Analysis

On this page, you can find a brief overview of the analysis of the Ted talk “Could a tattoo help you stay healthy?” by Carson Bruns. 

The rhetorical situation shows us that the sender of the talk is Carson Bruns, an artist, scientist, university professor, and writer. The intended audience consists of the people present at the TED talk and those who might view the video online. 

In terms of structure, the sender begins with a historical perspective on tattoos, which he links with today’s tattooing technology. He then discusses the potential development of tattoos using nanotechnology. 

Bruns’ style of language is mostly informal, which helps him connect with his audience. He also sometimes uses rhetorical devices to help get his points across, such as direct address and anaphora. 

The main forms of appeal used by Bruns are ethos and logos, as Bruns uses a range of strategies to enhance his authority, for example, by mentioning his dual experience as an artist and scientist. He also draws on logos, for example when he mentions statistics in his speech. 

You can read the full analysis in the following pages.