Humbug! Hoaxes in Literature and Culture.

Park City, Utah is one of my favorite places in the world due to the incredible ski conditions and the close friends that my family has there. One part of the city that has always stood out to me though is the immense forests which surround the slopes and number of skiers who go out alone. Forests are key settings for many horror films, and so it could be believable in the eyes of some to see a ghost hidden in the trees. This seemed easy at first, but after finding the images, I had to teach myself to use photoshop which was no easy task. The online videos did not help and I had a lot of trouble trying to cut the image of a ghost and drag it into a new layer of the picture. After finally learning to use the eraser and layer tools together, I realized the main issue was finding a ghost photo that actually came close to blending in with the background. This could be convincing now, because the ghost does look mildly similar in color to the background and remains unnoticed by the children who should be the most affected. Since ghosts aren’t usually seen until after the fact, when looking at photos at home, this could be a typical ghost photo that believers are fearful of.

The article first starts out by introducing a situation that many people can relate to because they’ve either experienced it for themselves or have seen another person experience it. This aspect is an example of Logos. The fact that a 4-year old wants his dad on the ride with him is a logical situation because it’s a common “event” in the human experience. The usage of quotes such as “It’s unbelievable that this kid can’t even handle just sitting there while the carousel spins around…” is an example of Ethos. The dialogue makes the article more credible and easier to believe. Pathos isn’t explicitly used in this article, but the tone lends itself to provoking an emotion, whether it’s laughter of anger. The author is aware of his/her audience and knows that poking fun at a kid wanting his parent while riding a merry-go-round will ensue some sort of emotion whether it is positive or negative. All of these rhetorical techniques work together to make a joke about the childhood experience. Mocking a child, using a logical situation, and having a cheeky tone creates an effective satire. Logos puts the satire into perspective for the readers, ethos makes the story seem real, while pathos slyly delivers the joke.

The Onion uses the public’s desire to see the downfall of successful people to create a hoax in the article “Goodwill Executives Arrested After Years of Skimming Donated Goods Off Top.” For example, most people rooted for David when he went against Goliath. The article appeals to the pathos of the audience. The language of the article also reflects that of a reporter, which allows the audience to place their trust in the author. The credibility of the author is confirmed through the tone of the article: “In what authorities are calling one of the most wide-reaching and deplorable cases of embezzlement in recent history, seven executives at Goodwill Industries International were arrested Thursday for allegedly skimming used clothing, old furniture, small appliances, and thousands of other donated items from the charitable group.” However, the subject of top executives of the nonprofit stealing Jane Fonda workout videos, costume jewelry, promotional umbrellas from auto insurance companies, and more junk seems too unrealistic.  In this article, there is no logos and most of the audience, after reading a few paragraphs, will see that it is written as a hoax.

http://www.theonion.com/article/goodwill-executives-arrested-after-years-skimming–51247

According to a highly experienced team of geologists at Georgetown University, the Earth’s current trends are revealing that its solid inner core will likely be the most livable part of the planet by 2060. The reputable institution from which this originated from even makes readers skeptical of what science has deemed to be impossible over the years. The study’s co-author, Lance Orzowski, reports based on his team’s findings: “In order to ensure future generations grow up and reside in the best environment available, people will need to make preparations in the coming years to move their families to this highly compressed metallic ball surrounded by swirling liquid metal.” By directly addressing the readers’ wellbeing and employing an urgent, authoritative tone, the writer builds credibility while also penetrating the underlying fears amongst the audience members for their own safety. Orzowski presents hard-core facts supporting his findings, one of which  being that the inner core’s year-round temperature of 9,700 degrees Fahrenheit and its pressure of 3.5 million atmospheres would make it the most attractive location on the planet in which to live, work, and raise a family by mid-century. Knowing that the vast majority of the middle class is faced with the dilemma outline above, Orzowski hit home for most readers; however, he certainly did not exclude the wealthy from this finding. Due to the limited surface area- yet another piece of scientific evidence making the idea seem all the more feasible- only the wealthiest would be able to purchase property on the inner core, thereby leaving the rest of the world’s population to “make do” in magma chambers beneath the Earth’s crust. Nevertheless, the article’s similar formatting to most serious scientific pieces persuades readers of the earnest intentions of the writer, making it appear not quite as far-fetched as the title suggests.

