Topic > Analysis of Rhetorical Strategies in John Lennon's Song Imagine

“Imagine” presents Lennon's argument that world peace is a necessity. This song has become a major part of pop culture, Lennon proves his point through the use of numerous different examples throughout history. Use rhetorical strategies such as ethos, pathos, and logos. “Imagine” is a song about a better world, singing about peace, equality and love. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay The lyrics of the song contain several references to war, such as “imagine there's no country / it's not hard to do / nothing to kill or die for”. This line shows Lennon's opposition to war and fighting Since Lennon was such a famous musician and was known to express his opinions openly, the release of this song made his political views even more recognized. This feeling from the fans reflects Lennon's strong sense of ethics given and they continue to give support to Lennon and promote him in such a positive way, this reinforces his legitimacy. On another note, he establishes the ethos again in one of the next verses “imagine no possessions/ I wonder if you can" at first seems very contradictory. The language that Lennon uses in "Imagine" is very direct, but at the same time contains ambiguity. Throughout the song, he suggests the listener to "imagine" what he imagines and hopes he can convince him to share it then. The repetitive phrase “you might say I'm a dreamer...but I'm not the only one” is apparently very open-ended. However, this ambiguity only adds to Lennon's ethos. He shows his confidence that he can change the world with his music. In the first verse, the opening line of the song alone is very powerful: “Imagine there's no heaven, it's easy if you try, no hell below us, above us only heaven.” This evokes a lot of reflection in the audience and invites them to think about a world alien to them, and therefore to imagine the consequences of such changes. Therefore, this creates a strong sense of pathos. Lennon adds to this sense of friendship and togetherness later in the song with the short line "a brotherhood of man". This creates a bond between Lennon and his audience, the phrase is easily applicable to life because it strives to unite humanity as one, rather than dividing it with wars and other man-made hardships, according to Lennon. His ability to have such recognizable lyrics also contributes to his strong sense of pathos, because it creates a feeling of unity. One of Lennon's most powerful rhetorical strategies in "Imagine" is his sense of pathos. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom article from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay The rhetorical argument of John Lennon vying for world peace in his song “Imagine” is very effective. Lennon's argument is effective because it is applicable in many areas other than world peace, and all generations and all types of people can identify with his argument. All components of the song are interrelated to successfully connect its argument to the world. John Lennon was an incredible musician and used his talent to argue his opinions in his works, and "Imagine" is a great example of how music can truly impact society.