Opinion Editorial How the Borderline Massacre and Last Year’s Fires Changed Thousand Oaks The elements of rhetorical appeals play important roles in facilitating understanding and appreciation of any work of art as well as critical analysis of the contents of such artwork. Most speakers leverage the benefits of rhetorical appeals to enliven their speech and sustaining the interest of the audience (Bhatia, 2014). Some of the most commonly used aspects of appeals include ethos, pathos, and logos. The use of such elements not only enables the speakers to convey their message but also to shape the opinions and perspective of the prospective audience. The “How the Borderline massacre and last year’s fires changed Thousand Oaks” by Dawn Megli is an article on the violation of human rights characterized by mass murder in the Borderline regions (Megli, 2019). The journal article features numerous aspects of rhetorical appeals. Therefore, the purpose of this essay paper is to analyze elements of rhetoric in the selected article as discussed below. The aspects of rhetorical appeal in any artwork are critical in helping the readers or audience to evaluate the work or art to eliminate the impact of biases (Selzer, 2003). Rhetorical theorists such as Aristotle contributed greatly on practical approaches of making communication more effective. The elements of logos, ethos, and pathos improve the clarity and effectiveness of the intended message to the targeted audience. In other words, the author can manipulate the perceptions of the audience, thus, enhancing the success of their work. Ethos is an element of rhetoric that depends on the speaker or author’s sense of ethics when communicating intended message to the targeted audience (Foss, 2017). The element of pathos influences audience to a specific frame of mind. Thirdly, the element of logos entails the provision of factual proof to authenticate the contents of the artwork. In the selected article, the author has leveraged such aspects in making the artwork more effective as discussed below. The assessment of the element of ethos shows tremendous success of the author in delivering his message to the intended audience. For instance, the author has extensive academic and professional background in reporting cases of abuse of human rights. Dawn Megli is a professional reporter for the Thousand Oak Acorn (Megli, 2019). Moreover, the author is an expert of the history of mass murder has witnessed in the Borderline. Such features reinforce the aspects of believability and authenticity of the contents of the selected article. Most importantly, the author also packaged his intended message to suit his audience, the reader. She appeals to the relevant authorities to respond and stop the periodic mass murder witnessed in the Borderline areas. “Two wildfires broke out within hours of the massacre, and each wildfire this fall hastriggered flashbacks to those dark days last November…many in the region to flee ...

1. Opinion Editorial
How the Borderline Massacre and Last Year’s Fires Changed
Thousand Oaks
The elements of rhetorical appeals play important roles in
facilitating understanding and appreciation of any work of art as
well as critical analysis of the contents of such artwork. Most
speakers leverage the benefits of rhetorical appeals to enliven
their speech and sustaining the interest of the audience (Bhatia,
2014). Some of the most commonly used aspects of appeals
include ethos, pathos, and logos. The use of such elements not
only enables the speakers to convey their message but also to
shape the opinions and perspective of the prospective audience.
The “How the Borderline massacre and last year’s fires changed
Thousand Oaks” by Dawn Megli is an article on the violation of
human rights characterized by mass murder in the Borderline
regions (Megli, 2019). The journal article features numerous
aspects of rhetorical appeals. Therefore, the purpose of this
essay paper is to analyze elements of rhetoric in the selected
article as discussed below.
The aspects of rhetorical appeal in any artwork are
critical in helping the readers or audience to evaluate the work
or art to eliminate the impact of biases (Selzer, 2003).
Rhetorical theorists such as Aristotle contributed greatly on
practical approaches of making communication more effective.
The elements of logos, ethos, and pathos improve the clarity
and effectiveness of the intended message to the targeted
audience. In other words, the author can manipulate the
perceptions of the audience, thus, enhancing the success of their
work. Ethos is an element of rhetoric that depends on the
speaker or author’s sense of ethics when communicating
intended message to the targeted audience (Foss, 2017). The
element of pathos influences audience to a specific frame of
mind. Thirdly, the element of logos entails the provision of