Article link: http://www.theonion.com/article/new-study-finds-earths-core-will-be-most-habitable-51071

Though most understand that The Onion is a satirical website completely dedicated to hoaxes, part of what makes it so entertaining is its use of rhetorical strategies.  The rhetorical strategies are so effective that our imagination momentarily indulges us in the fantasy of the situation presented. The Onion uses the strategies of the rhetorical triangle to make their articles this “believable.” The recent article from September 8 titled “Refugees Grateful For Chance To See Europe While Being Bounced From Country To Country” implements the three points of the triangle: ethos, logos, and pathos.

Perhaps one of the most important contributions towards its believability is its logos or structure, including its title, quotations, etc. The article uses a structure familiar to even casual news article readers. It has a headline at the top, and begins with a location- in this case Budapest, Hungary- a structure the reader would see in news papers such the New York Times. Just earlier today I skimmed an article on wildfires in California from the that very newspaper, and it began with stating the location in the same way, (in that case, Fresno, California). Furthermore, The Onion’s article uses quotations to add a sense of credibility to its claims. In fact, just the second sentence already implements this technique. It quotes a (fake) Syrian refugee, and even gives them a name. The article continues on and adds another, even longer quotation from the same “refugee.”  The reader is more likely to find the article even slightly more believable because there is someone with a name and nationality behind the quotations.

This story also invokes pathos.  It attempts to invoke emotions in the reader through its use of quotations and stories from their “refugee” source.  The source is full of excitement, which conveys the sense of gratitude that the title mentions. He says phrases like “hopefully… we’ll be off to somewhere new!” (The Onion). The apparent excitement of the article’s source adds to the credibility of the emotional credibility of the article.

Finally, the article uses ethos to continue building trust through a confident delivery.  Other than the quotes from the source, who is perhaps a little bit too excited given his circumstances, the article is written in a relatively formal way. It contains a legitimate location, real locations that the refugees were travelling through, and expands on a legitimate problem that the world is facing about how to handle the refugees. In addition, the writer of the story never blatantly suggests that the article is false, and quotes a “real” person just as many journalists do.

Ultimately, the reader understands that the article is a hoax, especially towards the end, but regardless of the legitimacy of the article, the use of rhetorical strategies is very prevalent.

Depression seems to be overlooked in our society and over-dramatized in the wrong ways by social media and entertainment. It isn’t always considered a serious mental condition and people may perceive depression as unimportant since they think it can be easily cured. The author of this article highlights how wrong the general public may be about the disease. He appeals to the audience by using pathos and targeting an audience ignorant enough to buy into the idea of a “depression checklist”. This term is ironically presented in the title because there may not always be a specific criteria to define the symptoms of depression. Thus, it would be difficult to come up with a universal list of solutions, since every individual requires a different personalized approach to recovery. The author highlights this misjudged assumption by utilizing satirical language in the quotes embedded within the text. Zenner claims, “I just connect with it on some deep existential level”, which is extremely sarcastic considering a checklist appears unsympathetic and ineffective. Although the author successfully utilizes quotes to appeal to the readers and to give himself more credibility, his purposeful use of sarcasm reveals the article’s intention to make fun of society. Throughout the article, the author utilizes ethos, pathos and logos to effectively create a seemingly legitimate argument about mental health. However, the article’s publication source, The Onion, and the obvious sarcasm reveal the author’s true criticism of a misunderstood mental health issue.

Who doesn’t know Tom Brady and the whirlwind of drama that has followed him as of late last year? According to this recent post by The Onion, Tom Brady has been physically unable to stop smirking in response to the overturned suspension call.

The analysis of this article all starts with the audience. The story is meant for everyone able to catch onto the satire present; Brady fans, haters, and even those who know only that he plays football can enjoy this article of pure fiction.

Although at first sight, it may seem very credible, the tone of the article gives a very satirical representation of the actual meaning of the story. It is full of direct quotes and factual evidence, that if one did not know any better, would therefore believe the entire article to be true. An example of fake credibility comes from a Tom Brady quote, which states that, “I was obviously really happy when I heard the judge’s decision, but it’s seven days later and all the muscles in my face are still just stuck like this.” It is almost humorous when the article describes the panicked look in his eyes and fear in his words, all the while still smirking. Is it even possible to smirk non-stop for seven days straight?

