Page Wise

English 103-33

Jin Liu

January 25, 2009

Prevention of Horse Slaughter

What comes to mind when you think of a horse?  Does untouchable beauty come to mind, seeing a wild horse running free in wide-open fields?  Or do you think of seeing a live horse hanging by its’ hind legs waiting to be slaughtered?  Currently tens of thousands of horses are shipped over the boarders of Mexico and Canada to slaughterhouses. Not only is it a horrible thing to do to a helpless animal, but also the ensuing process that takes place is highly illegal. The political cartoon by G.J. Caulkins utilizes many rhetorical devices and cannons such as narration, pathos, and ethos to suggest that the destroyed relationship between Kimosabe and his horse, Silver, represents the horrid truth that horses are slaughtered for the production of everyday glue.

The central image of the cartoon is the famous cowboy Kimosabe who is known for his “High Ho, Silver! Away!”  He is sniffing glue that he made from his horse, Silver, with his tongue hanging out of his mouth.  Tanto, standing beside him, has his eyes wide and almost “popping” out of his head in shock.  The statement underneath the characters explains that Tanto, Kimosabe’s friend, finds out what glue is actually made out of.  Kimosabe’s posture enhances the humor of the cartoon, focusing on his tongue hanging out of his mouth.  The fact that he is sitting on large containers labeled as glue, shows that his relationship with his steed meant little to him and that he would rather get high off of glue.  Tanto, Kimosabe’s partner, stance shows concern for Silver.  The text above the characters reveals the shock Tanto is experiencing. 

Caulkins used many rhetorical devices to enable the reader to understand just what he wanted them too.  Of the nine devices, Caulkins uses narration, description and illustration.  The narration used in his cartoon is text, where the characters are speaking or thinking something.  Description is used to show the details in the cartoon.  The cartoon itself is an illustration; illustration is used to show how the product can impact a person’s life (Alfano O’Brian, 31).  In this cartoon the rhetorical device, written narration, is used to explain the comical situation or to tell the story of what happened by using text.  Tanto is the only character to speak in the cartoon, but this is because Kimosabe is high off of sniffing the glue that was made out of his long time friend and horse, Silver.   The text underneath the comic is written narration as well.  It is used to describe what Tanto has just learned about glue and Silver.  By using key words, such as “horrible” in the cartoon helps the reader “hear” the trauma in situation.  Description is used at the bottom of the Caulkins’ cartoon.  It is used to summarize and explain the plot of the comic.  Usually when someone reads the comic, they immediately look to the words.  First they see the conversation between characters; however, in this situation they can look further to the bottom of the comic and see the description of the situation that will help the reader further understand the cartoon.

Caulkins uses rhetorical appeals to persuade the reader to understand, feel, think or agree to what he does.  There are three rhetorical appeals: logos, pathos and ethos.  Logos is the “rational appeal” includes statistics and facts.   Pathos is the “pathetic appeal” and targets the reader’s emotions to persuade them.  Ethos is the “ethical appeal” which involves the credibility of the author.  Of the three rhetorical devices, Caulkins uses pathos and ethos.  Pathos, the pathetic appeal, is used to reach to the reader’s emotions.  It is used in two ways: humor and sympathy.  Because the comic is about a controversial subject, Caulkins uses humor to lighten the atmosphere; however, he uses a subject that causes the reader to feel sympathetic for the horse.  Many people are unaware of the fear and suffering a horse goes through before it is slaughtered.  Under federal law, horses are supposed to be unconscious before they are shot in the brain with a bolt gun.  Unfortunately, the majority of the times, horses are conscious when their throats are slit.  Their death usually caused by suffocation.  The cartoon provides sympathy when Tanto is so upset due to the loss of Kimosabe’s horse, but also provides humor when Kimosabe is sniffing glue to get high.  “Ethos is the deliberate use of the speaker’s character as a mode of persuasion,” (Alfano O’Brian, 31).   One can see the author’s opinion in his cartoon by seeing how shocked Tanto is to find out the Sliver was killed and made into glue.  He is clearly alarmed and appalled that horses are made into glue.  Shows how everything is tied together and how everything fits in the world.

What comes to mind now when you think of a horse?   Understanding the beginning, the process, and the outcome of a situation are key strategies in realizing what is morally right or wrong.   With Caulkins’ use of rhetorical devices and cannons in his political cartoon, the readers are able to understand his opinion on the subject.  He was successful on getting his point across but not only causing the reader to become sympathetic to the situation, but he provided humor as well.  The cartoon was successful in catching the reader’s attention and hooking them into learning more about the subject, a victorious strategy from Caulkins.

Works Cited

Envision in Depth. Pearson Education, Inc., 2008.

 

End Horse Slaughter Permanently. Humane Society of the United States. .