A Rhetorical Appeals Analysis of 'Come From Away': An Original Broadway Musical based on the True Stories of the 9/11 Terrorist Attacks

• Main Author: Faulkner, Caroline
• Format: Text
• Language: unknown
• Published: Digital Commons @ Longwood University 2021
• Subjects: Cormier Honors College; English; English Language and Literature; Newfoundland
• Online Access: https://digitalcommons.longwood.edu/rci_spring/76

My analysis utilizes the three classical appeals (ethos, logos, and pathos) to examine the rhetorical situation of the Original Broadway Musical, “Come From Away.†Taking place in Gander, Newfoundland, this musical strives to inform the audience about the story of the 9/11 terrorist attacks through a unique perspective. My analysis suggests that the writers of the musical, Sankoff and Hein, successfully implemented all three of the classical appeals to clearly illustrate not only the direct effects of the 9/11 attacks, but also the complications those people faced days and weeks following the initial attacks. Pathos was the primary appeal utilized in portraying those who were separated from their families because of the 9/11 attacks. The musical also did an effective job with showcasing the kind of compassion that can flourish in a community, providing the needed support for one another in times of adversity.