Thank You for Smoking, released in theatres 2006, is a dramatic/comedic film written and directed by Jason Reitman based on a 1994 satirical novel of the same name written by Christopher Buckley. The story follows the life of a big tobacco company’s chief spokesman, Nick Naylor, who lobbies on behalf of cigarettes while at the same time trying to remain a role model for his 12-year-old son. The film was critically acclaimed and sparked reactions in both the tobacco industry and the general public. The motion picture presents many uses of rhetoric. Truths were twisted and decisions and emotional appeals were significantly influenced. Numerous persuasive tactics are used throughout this movie, such as logos, ethos, and pathos. This movie really demonstrated how no matter what side the truth really lies on, the most persuasive argument will always win.
Pathos is defined as an appeal to emotion, and is a way of convincing an audience of an argument by creating an emotional response. Many examples of pathos is demonstrated with this movie, as the actors used pathos to influence many decisions. The movie begins with a scene set in a television talk show with a young boy who was diagnosed with cancer. The child with cancer was intended to appeal to the audience’s emotions. While the use of the boy to appeal to the audience’s emotions was very influential the main character, Nick Naylor, twisted the argument to his benefit. Naylor dismissed the argument by pointing out how his company would not want to intentionally let the teenager die because as a result the company would lose profit. He also appealed to the audience’s emotions by announcing there would be a 50 million-dollar advertisement project specially targeted at persuading kids not to smoke because everyone would agree for protecting the children of America’s best interests. This child was originally supposed to be an emotional appeal for the mayor, who was against smoking, however e used emotional appeal to spin the argument, get the audience on his side and change their overall view of him to make him seem like “the good guy”.
Another example of emotional appeal is when he described why he does his job. “Because everyone has to pay a mortgage.” (Thank You For Smoking) This statement relates to anyone who owns a home, or pays bills in general. It’s an understandable reason as to why he does his job despite the negative reputation. Everyone has to financially support themselves. Another example is the Marlboro man. In one scene he has a gun to Naylor, clearly demonstrating that he is angry and hurt. This displayed his true feelings and how much pain he was dealing with. This display of emotion makes Naylor begin to realize the real harms of cigarettes beyond health. The movie’s use of filming techniques helps to invigorate emotional appeal to the audience. The camera focusing on a large amount of medication next to a respirator appeals to the audience of how fighting depression other health problems can be a result if they continue to smoke. The movie was concluded with a court scene where Naylor defends the use of tobacco for the last time. Naylor fought for the tobacco company, but immediately quit after. His emotions finally persuaded him to do what was best for him and the example he wanted to set for his son’s future. The mayor demanded an answer to the question, “when your son turns 18, will you share his first cigarette with him?” (Thank You for Smoking) Naylor was emotionally affected by this question, as the use of nicotine almost killed him and he didn’t want his son to go through the same thing.
Logos is defined as an appeal to logic, and is a way of persuading an audience by reason. Logos is used throughout the film on numerous occasions. For example, Nick Naylor uses logos in his argument in the final court scene before the committee. Naylor dismissed the logic of using a skull and crossbones on cigarettes with logical fallacies. He makes a logical conclusion that if cigarettes were required to have skull and crossbones labels on them, all products that were potentially harmful should be labeled. He asks about the labels on cheese, planes, and automobiles which are technically also potentially harmful objects. He also logically pointed out that it is already common knowledge that almost all people know that cigarettes can be harmful. He even goes on to make a visual of his statement by asking members of the audience to raise their hands if they know cigarettes are harmful, knowing that nearly all of them would raise their hand. This scene persuaded the audience using logical reason, appealing to the persuasive use of logos.
Lastly, ethos is relevant within the film as well. Ethos is described as an appeal to ethics, and it is a means of convincing someone of the character or credibility of the persuader. Credibility is a big topic within this movie, as Nick Naylor used this element of persuasion to his direct advantage. Nick’s title, the “Vice president of and chief spokesman for the Academy of Tobacco Studies” sounds very professional and impressive. Many people hear this, and assume he is a credible source of information. By using this title to his advantage, it is easier for him to persuade his audience to his side. Naylor tried to involve the film industry in his campaign by suggesting the use of big time actors to smoke cigarettes on screen. The constant exposure to seeing the product is a way advertisement companies appeal to the audience. Not only is constant exposure to the product effective, but also the star’s known credibility would be used to show that cigarettes are “cool.” Using movie stars is a way to relate the product with an with younger audiences who will socially accept their actions due to their credibility. Ethos is also used during Naylor’s speech at the court hearing, most apparent mentions that he is the vice president of the Academy of Tobacco Studies, making him credible to speak on the topic. When the subject of parenting is brought up by the committee Nick Naylor rightly spoke about the topic as he is the father of a young son. Being a father himself does make him a credible source to speak on the topic, however he does admit to not being the best example of a father. Like when Naylor defends cigarettes and his parenting, Naylor tends to use some fallacies to back up many of his arguments. Another example of ethos would be early in the movie during the classroom scene. A student stated to Naylor that her mother said that smoking kills, however Naylor responded by asking if her mother was a doctor or a scientific researcher and her answer was no which proved Naylor’s point that her mother wasn’t a credible source of information.
This movie presented countless persuasive tactics and shed light on how the truth can be twisted and rewritten with the write argument. The persuasive tactics used within this movie showed how the audience opinion can be swayed with the used of rhetoric’s, logos, ethos and pathos.