Running Head: RHETORICAL ANALYSIS
Rhetorical Analysis: Kentucky Rushmore Elizabeth Penava University of Kentucky
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In the Highlands neighborhood of Louisville, Kentucky, a mural called Kentucky Rushmore mimics the sculptures on the face of Mount Rushmore and attempts to argue that Kentucky is important and has produced important political and cultural figures. Painted by Margaret Morley, the mural achieves limited success through several appeals: an ethical appeal through the imitation of the style of Mount Rushmore; a second ethical appeal through the faces of Muhammad Ali, Abraham Lincoln, Colonel Harland Sanders, and Secretariat; and emotional appeal through the colors and the boldness of the painting of the mural. The effectiveness of the mural is hurt, however, by its location. It is rather concealed and therefore easy to miss. Thus, the painting is inherently effective at making its argument but ultimately fails due to its location, which makes it unable to reach its audience in many cases.
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Rhetorical Analysis: Kentucky Rushmore Introduction & Thesis Almost all Americans are familiar with the great sculpture on the front of Mount Rushmore, featuring the faces of Presidents George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Jefferson, and Theodore Roosevelt. A similar work with which fewer Americans are familiar is one found in the industrial metropolis of Louisville, Kentucky: called Kentucky Rushmore, it is a mural painted on the side of WHY Louisville, an independent establishment in the city’s Highlands neighborhood (Roadside America, 2013). Its idea conceived by Will Russell, Kentucky Rushmore was originally intended to be a sculpture in the Cave City area of Kentucky and was painted by artist Margaret Morley (WHAS 11 News, 2011; USA Today, 2013). It features the faces of Muhammad Ali, Abraham Lincoln, Colonel Harland Sanders, and the horse Secretariat—all well-known figures with roots in Kentucky (Morley, 2013). The mural makes the argument to citizens of Louisville and tourists alike that Kentucky is important and has produced influential figures and cultural impacts in its history. It does so effectively through its ethical appeals using the figures’ faces and the Mount Rushmore model and its visual appeals to emotion, but its somewhat hidden placement hinders its argument, rendering it creative but ultimately ineffective.
Figure 1. The Kentucky Rushmore mural in Louisville, Kentucky, is shown to the left (Morley, 2013).
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Ethical Appeal Perhaps the strongest device used by the artist in crafting the argument through the mural is a bold appeal to ethos. The first and most obvious form of this is the way the piece is modeled after Mount Rushmore. (See the image of the mural in Figure 1 above.) The alignment of the faces of Kentucky Rushmore in a row matches the alignment in the national monument, and just like the faces in the monument, the eyes of the faces in the mural are all looking in different directions. The thickly lined, angular nature of the way the mural is painted also makes its visual texture sculpture-like. Additionally, the name of the work is written below the faces, which creates a direct and obvious link to Mount Rushmore (Morley, 2013). These similarities to the national monument help the artist create an association between this work and Mount Rushmore in the viewer’s mind, endowing it with an air of importance. This enhances its argument: that the artwork and Kentucky are important and have been influential in the same way that the figures on Mount Rushmore have been influential. Another form of ethos employed by the artist is in the choice of the faces on the mural. All three human faces are instantly recognizable: Muhammad Ali, Abraham Lincoln, and Colonel Sanders are all figures known well by citizens of the United States and the world. Muhammad Ali, born in Louisville, achieved great fame for his 27-year boxing career (Muhammad Ali, 2012). Abraham Lincoln, arguably one of the most important presidents in United States History, was born in a Kentucky log cabin (The History Place, 1996). Colonel Sanders founded Kentucky Fried Chicken, which now has locations across the world (A+E, 2013). Last but not least is the face of racehorse Secretariat, representing Kentucky’s horseracing business and tracks such as Churchill Downs and Keeneland. By bringing these famous figures
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together with the words “Kentucky Rushmore”, the mural associates the figures with Kentucky. In this way it is able to impress the viewer in a way that increases the importance he or she perceives from the work—and Kentucky—as a whole, thus strengthening its argument that Kentucky is important and influential. Emotional Appeal The aforementioned ethical appeals are enhanced majorly by another type of appeal: appeal to emotion. Several factors work to inspire emotion, which makes the argument of the mural stronger. (See Figure 1.) The first is the boldness of the images and the letters in the title beneath the faces. Thick, dark strokes and large block letters serve to give the mural a very bold appearance. The facial expressions of the figures in the painting convey a sense of seriousness and intelligence, aiding the sense of importance. This inspires a sense of awe for the images, which in turn strengthens the mural’s argument that its figures and Kentucky are important and deserving of awe. The mural also appeals to emotion through its color scheme. The bright yellow background seizes the attention of the viewer, and in contrast, the black-and-white color scheme of the faces and words endows the mural with a classic look (Morley, 2013). This adds to the serious and historical feeling of the mural, thus increasing the perceived importance of its images. It follows that the argument—that Kentucky and its figures are important—is strengthened. Location An important factor to consider when discussing this mural is its location. As stated in the first paragraph, the mural is painted on the side of the local store WHY Louisville. This store is in ways a great location for the mural; as an official Roadside Attraction, it is a draw for tourists and citizens of Louisville alike, so the mural’s audience would be interested in the mural and
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open to receiving its message (WHY Louisville, 2013). However, a problem arises in that the mural is very easy to miss. Located adjacent to the store on the side of the mural is another store, the Doo Wop Shop, and this makes the mural rather concealed. (See Figure 2.) Figure 2. The Doo Wop Shop is shown in this image, with the edge of the WHY Louisville building to the left (2011).
