The Role of Visual Rhetoric in the Vegetarian Movement: “Meet Your Meat†Video of Animal Torture on the PETA Website

Abstract

: Images have the power to create natural representation of reality, vividness in human memory and have rhetorical effect. However, visual rhetoric can create positive and negative feeling to persuade people. Negative feelings can be designed to make emotional reactions and spark action. Consequently, humans will consider ways to deal with the negative and discomfort feelings. In this paper, the writer analyzes the connection between visual rhetoric and emotional appeal by examining the controversial PETA video “Meet your Meatâ€. The writer will use the visual rhetoric, emotions, and cognitive dissonance theory to analyze the video and increase the understanding about the human emotions, especially disgust and guilt