A. Rhetorical mode used by the writer to develop the essay
III. Question 4
A. Examples of two other rhetorical modes used in conjunction with the central one
1. Narration
2. Description
IV. Question 5
A. Essay reaction
B. Idea generation
C. Main idea formulation that could serve as the focus for an essay.
D. An essay on the main idea stated
"John Lennon, Michael Jackson: Do Celebrities Die Anymore?"by Katrina Onstad
Question 2: summary of the essay
The author, Katrina Onstad cites George Lucas as a person looking forward to producing a movie using dead movie stars through computer trickeries. Therefore, there will be possibilities of having dead actors like Barbra Stanwyck and Orson Welles among other living stars on the same screen (Onstad 1). Katrina notes that dead movie and music stars who were famous around the world during their prime years have been used posthumously to make millions of dollars by their family members and other licensed film production companies. The late Michael Jackson for example, made approximately over $275-million and his album featured both Dave Grohl and Lenny Kravitz (Onstad 1). Many advertisements in the mainstream media have used dead celebrities, but the audience takes the news differently with some deciding to boycott the advertised products while other deciding to use them. Advanced technology through computer trickeries is responsible for the use of images of the dead stars. Therefore, Katrina cites that the dead celebrities do not die on screen since their images are used to make money many years after their death. The living celebrities should be wary and seek to create a value of their work by limiting the use of dead actors. Research indicates that the living humans have an inborn fascination with death and the living have mastered the art of using the dead in a profitable endeavor.
Question 3: rhetorical mode used by the writer to develop the essay
The writer uses exposition rhetorical mode to develop the essay. Notably, the style is dominant through the many examples used by Katrina Onstad to explain the main idea in the article that dead celebrities through the use of technology continue to be used to make profits in the film and media industry. The author cites Michael Jackson, an American singer, dancer, and songwriter who died in 2009 but his albums continue to be released making millions of dollars as profit. Also, examples of celebrities like Albert Einstein and Kristin Scott Thomas have been given in the essay where the two have been used by Dorchester hotel to release an advertising campaign (Onstad 1). The author also uses description features to explain the central theme of the article. He cites that the dead celebrities are not just reduced but also reissued, remixed, and revived for purposes of money making. Remarkably, description exposition rhetorical mode is crucial in the essay for purposes of presenting evidence to support the primary claim of the author. Use dead celebrities in film and media industry is a sensitive topic and the author needs to come up with a series of examples of the victims of the vice to demonstrate that the issue is not fiction but a reality. The different examples illustrated in the essay prove that the dead celebrities such as Michael Jackson, Albert Einstein and Kristin Scott Thomas have been misused to make profits.
Question 4: examples of two other rhetorical modes used in conjunction with the central one
Narration and description are the two other rhetorical modes used by the author in conjunction with exposition to develop the easy. Storytelling is evident where the author cites various years where films involving dead people have been released. In the year 1997, the author mentions the release of an ad containing Fred Astaire dancing with a vacuum cleaner (Onstad 1). In 2009, Katrina noted the millions of profits made by GreenLight by renting former stars for endorsements (Onstad 1). Also, description is evident where the author describes how the dead celebrities are used to make money using computers and selling of their albums, long after their demise. Use of description and narration has helped the author to explain the main ideas behind his writing and has helped him to communicate his central notion through writing.
Question 5: demonstration of understanding using strategies used to generate ideas
a. Essay reaction
The essay was intriguing based on the various examples cited by the author illustrating how the dead celebrities have been used in the past to make money. The article is challenging on the issue of employing people who are no longer part of the living to appear on the screen without their consent. Outstandingly, the author has cited use of technology to create image fallacies and thus making it difficult to differentiate between the living and the dead stars in a film.
b. Idea generation
Death puts an end to the real-time glory of the deceased, and the living only remains with their memories. Technology has made it possible to use images of the dead celebrities to make films, videos, and adverts. Usually, the dead cannot grant or deny consent of their use in their absence. Therefore, the act can be regarded as unjustified since it is nothing but trickery. The living should strive to make their legacies but not through using the departed heroes and heroines. Filmmakers should not seek to create a compelling film using the dead but should instead work to identify talents among the living and make a name out of them.
c. Main idea formulation that could serve as the focus for an essay.
Using the dead to make profits is an issue that is of interest. The dead should be respected and allowed to rest in peace. History is made by the living and using the already departed is an act of living in the past. New and upcoming stars should be used to make thrilling movies and films to give them a chance to shine just like their dead predecessors. In most cases, dead celebrities set the pace, and the living should emulate them and make their legacies even greater. Therefore, the main idea statement that could serve as the focus of an essay is the use of the living legends to make movies and films to conserve their legacies while alive.
d. An essay on the main idea stated
The living celebrities should be used to make films and movies. The works of the dead should be preserved as part of their legacies but should not be reproduced with the aim of making profits. The living appreciates more if the stars they know are real grace their scenes. There is nothing the dead can do and thus, using their images brings nothing but their memories and does not carry the exciting feature of the film and media industry. The living should be glorified while they can experience the honor but once they die, they should be allowed to rest, but their legacies should be kept alive.
Works Cited
Onstad, Katrina. "John Lennon, Michael Jackson - Do Celebrities Die Anymore?". THE GLOBE AND MAIL, 2018, https://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/relationships/john-lennon-michael-jackson---do-celebrities-die-anymore/article1321414/. Accessed 16 Sept 2018.