Having spent much time in this part of town, I myself failed to notice this mural for a long time. As one can see from the photo, the building of the Doo Wop Shop juts out in a way that makes the mural somewhat difficult to see; the mural is on the wall to the left of the Doo Wop Shop building (Mid-East Music, 2011). For this reason, the argument presented by the mural loses some strength—if its audience cannot even view the mural, how can the mural make an effective argument? An argument can only be effective if it actually reaches an audience, and in the case of the Kentucky Rushmore mural, this is a serious issue. Conclusion In and of itself, the Kentucky Rushmore mural presents a very strong argument. It makes strong ethical appeals: its likeness to the sculptures on Mount Rushmore and its use of famous figures’ faces all play a role. Strong emotional appeals are made as well—the boldness of the image and the classic seriousness conveyed by the color scheme inspire awe in the viewer. These two appeals together heighten the perceived importance of the figures, of the mural, and of the state of Kentucky, which serves to enhance the artist’s argument: that Kentucky is important and has produced important historical figures and impacts. The weak point of the argument comes in
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an external factor: its placement in Louisville. While its attachment to a local attraction is helpful, its concealment by an adjacent building renders that placement ineffective. The artist should be proud of the strong visual argument made in the mural. It is clear that she is passionate about the state of Kentucky and its importance, and that message is conveyed clearly in the work. This mural is a beautiful representation of the role Kentucky has played in the nation’s cultural and political history, and the arguments the painting presents are strong. However, the unfortunate truth is that the argument is severely weakened by the placement of the mural, and it will not be a strong presence in the area unless this issue is resolved. Ultimately, the mural fails to achieve its purpose.
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8 References
A+E Television Networks. (2013). Colonel Harland Sanders. Biography.com. Retrieved from http://www.biography.com/people/colonel-harland-sanders-12353545 Doo Wop Shop [Photograph]. Retrieved September 21, 2013 from http://www.mid-eastmusic.com/infodoor/doowop.html The History Place. (1996). Lincoln. Retrieved from http://www.historyplace.com/lincoln/ Morley, M. (Painter). (2013). Kentucky Rushmore (mural). Retrieved September 21, 2013, from http://www.whylouisville.com/?page_id=255 Muhammad Ali Enterprises, LLC. (2012). The Boxer. The Official Site of Muhammad Ali. Retrieved from http://www.ali.com/legend_boxer_main.php Roadside America. (2013). Louisville, Kentucky: Bearwolf, Kentucky Rushmore Mural. Retrieved from http://www.roadsideamerica.com/tip/37734 USA Today. (2013). At Derby Time, Louisville’s Hospitality Hits Its Stride. Retrieved from http://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/destinations/2013/04/26/louisville-hits-its-stridecome-kentucky-derby-time/2114693/ WHAS 11 News. (2011). Rushmore Kentucky: Making a Dream, A Reality. Retrieved from http://www.whas11.com/community/Rushmore-Kentucky-Making-a-dream-a-reality126860368.html WHY Louisville. (2013). Attractions. Retrieved from http://www.whylouisville.com/?page_id=255