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Ellie Lowe

Jones

English 103.13

February 4, 2010

The comic from Bill Keane’s Family Circus provides an alternative view of

obnoxious sleeping habits and shows the audience how important the people are in

your life, and to cherish each moment.

The text is minimal, but important to the purpose of the message. The texts

includes the “z’” to represent sleeping, as well as the conversation between young

wife and the elderly woman about their husband’s snoring. The text delivers the

message of appreciating the people in your life when the elderly women says, “Al’s

snoring kept me awake for years. But, oh, how I miss that sound since he died.”The

writer shows how his age and wisdom have shaped his perception. I think the

writers age is important when analyzing this particular cartoon because it shows he

now appreciates what life has to offer, even if it happens to be a partner keeping you

up at night by their loud snoring. Bill Keane aims toward a family oriented,

conservative audience. However, a young reader of this cartoon might not fully

understand the concept behind it. A young adult can interpret this differently than

my grandmother who lost my grandfather 12 years ago. Someone of age will

appreciate the meaning of the cartoon more than a college student who hasn’t had

the experiences of marriage and realizing how much something means when it is

gone. The scene also appeals to a mature audience. They are sitting down having a

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cup of coffee, discussing marital issues in an old fashioned setting. This cartoon

appeals to white middle class Americans.

The author uses logos correctly in this cartoon. The structure and text are

easy to follow and comprehend. This cartoon has a simple, but powerful,

messagewith simple content. When the couple is sleeping together, the reader

knows the husband’s snoring is loud and keeping the wife awake. When the wife has

a discussion with the elder woman, the reader knows the older woman misses her

husband. The next image shows the wife sleeping next to her husband and his

snoring sounds like music. The wife has a different outlook because of the

conversation. I trust the source and artist of this cartoon because he is an elderly

man and has learned the important lessons of life, like the one he is delivering. He

uses ethos in the right way because I believe he has experienced losing a spouse, or

had a similar situation. Pathos is the most important rhetorical appeal in this

cartoon. A wide audience can relate to or understand the situation. I picked this

specific cartoon because I would think of my grandmother and it reminds me to

appreciate everyday and never take a moment for granted.

The context of Keane’s comic is social. The audience appreciates reminders

such as this one about little things in life, which we overlook. The comic focuses on

family, love, and value.

The comic is rhetorically effective in the medium used. I am persuaded by the

message to appreciate the people in my life and the little things they have to offer.

Word Count: 511

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Work Cited

Keane, Bill. Family Circus By Request. Carmel, New York: Guideposts, 1998. Print.