Use of Analogy/Comparisons to Persuade

This is a reply by the govt to the Straits Times Editor's request to allow the controversial film 'To Singapore, With Love' to be screened publicly here. See background HERE.

Note in the article below:
1) this is like an AQ response. See how it always starts with a view/point argued by the passage writer (in this case, the ST Editor) before the response to it kicks in with reasons and examples
2) note the comparison and hence evaluation achieved by comparing the different impact of a book and a movie on the people's consciousness
3) the similar use of comparison, but in this case an analogy, or comparison with a negative/inferior alternative to make one's point convincing and persuasive....u can see this in the comparison to allowing extremist jihadist screen a movie showing their version of Islam here in public screening.

Comparison is a useful persuasive technique when it comes to making an argument convincing. In your PEEL, the first 'E' -- Explain, is focussed on giving REASONS WHY as well as COMPARING if u can.
Eg, To convince examiner that Singapore should open our doors to immigrants, compare with how Japan's refusal to do so lead to its economic stagnation and demise. Or u can compare with a positive scenario of the US, where its open embrace of immigrants lead to a vibrant economy, esp in the Silicon Valley where more than half are immigrants.
Eg. To convince me that social media should not be blamed totally for paedophilic or other sex-related crimes because the social media is just a tool, contrast with how in a murder, we don't blame the murder weapon.tool (be it a gun or knife), but we go after the murderer.

Use analogy or comparisons to make the logic of your point persuasive.

Drop me an email (aegeansea09@gmail.com) if you want to take a further look in my handout on the use of analogy/comparisons/contrasts in persuasive writing.