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  • Essay / Analysis of rhetorical strategies in the song Imagine

    by John Lennon "Imagine" presents Lennon's argument that world peace is a necessity. This song has become an important part of pop culture, Lennon proves his point through the use of several different examples throughout history. He uses rhetorical strategies like ethos, pathos, and logos. “Imagine” is a song about a better world, it sings of peace, equality and love. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay The song's lyrics contain several references to war, such as "imagine there's no country/it's not hard to do/nothing to kill or die for." This line shows Lennon's opposition to war and fighting. Because Lennon was a very well-known musician and known for expressing his opinions, the release of this song brought even more recognition to his political views. This feeling from fans reflects Lennon's strong sense of ethics. Because they have and continue to support Lennon and promote him so positively, it reinforces his legitimacy. On another note, he establishes the ethos again in one of the last stanzas. The phrase “don’t imagine possessions/I wonder if you can” seems at first glance very contradictory. The language used by Lennon in “Imagine” is very simple, but at the same time contains ambiguities. Throughout the song, he suggests that the listener "imagine" what he envisions and hopes that he can convince him to then share them as well. The repetitive phrase “you can say I’m a dreamer… but I’m not the only one” seems very open ended. However, this ambiguity only adds to Lennon's philosophy. This shows his confidence that he can change the world with his music. In the first verse, the first line of the song alone is very powerful: "Imagine there's no heaven, it's easy if you try, no hell beneath us, au- above us only the sky. It provokes a lot of thought in the audience and invites them to think about a world that is foreign to them, and then to imagine the consequences of these changes. So this creates a strong sense of pathos. Lennon adds to this feeling of friendship and togetherness later in the song with the short phrase "a brotherhood of men". This creates a bond between Lennon and his audience. The phrase is easily applicable to life because it strives to unite humanity as one, rather than dividing it by wars and other man-made difficulties, according to Lennon. His ability to have such relatable lyrics also contributes to his strong sense of pathos, as it creates a sense of unity. One of Lennon's most powerful rhetorical strategies in "Imagine" is his sense of pathos. Keep in mind: this is just a sample. Get a personalized article from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay John Lennon's rhetorical argument for world peace in his song "Imagine" is very effective. Lennon's argument is effective because it is applicable in many areas other than world peace, and all generations and types of people can relate to his argument. All elements of the song correlate to successfully connect its argument to the world. John Lennon was an incredible musician and used his talents to advocate for his opinions in his works, and "Imagine" is a great example of how music can truly impact society..