Rhetorical Analysis
The Walking Dead Rhetorical Analysis Created by Nathan Zychal College of DuPage English Composition I Elizabeth Anderson 9-26-2013
Rhetorical Analysis
The Walking Dead Rhetorical Analysis
The Walking Dead is a TV series that follows the story of a viral infection on Earth that results in a zombie dominated world. Survivors are forced to fight for their lives. The main protagonist of the story is Rick Grimes, a cop who had been shot and brought to the hospital before the zombie outbreak. Rick later awakens in the hospital alone, finding himself in a world that is unlike anything he has ever seen. Once Rick leaves the hospital his morals and ethics are consistently pushed to the limit in this zombie ridden world. The drama illustrates how humanity, morals and values are qualities that define quality people, good relationships and leaders in life, and how these characteristics are especially inflated in crisis situations. Constructive relationships overcome hardships that the apocalyptic world presents. In Ricks travels he is forced to make serious decisions that impact everyone that Rick holds precious. Rick strains to lead the group in a positive moral direction with the outcome of overcoming challenges. In the television series, strong moral and ethical appeals are demonstrated through events, characters, and decisions. In one scene Rick goes into the city because he hears that there are survivors there who can provide safety. He gets trapped in a tank and is surrounded by zombies. Glenn, introduced as a new character, talks to him in the tank via walkie-talkie and guides him to safety. Later when Glenn later was taken hostage by a group of hostiles, Rick goes out of his way to get Glenn back although it endangers both the group and his life.
Rhetorical Analysis
Although the group protests, Rick explains how Glenn helped him even though Rick was a stranger to him, and why he needs to help Glenn who is now a loyal friend to him. The group does not agree with this idea at first, but eventually understands how each group member is as important as the whole. In this same venture, Rick goes back to rescue a member of the group who had been left behind. Although this group member was an antagonist who put the group in jeopardy, Rick argued that the definition of who they were as people prevented leaving him like a dog to fend for himself. The constant struggle for the moral high ground in both small and large matters defines Rick as a leader, and his group as a compassionate force in this society which just happens to be populated with the living dead. The struggle for the moral high ground competes and relates closely to emotion. A recurrent theme displayed in the show is characters dwindling away. Some characters even want to commit suicide to avoid further hardship. As our love for the characters evolves, we are drawn into an emotional spiral as they desire to end the suffering by ending their life. Andrea, who had just lost her sister in an attack undergoes signs clinical depression. Andrea pleads to stay behind when the Center for Disease Control building is about to explode. In an effort to save Andrea, another member of the group threatens to stay there with her if she does not leave. Andrea struggles to fight her depression and understand why another member of the group would put his life on the line for her decision to end her life. Her contributions and personality are something the group have come to embrace as a family. They continue to encourage her to choose life and love, as they have, in these trying times. In the same segment, in somewhat of an opposite dilemma, Jim, one of the treasured characters, has gotten bit and will eventually turn into a zombie as the virus envelopes him. He pleads for them to leave him
Rhetorical Analysis
on the side of the road to turn, alone and away from harming the group. This loyal friend chose to be abandoned in order to save the group, rather than threaten them when he turned into a zombie. The emotional appeal for the preservation of the group s emotional health is heart wrenching. Another aspect that exemplifies the humanity, morals and values is the elegance in which the characters react with logical thought processes in different situations. Two characters, at odds with each other, grow to respect each others humanity throughout the show. At various times, they save each others life by out maneuvering the zombies. In on e instance, a tactic they use was to cover themselves with the body parts of a dead zombie so that other living zombies would not detect them. Before using this gruesome approach they look at the zombies drivers license, state his name and age before he is dismantled. They suggest when this is all over they will remember how his contribution will not be forgotten. As the show progresses, it becomes apparent that each person in the group is very important, and how they are all devoted to each other. Another example of reasoning is when a small child get lost in the forest; search parties and tactics are discussed to recover the girl. No person should be left behind is the sentiment of the group. Through examples like these, Ricks group prove that people can be civil in an uncivilized time. Overall, the ideas presented by this type of theatre strongly imply evidence of how humanity, morals and values are qualities that define quality people, good relationships and leaders in life. We see how these aspects are especially inflated in crisis situations. As the story unfolds, the characters, setting, moral dilemma, and events offer excellent evidence of a deeper meaning. The character not only fight for survival, but for their humanity and morality
Rhetorical Analysis
in a world seemingly absent of these traits. The horrific events amplify all aspects of behavior and emotion. The deeper meaning aids in supplying the intended audience with more than a simple survival situation, but rather a complex situation that can be analyzed on many different levels. The characters endeavors strongly imply that the most important ideal to strive toward is one of togetherness, unity, and community that should serve as an exceptional example of the ideals society should routinely use today.
Rhetorical Analysis
