Unit 5 Post #2: Bowling for Columbine

On the morning of April 20, 1999, teenagers around the country woke up for school like it was any other day. For most of them, it was. Unfortunately, this was not the case for those at Columbine High School.  That day would go down in infamy as Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold (parts of the “Trenchcoat Mafia”) brought semi-automatic weapons to school and shot many of their classmates. This incident sparked a widespread debate about the issue of gun control. “Bowling for Colombine” is a film written and directed by Michael Moore that documents this issue when it was at its peak. The movie features testimonies from both extremes and all the in-between. From the head of the NRA to the victims of the shooting, a huge array of voices were taken into account with the making of this film.

“Bowling for Columbine” became one of the world’s most provocative documentaries, and set documentary box office records in multiple countries. To be such a successful and powerful film, Moore utilized various rhetorical devices to reach a huge audience about the topic of gun control. One of the most prominent of these was juxtaposition. When looking for answers to the gun problem, various responses have been given. However, when it comes down to it gun violence is most prevalent in America. Moore sheds light upon this by juxtaposing the number of gun deaths in other industrialized countries as compared with the number of gun deaths in America. Doing so creates an aura of urgency to discover the true source of such a significant difference so that legislation can be made to fix it.

Additionally, a resonating cartoon was utilized to depict the prevalence of guns in American history and culture. The cartoon basically summed up American development, from colonial times to today, through the eyes of the firearm. This showed the audience what a profound effect the gun has played on society in general. This is very important because it takes into account Moore’s opposition. There are many people who think that making guns illegal will stop gun violence, and that simply isn’t the case. Gun-enthusiasts look at the past to argue against this. While Moore wants to lessen gun violence, he emphasizes the understanding that a clear-cut, immediate answer just isn’t viable. “Bowling for Columbine” has received a huge response that has included praise and criticism as well as everything in between. The truth of the matter is, you’re going to have to watch it before you can draw any conclusions of your own.