Last night, the President of the United States lead his first State of the Union. This is an address given yearly each January by the President to Congress, to express plans for legislation to lay out the President's plan as well. The Rolling Stone has made an article concerning the State of the Union Address given on January, 30th.
This article by Matt Laslo gives a list of '5 things' the audience did not get to see on the TV while the event was being aired. Laslo uses informal diction in his article, attempting to provide a tone of humor and sarcasm-satire. When describing the smell of the Capitol, he describes it as smelling like a "greasy diner or college dorm..." (Laslo). He wrote this in a descriptive way, but used language that would not be found in a formal essay, especially in one addressing the nation's Capitol. In addition he includes "(take that, Trump!)" further illustrating the informal diction used, as this is something the author would say to a friend. Laslo shows a low level of emotional attachment as most of the words and phrases he writes are all phrased in a joking matter, that pokes fun at the issue of Trump, or the United State's government. Though he pokes fun at it, this could show how he does not agree with Donald Trump, making his emotions towards the address negative-thus explaining the joking tone. This emotion of, what is almost like pettiness, is shown through the humorous air he includes. By using these informal words, he succeeds in demonstrating a satirical tone as he ridicules the Capitol by providing five things that happens 'behind the scenes.' He shows this immediately by naming his first point, "The Capitol smells worse than a college dorm" (Laslo). By including this ridiculing statement of the Capitol, it automatically informs the reader of his views, and the stance his satirical and sarcastic article takes. In addition, he reported about bars offering drinking games for each time Trump said a word he uses relentlessly: '"America First,' 'Middle Class,' [and] 'Fake News'" (Laslo). This makes fun of the President and his views, as they turned some of his major points, and statements, into a game. This of course, pokes fun at the President himself, showing the ridiculing and somewhat mocking, amusing tone. Matt Laslo also took advantage of other rhetorical devices in constructing his article. He used hyperboles-an extreme exaggeration-throughout the article. One example of this is shown through what Laslo labeled as point number four: "Lawmakers behave like little kids" (Laslo). This is a simile-another rhetorical device- as well, as it includes 'like' while comparing lawmakers to children. This is a hyperbole because Lawmakers are not acting exactly like young children do. He uses this to show that lawmakers act immaturely as they wait for supposed hours to get a seat close enough to shake Trump's hand. He does not mean that they act like young children who cry, have tantrums, and cannot use the bathroom by themselves. He also appeals to pathos as well, as he tries to relate to people's sense of humor and what they will find funny. This is shown when he writes about the lawmakers who wait for hours to get a seat close to Trump, he compares them to "young teens who camp out for hours... to score tickets for Katy Perry..." (Laslo). This paints an appeal to pathos as this was said in a humorous light to make the audience laugh. The author's purpose is to simply make fun of the President and his administration, through criticizing what supposedly goes on at Capitol Hill during events like the State of the Union through humorous inputs. This is present in his titles of the points that show what he believes goes on beyond the cameras. Through this, he shows his own views as well, as he makes fun of a Republican. In addition, The Rolling Stone is also a historically democratic news source, furthering the proof of it being bias towards the republican adminstration. His views come through when he inserts this quote by Engel that states: "I don't agree with what the president's doing, and I don't want to show any kind of approval" (Laslo). Here, he criticizes the President. This purpose is interesting as he expresses his own ideas and views, in a funny way, to make people laugh. There is nothing wrong with this purpose, but those who do not agree with democratic views, could find this article offensive, or off kilter-ed.
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