2. factual proof to authenticate the contents of the artwork. In the
selected article, the author has leveraged such aspects in making
the artwork more effective as discussed below.
The assessment of the element of ethos shows tremendous
success of the author in delivering his message to the intended
audience. For instance, the author has extensive academic and
professional background in reporting cases of abuse of human
rights. Dawn Megli is a professional reporter for the Thousand
Oak Acorn (Megli, 2019). Moreover, the author is an expert of
the history of mass murder has witnessed in the Borderline.
Such features reinforce the aspects of believability and
authenticity of the contents of the selected article. Most
importantly, the author also packaged his intended message to
suit his audience, the reader. She appeals to the relevant
authorities to respond and stop the periodic mass murder
witnessed in the Borderline areas. “Two wildfires broke out
within hours of the massacre, and each wildfire this fall
hastriggered flashbacks to those dark days last
November…many in the region to flee.” The author also appeals
to the relevant stakeholders including the firefighter to improve
their capacities when responding to emergencies such as fire
outbreaks and minimizing the adverse impacts on the victims
(Bhatia, 2014). She is quick to mention the agony that the
victims of fire outbreak undergo during such unfortunate events
(Megli, 2019). The houses of the victims are left in ashes with
increase mortality arising from the acts of terrors. She laments
the dilapidated neighborhoods where homes once stood. She
uses the element of ethos to appeal to the relevant stakeholders
to reconsider the need to enhance security for all and to protect
the vulnerable from the acts of terror. Therefore, the use of
ethos enhanced the effectiveness of the intended message to the
targeted audience.
Moreover, the author creatively employed the use of logos in
improving the believability of the contents of the article,
especially in addressing the topic of interest. Critical evaluation
of the selected article reveals numerous instances where the

3. author appealed to the readers’ sense of logic (Bhatia, 2014).
She resorts to statistical reports and figures in communicating
the challenges facing the victims as well as the impacts of mass
murder witnessed in Borderline area. For instance, she states
that she was able to perceive terrors from different directions to
signify the widespread impacts of the mass murder and terror
attacks (Megli, 2019). “I’ve heard so many accounts of the
shooting and the fires…I see the terror in 360 degrees”. It
shows that the entire Borderline Oak is affected by the shooting
and mass murder.
Nonetheless, Dawn resorts to the use of statistical data to
inform the readers on the general hardships facing the victims
of terror attacks and mass murder. “I see the open space
surrounding the city erupting into a ring of fire that would
eventually burn 100,000 acres and leave three people
dead…still be fighting two weeks later.” By invoking the
logical appeal of the readers, Dawn intends to enable the
audience to form mental pictures on the upheavals facing the
victims of frequent killing and fire outbreaks in Borderline area
(Bhatia, 2014; Selzer, 2003). She recounts the huge loss of lives
of innocent people in the wake of terror activities, “…written
down so many details about the 12 lives lostin the shooting…”
Such statistical references enable the readers to believe and
evaluate the challenges facing the residents of Borderline area.
Therefore, logos are critical in manipulating the opinion and
perspectives of the readers (Selzer, 2003). She indicates that
about 75% of thousand oaks residents are forced to flee the
area. Most residents were forced postpone their borderline grief
in the face of issued evacuation orders.
Additionally, pathos has been used extensively throughout the
selected article to further influence the opinion and perspectives
of the targeted readers. Dawn plays with the emotions of the
readers concerning mass murder changed the lives of thousand
Oaks. She highlights some statements that captured the horrific
nature of the Borderline massacre. “… The sight of flames and
the smell of smoke were the backdrop to mass murder. Death

4. and ashes are forever linked.” Such statements vividly describe
the situation at the affected area which is characterized by
frequent mass murder and torching of the houses of the Oaks
(Bhatia, 2014). Her artwork is a clarion call to end the
Borderline massacre which has been happening over the years.
She implores the relevant authority to take up their rightful
positions in restoring order and averting such happening in the
future.
In conclusion, therefore, it is important to note that the
effective use of elements of rhetorical appeals is useful in
achieving desired success in any piece of writing. In the
selected articles, Dawn creatively used the aspects of pathos,
ethos and logos in influencing the perspectives of the regarding
the hardships facing Borderline Oak residents such as increased
mortality, forceful movement of people from their residential
areas, torching of their homes, and so forth. The rhetorical
appeals enhance believability, retentions of information as well
as changing the perspectives of the readers regarding the subject
matter. Furthermore, this is also important in achieving high
levels of the persuasiveness of the written material.
References
Bhatia, K. V. (2014). Analysing genre: Language use in
professional settings. New York: Routledge.
Foss, S. K. (2017). Rhetorical criticism: Exploration and
practice. New York: Waveland Press.
Megli, D. (2019, Nov 3). Opinion: How the Borderline massacre
and last year’s fires changed Thousand Oaks — and me as a
reporter. Retrieved from Los Angeles Times:
https://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2019-11-03/borderline-

