An Inconvenient Truth

Kelsey Williams

Ms. Mudd

Eng 151

19 October 2010

Formal Response

In Al Gore’s An Inconvenient Truth, the issues of global warming are discussed throughout the documentary. This documentary, which was released in 2006, won an Oscar for Best Documentary Feature. An Inconvenient Truth focuses on global warming and how the smallest lifestyle adjustments can eventually add up to reducing their effects. Gore claims that the speech he is giving, he has also given over 1000 times all over the world, which would make him knowledgeable about the topic. The facts given throughout An Inconvenient Truth can make the audience realize what an immense problem global warming really is.

In the beginning of An Inconvenient Truth, the idea of climate change is first presented. Gore talks about what is happening to the ozone layer, the arctic, the icecaps, and other main aspects of global warming. Then as the documentary progresses, Gore presents specific facts in the form of graphs and statistics. He does this almost as to prove to the audience that global warming/climate change is not just something that is being made up- that it is a real problem in which the world is currently facing. Finally, Gore ends the documentary with talking about how everyone is capable of doing something to help and reduce the effect of climate change. He insists on the fact that we need to help maintain stability on our planet because if it gets too out of hand, no one is quite sure what will come of it.

The main theme of An Inconvenient Truth is that global warming is an epidemic that is occurring and needs to be dealt with and taken seriously. Throughout the film, Gore comments on the fact that there are some groups of people that do not believe climate change is an issue that needs to be immediately dealt with. He brings to attention the arguments that these groups of people are making and refutes them with his own statistics and facts.

Gore uses many different aspects of his story to appeal to pathos by using certain personal stories of his and relating those back to global warming. For example, in one story he related the near death experience of his son to how one definitive act can make a person view the way they perceive the world around them. I think that this type of pathos works because it allows people to relate it to their lives as well. For me, I thought that this message was very powerful because it is true. And also, I really enjoyed how Gore would position himself and was able to relate global warming to his life; this made me look at my life and consider how the climate change has inadvertently affected my life as well. I think that this is what Gore was trying to do with all of his personal stories- I think he was trying to get the audience to look at their life and see how global warming has had an affect on it.

During An Inconvenient Truth, the audience gets to see a different side of Gore that most of the public has not seen before. He explains why he became so intrigued by the problems of global warming and how he has always been trying to make people understand its importance. I think this made me want to pay attention and listen to Gore as a speaker because he was so passionate about what he was talking about. Along with that, he uses a lot of personal stories to relate to the topic, which builds up his character because it shows how he is personally related to what he is speaking about.

An Inconvenient Truth gives the audience many ideas to think about concerning how to help the reduction of global warming. Gore’s character helps to do this because it shows how one person is trying to help, which can inspire other people to want to do the same. I thought the documentary was very effective in persuading the audience to recognize global warming as a problem and in wanting to help.