SWA 5-Analysis of Shootings

Shootings, written by Adam Gopnik, is an essay about the mass killings at Virginia Tech. The author wants to show his readers that this tragedy, and many other similar events, occurred because of the lack of citizen gun control. By analyzing the rhetorical situation, one can identify the type of writing, the target reader or audience, the desires and position of the author, the constraints on both the reader and the author, and finally the real-life situation or exigence that guides the writing.
Gopnik chose to write in essay form for this particular piece. He wrote in an organized and formal format, which shows that he wanted this to impact many people, with many different views. He was aiming for the attention of political leaders, government officials, and any other readers with the power to change gun control laws, as well as, normal citizens that could help support his claim.
The case that the author is attempting to get across is quite obvious. Gopnik believes that the expired ban on assault weapons should be lifted and on top of that made stricter. He states that, “although we can’t guarantee that someone won’t shoot people with a semi-automatic pistol, and that by controlling semi-automatic pistols we can’t reduce the chances of someone killing people with a rifle,” (126) there is still the matter of prevention. This statement can also tie into the constraints of the reader. He/she may believe in the ban on the gun control law because of the issue of self-protection. This is where Gopnik’s is trying to make his most impacting point. Showing people that there is no need for guns because throughout history they have only brought many hardships; hardships that happened in real-life dramatic situations all over the world.