5. shooting-woolsey-easy-fires-thousand-oaks
Selzer, J. (2003). Rhetorical analysis: Understanding how texts
persuade readers." What writing does and how it does it. New
York : Routledge.
Ad Analysis
Mirrors, Hillary Clinton
The political Ad, “Mirrors” was a campaign tool achieved on
behalf of the Democrat candidate to the White House, Hillary
Clinton. The ad was first aired on American television on the
23rd of September, 2016 in which the candidate was mocking
the opponent Donald Trump. The ad was creatively used both in
audio and visuals to depict the opponent as a villain chauvinist
having no respect for the feminine gender, and should not be
voted in as the 45th President of the Greater US Nation in the
upcoming election on 8th of November, 2016. In the ad, it
begins by Hillary Clinton extending a warm hug to a young girl
with an approval message running through that particular
section of the ad that somehow twists the gesture she extended
for the message that was to follow (PCL Stanford University 1).
Immediately, after his endorsement for the message the ad that
follows heinously talked of Donald Trump negative resentments
about women. In a perverted sense the ad does not necessarily
talk about Clinton but rather the Republican candidate Donald
Trump, in what is sound engineered of her views about women
or rather the feminine gender (Detisch 1).
After the first part where Hillary endorses the message and
extend an affectionate hug to a white teenager, that which is to
follow is of a young African lady moving closer to stare herself
in the mirror, it is quickly interrupted with that of another
Caucasian girl with glasses staring herself in the mirror, and
then an Asian young girl making her hair as she stare in the
mirror. The gesture in their faces expresses their unhappiness/
un-contentedness/ sadness perhaps due to their physical

6. appearances, but it is agreeable that there is a general show of
dissatisfaction among them (PCL Stanford University 1).
Immediately after running the three parts, Donald Trump
remarks of what seem to resonate with the three particular
scenes is run on the background. Trump is shown uttering
despicable insults in a gesture that is believed to allude to the
three ladies shown before in the ad.
The ad ‘Mirrors’ has effectively deployed the use of ethos to
appeal to the voters about the characters of Donald Trump, as
despising women in the video. As the ad continuously runs
Trumps is heard hurling incessant abuses towards the feminine
gender showing contempt and disgust at feminine physic with
the video motions flipping through images of more young girls
staring at their bodies in front of the mirror. These remarks
believed to be made by Republican Candidate are rather
conspicuous and attention grabbing. Furthermore, the look on
the faces of the girls played through in the 30 seconds video
show of girls running through some kind of emotions and
suggestively of negative thoughts. Whereas the girls do not
express themselves in the clips one can feel the negative energy
of Trumps insults running in the background resonating to their
emotions (PCL Stanford University 1). Also, the clip features
one of the interviews attended by Trump where in the real
footage by CNN was allegedly referring to Mrs. Rosie
O’Donnell a famous feminine figure. Donald Trump in her
response to the interview question referred to her as being ugly
and with a fat face. Also, the ad feature a clip from another of
Trumps interviews where he was asked if he had any respect for
women and he retorted, “…I cannot say that either”. All these
sections of the ad seek to relay to the voter about the ethos
(ethics)/ credibility of the character they were seeking to vote
for in the upcoming election (Ahlquist 1). This was a
juxtaposition relayed by the clip for the audience to ponder
whether Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton was the rightful
president to trust with the welfare of the American women and
daughters.

7. The clip runs Trumps harsh resentments as the ladies look
themselves in the mirror emotionlessly. This is one area that the
ad has effectively deployed the use of pathos to appeal to its
audience/ viewers. Mirror as an effective title provides a
reflection of what the candidate (Trump) thinks of the ladies
staring themselves in the mirror versus what the ladies feel of
themselves (Kronke 1). The words of insults running through
the background somehow allude to the reasons for their
depression, i.e., the insults are addresses them and their
physicality, as they stare themselves in the mirror. The video
also plays rising and falling intonations of the piano to ride
through the emotions of the listener. Also, the girls used in the
ad are from different background to expresses the unbiased
nature of the insult hurled towards women of all background.
The choice of words/ insults used in the video further invokes
feeling of insecurity and lower esteem to the girls. For example,
words like, “…she eats like a pig,” or even “…her fat ugly
face…,” and “she is a slob,” all are expression deployed to
appeal to the conscious of the voter (PCL Stanford University
1). The choice of words used is intentional to incite emotional
appeal aimed at informing the voter of the characters persona.
Donald Trump is well known for his unforgiving, incompatible,
and unapologetic style of expression/ language. From the video
he makes several comments about women not having a good
body/ physic/ appearance, and even utter despicable words
about women body parts, “she does not have a good body,”
“…she has a fat…”. It is from such choice of words that the
video seeks to taint the image of the opponent and question his
credibility to assume the most powerful office in the land.
For logic appeal the ad ‘Mirrors ‘seek to achieve is to cast
doubt among pro-supporters of Trump to reconsider their
commitment and persuade them to vote for Hillary Clinton as
the better candidate. As can be seen in the video there is a
Caucasian girl looking at herself in the cars side mirror and on
the tone and insults of Trump in the background she is about to
cry (Kronke 1). This adds another appeal to the video needing