The text also is a good analysis of this sarcastic article. It is realistic in its apparent reactions by Tom Brady and speaks of actions that he could have possibly done. “Brady had finally fallen asleep with a pained smirk still frozen on his face”. The article’s manner is as if it had been right there in front of Brady as he slept, giving a first person account of his complicated sleeping arrangement. All-in-all, this article is a great representation of a hoax. It is put into a seeming credible online news page, with a plethora of eye-catching headlines all over, drawing in you attention to articles that are nothing more than satirical nonsense.

Had Pangaea not been discovered some hundred years ago, The Onion’s claim that Earth’s animals once formed a giant ‘super-animal’ may have been quite compelling. The article immediately established ethos, or a credible source of information, citing a recent study done by researchers at Penn State University. Known as a large research university, the general public would have no reason to doubt findings presented by Penn State, allowing this hoax to gain efficient credibility within the readers’ minds. While this article lacked in the category of pathos, this did not necessarily work against it in any way. Represented as a huge break in the science field, it would have seemed odd if they attempted to persuade the reader by appealing to their emotions. Instead, by presenting factual evidence, the article came off as sophisticated, keeping neutral ground with any related ethical beliefs. In this sense, the lack of pathos actually helped develop a stronger hoax, allowing the article to come off as more believable. Another large component of the article’s potential to persuade readers of the truth behind the hoax is the reasoning displayed. The logos used in the article are in fairly simple terms, allowing almost anyone to understand the reasoning behind the evidence. Gary Albright, a supposed lead researcher at Penn State, stated, “if one looks at certain species closely, it’s possible to see how, for example, the giraffe’s neck fits together with the hippopotamus’s underbelly, or the dolphin’s tail forms a perfect contour with the stingray’s back.” It is easy to visualize this, especially when using the graphic of the ‘super-animal’ at the top of the webpage. Despite the ethos, pathos, and logos used strategically throughout the article, The Onion’s claim still appears as far-fetched under the well known historical evidence of Pangaea.

What is news? The onion often construes true events with satirical analysis to form comedic articles that it presents as “news”. In one case, The Onion describes complaints from the Republican Party about president Obama turning 50 years old. The author of the article sounds authoritative and knowledgeable. He or she is trying to mimic that of a political analysis in order to give his or her opinion credibility. The author uses language that replicates that of a real political reporter: “After months of heated negotiations and failed attempts to achieve any kind of consensus, President Obama turned 50 years old Thursday, drawing strong criticism from Republicans in Congress”. The specific phrasing sounds like an ordinary news article from a reputable source, making it sound more credible. Mostly due to the author’s serious and objective tone when mixed with the content of the article, the message, when observed within the context of the political world of which it pertains, drips with irony. The words speak about Obama turning 50 as if it weren’t inevitable. It also claims that his birthday takes away from his duties as president: “With the host of problems this country is currently facing, the fact that our president is devoting time to the human process of aging is an affront to Americans everywhere”. The statement mirrors that of political discourse but contains nothing but discontent for something the president cannot control. However, within the context of politics in America, the article reflects some of the idiotic claims that senators and congressmen have made about the president or other members of the United States government that waste time and matter little in the big picture. . The readers of the article should be amused by it based on its subject and interpretation of the event. Most people who read the onion know of its satirical sense of humor and never take its information at face value.

Article Link- http://www.theonion.com/article/obama-turns-50-despite-republican-opposition-21061

The article first starts out by introducing a situation that many people can relate to because they’ve either experienced it for themselves or have seen another person experience it. This aspect is an example of Logos. The fact that a 4-year old wants his dad on the ride with him is a logical situation because it’s a common “event” in the human experience. The usage of quotes such as “It’s unbelievable that this kid can’t even handle just sitting there while the carousel spins around…” is an example of Ethos. The dialogue makes the article more credible and easier to believe. Pathos isn’t explicitly used in this article, but the tone lends itself to provoking an emotion, whether it’s laughter of anger. The author is aware of his/her audience and knows that poking fun at a kid wanting his parent while riding a merry-go-round will ensue some sort of emotion whether it is positive or negative.