To Kill or Not to Kill

Either carry out the death penalty or abolish it. Prisoner's shouldn't face years of anguish and turmoil by emotionally having their execution dates delayed by an endless appeal process. The death penalty is a divisible issue that sparks intense emotional responses and leads to tremendous discomfort when mentioned. In Chuck Klosterman's essay, 'How Old Is Too Old to Die?' he argues that capital punishment should be abolished; however, if the government isn't going to abolish it, then it should be used it more often than it is. Klosterman's essay is unique because he addresses such a controversial issue by using humor and analogies to draw in his readers and to make it easier to discuss. Klosterman's argument is a success due to his use of dry humor, powerful imagery, and informal tone, which engages his readers in a plausible debate on the death penalty.

In his essay, Klosterman believes that it is ridicules to keep someone alive even though they are eventually going to die. He believes that the government's idea of the death penalty is absurd because instead of having the inmate die with the lethal injection that taxpayers pay for, they save them when they have a heart attack or seizure. Klosterman's main argument is that if people are for capital punishment, they need to follow through with it and not back out.

Klosterman starts his argument by using humor to ease into this rather complicated subject. Specifically, he uses dry humor quite effectively to make his point. He describes how "Statistics have consistently shown that the death penalty does not wok as a deterrent for murders, but [he] suspects it would serve as a major deterrent for teenage shoplifters." From the beginning, he gains his audience's trust by making them feel confident that he knows what he is talking about. He sympathizes with his audience and puts himself in their shoes by recognizing just how difficult it is for them to comprehend such a topic. By employing his humor this way, he is establishing with the audience that he is trustworthy and credible. He later states, "This is the most intriguing twist to the story: The state of California saved Allen's life so that it would be able to kill him later. This is like having sex with someone you despise just so you can break up with her on Valentine's Day." He finally challenges his own logic and avoids hypotheticals by mentioning the Allen case. His analogy questions the government's idea of capital punishment and how it composts with reality. As Klosterman points out, "The People of California want to keep Clarence Allen alive until they can kill him on their own terms," which he finds to be absolutely insane and imprudent. If we want them to die, why does it matter how and when they die? Also, by using sarcasm Klosterman's audience can see how he views the government's idea of the death penalty.

Klosterman's use of dry humor also helps simplify this rather complex issue. He later gives another analogy followed by some humor, "This is akin to someone getting a DUI and having his driver's license revoked for eighteen months while also being prohibited from selling his car. The defendants '88 Caprice Classic must remain in his garage with a full tank of gasoline, the judge would decree." By using analogies and adding his dry wit, he attracts the audience's attention and keeps them interested in his argument. Further, by recognizing that talking about capital punishment is a very uncomfortable and frustrating subject, he knows when to slow down the pace of his argument. This deliberate pacing, used throughout his writing, occurs when he adds humor immediately after every logical statement that he makes. Thus, Klosterman uses dry humor as a means of making his readers more comfortable in talking or hearing about the death penalty.

Klosterman's argument is also quite effective because of his use of powerful imagery. Whenever imagery is used in an essay, it helps the audience create a vivid description in their minds to help understand the argument better. When Klosterman describes Clarence Ray Allen's state, "he was blind and half deaf, he suffered from diabetes, and he was consigned to a wheelchair," he paints a vivid picture of the inadequacies of the death penalty that allows readers to appreciate the victim's suffering and to sympathize with him. His use of imagery helps him gain the sympathy of the audience and allows him to offer further explanation of why it matters how and when death row inmates die.

Next, Klosterman focuses on the exorbitant costs of the current capital punishment system. Once again he relies on powerful imagery to make his point. For example, he goes into great detail regarding lethal injection. He states, "the inmate is being strapped to the