Gasland by Josh Fox - Movie Review Example

Gasland by Josh Fox Introduction This essay analyzes the rhetorical (persuasive) strategies used to make the argument in the Gasland documentary. In doing this, I will identify the thesis of the documentary. Ideally, I will focus on Focus on three areas, which include speech, sound, and visuals. Ultimately, I will draft my own thesis statement to describe the persuasiveness of the film’s rhetorical strategies. Gasland is a 2010 environmental film cast is America and written by Josh Fox. Indeed, Gas land is an exceptional documentary that derives the environmental effects from natural gas extraction. The documentary depicts the reaction of Josh Fox after his father receives a letter in May 2008, from a natural gas company, which sought to lease Fox’s facility land to drill natural gas for $100,000 (Fox Film). The natural gas company sought to use hydraulic fracturing or “fracking” method to extract the gas. The documentary depicts Josh’s analytical investigation on the American communities impacted by the drilling of the natural gas using the hydraulic fracturing method. Thesis of the Documentary The thesis of the documentary seeks to inform the audience on the environmental effects and human effects from natural gas drilling. Indeed, the documentary uses dark humor to discuss a detailed analysis on the broader effects of the controversial extraction method, hydraulic fracturing, or fracking that is rampant across the globe. The documentary seeks to negate the assertion that natural gas is a clean and safe alternative to oil. In addition, the documentary confirms that the fracked wells leak more often thus polluting the environment through water and air pollution, which endangers the environment and disturbs families (Fox Film). Rhetorical (persuasive) Strategies in the Documentary Notably, the documentary uses the three persuasive strategies, which include logos, pathos, and ethos. Moreover, the documentary uses rhetorical devices to apply the persuasive strategies to support the argument. In this context, I will focus on sound, speech, and visual images in discussing the rhetorical (persuasive) strategies in the documentary. Speech The documentary starts with a voice saying, I am not a pessimist. I’ve always had a great deal of faith in people (Fox Film).” The speaker says this in a light note. The speaker further says that, “a great deal of faith in people that we wouldn’t succumb to frenzy, or rage, or greed; that we’d figure out a solution without destroying the things that we love (Fox Film).” This comes in a convincing tone that asserts respect for the environment. More so, Josh Fox says that the proposal from the natural gas company to lease Fox’s family land for purposes of drilling natural gas generated a debate in the family. Indeed, Fox’s father initially had the thought of leasing the land for the $100,000 offer (Fox Film). On the other hand, Fox tells his father, ‘I think I have to look into this, so give me some time to go ahead and get the facts.” Indeed, even though, Fox said this in a commanding voice, Fox’s father allowed him to seek for facts and evidence regarding the effects of hydraulic fracturing on the community neighboring the drilling site. In fact, Josh Fox is the dominant narrator in the documentary where he gives a personal story. He engaged in interviews, discussions, and debates seeking to unearth the possible environmental effects of hydraulic fracturing. As a result, the film offers facts and evidence in spoken form through the interviews. We can actually experience Josh Fox talking with residents suffering from chronic health ailments that relate to air pollution and water contamination from the drilling of the natural gas using the hydraulic fracturing (Fox Film). This offers facts and evidence in spoken form through the discussions. More so, the residents report on their quest for justice where they visited the court to get an injunction seeking for damages from the natural gas companies. The court injunction mandated the gas companies to replace the contaminated water with clean water or water purifiers. These are facts from the speech. Moreover, during his travelling and talking to residents affected by natural gas drilling, Fox was able to establish wells with leaking fracking chemicals that contaminated the water supplies and methane released to the air (Fox Film). Consequently, Fox encountered people suffering from the effects of the gas lands. The personal story contributes to the argument in that it derives a firsthand experience and establishes the accuracy of the information presented. In addition, the documentary manifests appeals to logic and emotion where Fox associates the suffering of the residents with the drilling of the natural gas. Ideally, I can identify important words that one can repeat. Phrases like, “I have a great deal of faith in people” serve the purpose of persuading the audience. Notably, speech contributes to the thesis of the documentary as it derives the facts and evidence that relate the drilling of natural gas and human suffering in such neighborhoods. Sound The documentary uses sound to persuade the audience on the effects of hydraulic fracturing in drilling natural gas. The film uses music of a tone that depicts human hope and positivity through the interviews. More so, the music is humane, funny, and real thus depicting the actual environmental situation subject to the effects of hydraulic fracturing in drilling natural gas (Fox Film). For instance, fox played some banjo tracks. Other music tracks included 4 Minute Warning performed by Radiohead and This Land Is Your Land by Pete Seeger (Fox Film). At the same time, the documentary did not change the music thus depicting consistency of ideas in the documentary’s argument. The music in the documentary also derives emotions and helps in the narration as it relates to the events in the documentary. More so, we have background noise that depicts the ruthless effects that the environment encounters from the hydraulic fracturing in drilling natural gas. Notably, the music appeals to one’s sense of logic or emotion as it helps the audience to identify with the suffering and adverse effects that the society and the environment derives from natural gas drilling. Indeed, the music derives a sense of persuasion to the argument. Music relates to speech in that it correlates with the tone of the speech to establish an emotional appeal. The emotional appeal thereby contributes to the thesis of the documentary by identifying with the suffering that amounts from the drilling of the natural gas. Visuals The documentary also relied on visuals to persuade the audience in supporting the argument. Josh Fox created visual images like photographs and other images to influence individuals. Notably, cameras in the documentary capture the stunning expressions of Fox on encountering the dire effects of drilling natural gases (Fox Film). This creates an emotional appeal, which persuades the audience to identify with and support the argument. For example, we can see the alarming virtual image of water catching fire subject to contamination by fracking (Fox Film). This derives the reality of the matter and depicts facts and evidence, which support the argument. Additionally, the narration starts with a backdrop of rugged and snow-capped mountains surrounded by colored platforms, transporting machines, and storage facilities (Fox Film). This presents the audience with the representation of a drilling well under hydraulic fracturing. This creates an emotional appeal and identifies with the documentary’s thesis. The documentary has artistically beautiful shots that enhance cohesion in the documentary and hence the thesis statement. Ultimately, the documentary presents the visual image of Josh Fox with frame wearing a baseball cap, white t-shirt, and gas mask (Fox Film). This depicts the protective attire that one needs in a drilling well under hydraulic fracturing. Most assuredly, the visuals apply in tandem with speech and sound. In addition, the visuals appeal to one’s sense of emotion as they attract the audience towards viewing, following, and understanding the documentary. My Thesis Statement Drilling natural gas using the hydraulic fracturing method derives adverse effects to the environment and human life. Drilling natural gas leads to water contamination and air pollution as seen in the Gas land documentary. Indeed, residents staying around drilling well suffer chronic diseases and other ailments subject to the effects of environmental pollution by hydraulic fracturing. As such, residents should avoid such areas and governments should regulate drilling of natural resources to ensure environmental sustainability and healthy living of the residents. Works Cited Fox, Josh, dir. Gasland. New Video Group, 2010. Film. Read More