Download Rhetorical Analysis “Shooting Dad” In the essay “Shooting Dad” by

Rhetorical Analysis “Shooting Dad”
In the essay “Shooting Dad” by Sarah Vowell, the author uses rhetoric to help the
reader feel as well as understand the relationship between her and her father. Vowell uses
figurative language and imagery to help the reader understand the humor in this
relationship. By using figurative language, imagery, and humor, Vowell helps the reader
understand this relationship and how one event changed it.
Vowell uses a lot of imagery. For example, when she describes her first experience
shooting a gun, she says, “It kicked little me back to the ground like a bully, like a foe.” The
reader can picture a little girl getting knocked back to the ground by the recoil as well as
feel the hurt that she felt. By using imagery like this it makes the story more personal and
makes the reader feel as though he or she is right there with her.
The author uses a lot of figurative language in her story. One example is “The sound
of it was as big as God.” She also goes on to say, “It kicked little me back to the ground like a
bully, like a foe.” By using this figurative language, Vowell kind of exaggerates the truth. By
doing so, you know what it felt like for her.
In the story, Vowell also uses a lot of humor. “According to Dad’s historical source, a
man know to scholars as ‘A Guy at the Museum.’” She also writes about how a newspaper
clipping she put on the refrigerator landed in the trash can because of gravity. By using
humor, Vowell shows what kind of relationship she had with her father. The did not always
get along, but they did not hate each other; the relationship she had with her father was
very playful.
In “Shooting Dad,” by Sarah Vowell, the author uses rhetoric to help the reader feel
as well as understand her relationship with her dad. Without the use of imagery, figurative
language, and humor, Vowell would not have achieved her overall desired effect. The
author helps the reader understand the type of relationship she had with her father.