Activity

    How Persuasive Were the Bradys?

    At the 1996 Democratic Party Convention in Chicago, Sarah and Jim Brady spoke to the delegates in convention and to a national audience on television about gun control. After reading and/or listening to their speech on gun control, analyze how strategies of persuasion were used.
    1. What seemed to be the specific persuasive goal of the speech: to strengthen or weaken convictions, to convert opponents or to call for an action?
    2. How well did Sarah and Jim Brady analyze their immediate audience and the situation to adjust to the constraints? In your answer, consider the following: Did they create identification with the audience? Did they call on the audience members to be true to their own beliefs? Did they create trust? Explain your answer with examples.
    3. Were they effective in using evidence and reasoning? Explain your answer with examples.
    4. Did they effectively appeal to the audience members' emotions? Explain your answer with examples.