Rhetorical Analysis

Introduction

The proportions of different superheroes, GI Joes, and action figures are way out of proportion to what a real buff man looks like. The same action figure twenty years ago has buffed up to many times the original. Some of the action figures biceps and measurements are impossible to be reached in proportion to a human. These sizes are persuading little boys to be as big as their action figures therefore causing unrealistic goals and eating disorders.

Discussion and Analysis

This article was very organized and gave titles before different parts of the article. The tone was very harsh against action figures and only gave a few examples. The tone was also very analytical and it seemed as if they were trying to find problems where there wasn't one. The article had valid examples that represented the point exactly like the Luke Skywalker and Hans Solo action figures from 1978 and 1998.

The point about the G.I. Joe's wasn't valid because the first two examples were humans and the third one was a savage. The language was very factual and gave exact measurements. “If extrapolated to 70 in. in height, the GI Joe extreme would sport larger biceps than any bodybuilder in history.” The article gave facts in a persuasive accurate way. I think the audience is to the toy manufactures and trying to persuade them with facts and legitimate transformations between action figures in the past twenty years that the manufacture may not have noticed.

The article, “G.I. Joe's Big Biceps are Not a Big Deal,” is pro overly buff G.I. Joe's. Just as Barbie's measurements are not influencing little girls to be perfect, G.I. Joe's are not influencing eating disorders or steroids for little boys. Children aren't “measuring their dolls” and comparing the measurements to them. This article also states that there are worse influences on little boys, like actual wrestlers who are taking steroids and do drastic things to look the size they are. G.I. Joe has to be muscular and huge, “he's not a man, he's a mutant with a crew cut and really great accessories” (Stoner, 63).

This article has a sarcastic tone, especially since it's so short. The shortness and the title of the article make it seem as if the author is stubborn in their way of thinking and assume they are right. She mocks the accusations against Barbie and G.I. Joe then says that children have other influences that have more of an affect on them. The author is obviously upset with these accusations and feels as if they are pathetic with the statement “will this foolishness never stop?” This article is centered toward parents of the kids and is informing them that they have nothing to worry about when it comes to the dolls and action figures.

I feel as if the manufactures making the dolls and action figures should make the bodies of these toys more realistic because there are insecure children out there who are feeling worse about themselves whit these toys. I played ...