On the Want of Money Analysis, 10/21/16

     As humanity evolved, both socially and culturally, money has become an important part of people’s lives. One often finds him or herself in the pursuit of it – to have money means to have a place to live in, food to eat, and access to most, if not all, necessities of life. In his essay “On the Want of Money” William Hazlitt, a nineteenth-century English author, developed an analysis of money and how people’s lives revolve around it. He has little appraise of money in the essay, and holds a negative position in its regard. With the use of with the use of diction, humorous tone, and syntactic strategies, Hazlitt argues that it does not matter whether one does or does not have money – in both scenarios, the person will end up unhappy and distressed.   

     Diction plays an important role in the development of Hazlitt’s position on money.  Words with negative associations tied to them are used all throughout the essay. Words such as “scrutinized”, “neglect”, “thrall” and “exile” serve the purpose of evoking feelings of sadness and vulnerability in the audience, and since these words are describing money, money itself becomes something negative.

To develop his position on money, Hazlitt maintains a humorous tone throughout the essay.

Hazlitt makes several joking expressions, “to marry your landlady” and “return home with a liver complaint”. Such use of humor connects Hazlitt with his audience, and as he proceeds with his argument – the want of money controls people’s lives and eventually makes them end up in sorrow and regret – it is taken more seriously.

     In "On the Want of Money" , Hazlitt created one long, extended sentence that reaches for over 40 lines. In this single sentence, he describes one effect of money after the next without slowing down or stopping. Such syntax is symbolic for the struggle that people face when pursuing wealth – one obstacle after the next, the negative effects of money, sorrow, disappointment, regret, keep piling up as the time goes on, and it seems as if there is no end to it.

Ambien CR Advertisement, 10/9/16

               The Ambien CR advertisement is an interesting work of rhetoric. With the use of ethos, pathos, and logos, this sleeping pill commercial presents a sophisticated visual argument – “this stuff is great, buy it now.”

               A woman wakes up in the middle of the night in a small, empty room. A rooster is sitting in front of her. This bird is symbolic for insomnia – an issue this woman has been struggling with for a while. She gets up and goes to work. The woman just sits there, silently staring at the bird, while her co-workers throw pitiful glances in her way.

               The colors surrounding her are dull, lifeless; the motion of the camera is slow, with long, immobile shots. Everything is constructed in the way to give the viewer a feeling of this woman’s hopelessness. We all have those days when we can’t sleep, or go to bed too late, or wake up too early – it usually feels terrible the next day. The creators of the advertisement play on this tiredness, and as the audience begins to feel bad for the woman on the screen, they utilize pathos as a way to sell the product.

               When Ambien CR pills are finally introduced, the setting immediately changes. The color scheme is now brighter than ever, the woman is smiling and her face looks rested, even rejuvenated. She wakes up in a large room with white walls, and, to her surprise, the rooster is gone. “The pills work!” – says the woman’s facial expression. This detail acts as ethos – “Look how refreshed she looks; we [consumers] want to look (feel) like that too!”

               Logos plays an important role in this advertisement as well. During the clip, narrator describes how this medication works, its benefits, as well as potential side-effects. They don’t lie about possible consequences –dependency, dizziness, depression – and this approach can either attract or scare away consumers. The majority, though, might appreciate the honesty and contact their doctor to find out more.

               Through this advertisement, Ambien CR gives a bit of hope to people who struggle with insomnia. The use of pathos, ethos, and logos is effective and works well with the concept and plot of the commercial, and as a whole, this commercial is a successful visual argument.