Analyse af 'Bowling for Columbine'

Bowling for Columbine is a documentary film, directed by Michael Moore and it was released in 2002. Moore is searching for answers, as to what the cause of the massacre at Columbine High School may be, and other violent incidents in which weapons have been included. Michael Moore puts a lot of emphasis on the environment of the shootings. In the discussion he involves different people such as the National Rifle Association’s former president Charlton Heston, and musician Marilyn Manson, to shed light on the massacre, and partly why the United States of America has a higher proportion of violent crime than other countries.

In the film, the three appeal forms come in play. These are pathos, ethos and logos. The way that pathos is used in the documentary is very strong. On endless occasions, Michael arouses hate and anger against the killers, and anguish and sadness for the victims, and hope and trust for those who are forced to live with mental and physical fear of different incidents with guns. For example when Moore is interviewing the victims outside of Columbine High School, after the school massacre. They cried and grieved, and through tears they explained how they had to survive with guns at their heads and the two shooters with their hands on the trigger. This short scene makes us feel like we must make a change, because nobody deserves to feel that way and be scared like these victims, and once again this is a classical example of how that pathos is used to victimize the survivors.