its perceived intolerance. He manages to convey this message with precise clarity with rhetorical strategies. The ethos were essential in injecting credibility in his exchange with the Ted Talks audience. He surfaces as an astute speaker in touch with the realities of extremism and religious discrimination. The talk incorporates logos extensively to highlight the rationality of the speaker’s assertions. His logical sentiments help him in achieving this. Through his brave personal confessions, Ebrahim rouses emotions, imaginations, and divergent views. He effectively executes pathos through his choice of words and expression of life

story.

Works Cited
Ebrahim, Zak. "I Am the Son of a Terrorist. Here's How I Chose Peace. | TED Talk Subtitles and Transcript | TED.com." TED: Ideas Worth Spreading. N.p., Mar. 2014. Web.