Rhetorical Analysis - "Traffic"

WATCO: The rise and prominence of illegal drugs on our society?

Claim: The rise and prominence of illegal drugs hurts our society because young people’s focus on buying, selling and becoming addicted to these drugs provides a shaky foundation for the future of our country.

Implicit Assumption: Whatever provides a shaky foundation for the future of our country also hurts our society.

Audience: Parents and other figures in authority who could possibly monitor or otherwise regulate the dangerous habits of youngsters

The movie Traffic is a social drama that focuses on the drug trade both on the streets of our country and with Mexico. It features several different settings that rotate throughout the show. One is in Mexico with a brave cop (Benicio Del Toro) who is unafraid of the drug cartels that have such a strong influence in his country. Another is in San Diego, where undercover cops (Don Cheadle & Luiz Guzman) are trying to take down several drug dealers and their contacts (Dennis Quaid & Catherine Zeta Jones). The final setting switches between Ohio and Washington D.C. where the nation’s drug czar (Michael Douglas) is trying to find a balance between fighting the war on drugs and helping his own addict daughter. Though the show is an obvious dramatization, it powerfully relates the feeling that this problem can occur anywhere, anytime, and to anyone. Rarely has a mainstream movie been so blunt with such a large issue. The problems portrayed are real and occur every day all across our country. After watching the show, one is left with a strong emotional sense of catharsis that the war on drugs must be started from inside the home. Everyone can reach out to those who are close to them and really make a difference in their lives.