Chapter 14 of Everything’s an Argument explains the power and emotion behind a single picture. We have all heard the saying “a picture is worth a thousand words” which is exactly what the chapter explains into detail. When we look at a picture our eyes usually tend to focus on the big picture and what pops out first. Although given more time, we see the meaning, purpose, and emotion hidden within. Many different elements are used while creating an ad that deals with emotion. For example the colors, words, shapes and sizes that make up the picture.

The section of the chapter that stood out the most to me was The Power of Visual Arguments. Images we see on billboards, t-shirts, magazines, etc. influence our emotions. Visual arguments weren’t discovered on YouTube, MTV, or any of our social networking today. Visual arguments was founded in Egypt when pharaohs lined the banks of the Nile River with statues of themselves to set their authority and for the same reason, the Roman emperors had their portraits stamped on coins.

My visual argument had a double emotion to it. The first image to catch your eye is the World Trade Centers on 9/11. This ad immediately brings you back to the day you first witnessed the terrifying terrorist attack. Looking deeper into the picture you will notice a homeless person with his only belongings on the side of the bridge with a sign that say “HIV + Please Help”. That’s when the second emotion strikes. We do not realize how many people in our country and/or world whose lives are at risk due to HIV. The visual argument has the facts “ 2,863 people died- 40 millions infected by HIV around the world. The world unites against terrorism, we should unite against AIDS”. The visual argument is gaining our awareness and asking for our help to unite against AIDS and help the cause.