8. the voter to sympathize with the girl who is negatively insulted
by Trump in the background. The ad was essentially asking
whether that was the best president to lead over the daughters of
many American families. The audience are made to believe that
Trump hate women especially young girls. This is symbolical to
entrusting the future of younger feminine generation in uncouth
and loathe character, Trump (Ahlquist 1). The logic of the ad
was to influence the American voter to decide whether after
running of the video, Donald Trump was the best candidate for
the office of the president (PCL Stanford University 1). This is
because the American philosophy has a very strong position
about familial values. From the video, several of Trumps
comment is vitally used to invoke voters’ conscious, especially
to woo female voters to reconsider the attitude of such a
candidate towards the feminine voters. Therefore, the ad was
critical in addressing the American families who were also the
voters to consider placing their hands in the safest pair of
leaders, i.e., Hillary Clinton and the running mate, Tim Kaine
(Detisch 1).
In the ad “Mirrors” it is used as an effective campaign tool to
persuade voters against voting for Donald Trump in the 2016
election. The ad effectively used ethos, pathos, and logos, to
make an appeal about Trump character and the style of
leadership that was not appealing to a feminine voter (Kronke
1). The 30 second clip is filled with Trump incessant insults
that are a tactful strategy to invoke audience emotions on
making decisions likely to compromise the lives of their
daughters. The ad is vocal about the rights of children
especially those of feminine gender in the greater American
society. It aims to spark inquisitiveness and moment of self-
reflection among American voter to reconsider the character of
their presidential candidates (Ahlquist 1).
Work Cited
Ahlquist, Meghan. "Presidential Campaign Ad Rhetorical
Analysis". Prezi.Com, 2019,
https://prezi.com/ofyiefvunlhd/presidential-campaign-ad-

9. rhetorical-analysis/. Accessed 6 Oct 2019.
Detisch, Aj. "The Definitive Guide To Ethos, Logos And
Pathos". Studiobinder, 2019,
https://www.studiobinder.com/blog/ethos-pathos-logos/.
Accessed 6 Oct 2019.
Kronke, David. "Rhetorical And Visual Analysis
Essay". Ilopez7english1311.Blogspot.Com, 2019,
https://ilopez7english1311.blogspot.com/p/rhetorical-and-
visual-analysis-essay.html. Accessed 6 Oct 2019.
PCL Stanford University, Library. "Mirrors | Hillary
Clinton". Youtube, 2019,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vHGPbl-werw. Accessed 6
Oct 2019.
Writing Project: Personal Writing-Reflection
Format Requirements: Paper must be 3-5 pages, typed, double-
spaced, Times New Roman, 12 point font, with one-inch
margins in standard MLA format.
Texts:
Choose one of the writings you completed this semester. You
will analyze one of your essays and reflect on the choices you
made in creating that essay.
Essay:
Identify the rhetorical decisions you made, and analyze and
defend why those decisions are effective, given your rhetorical
situation (who you are writing to, what your purpose was, what
was going on contextually). You are defending your writing.
You may also use this opportunity to indicate what you would
have done to make the essay more effective (not required).
You should give a brief overview of the argument made in the
essay of your choosing, but focus your analysis on the decisions
you made in the essay, and why you thought they were a good

10. idea. How did they help make the essay successful?
This paper is not a summary of one of your essays; it is an
argument that analyzes (answers how and why) your argument
may be effective for its given situation. Your goal is to reflect
upon one essay and share what decisions you made as a writer,
and why you thought they were effective, or what changes you
could make to make it more effective.
Here are some questions that might help you think about the
essay:
· What is the argument?
· Who is the audience?
· What contextual elements surround the topic?
· What appeal(s) did you use to make the essay effective?
· What rhetorical strategies did you use to make the essay
effective?
· In what way(s) are these appeals/strategies significant?
Key RWS 305W Learning Objectives Met with This Assignment
· Understand the concept of rhetorical situations: the
relationship among writer-audience-subject-context
· Apply critical reading strategies to a variety of publicly and
individually produced texts
· Work with demanding readings and learn to interpret,
incorporate, and evaluate these readings
· Use writing as a way to learn—to think about, question, and
communicate ideas

11. · Develop successful, flexible strategies for generating,
revising, and editing texts
· Understand the collaborative and social aspects of the writing
process
· Critique your own and others’ texts
· Show initiative in problem solving situations