Rhetorical Analysis: omparison and ontrast - Essay Example

due: Rhetorical analysis- comparison and contrast Rhetorical features or strategies are any characteristics of a textthat gets the reader convinced of a certain point of view. These strategies can be categorized into three. That is, ethos, pathos, and logos. The trio is usually intertwined so as to create persuasive arguments to the specific intended audiences (Longaker & Walker 13). This essay focuses on a rhetorical analysis of Lucky Girl by Bridget Potter and What Broke My Fathers Heart by Katy Butler. It compares and contrasts the rhetorical strategies used in the two books. Ethos refers to the credibility of the source of information or knowledge (Halmari 28). It is the author’s authority in putting across a certain view. That is referred to as the writer’s ethos. In most cases, an audience is more persuaded by a person who has personal warmth and consideration of others (Longaker & Walker 15). In fact, a person with experience and previous performances qualify him/her to speak on a certain issue. The audience is convinced by the special extrinsic ethos of the authority. Sometimes, the way the text we read is written and what it says conveys an impression of the author’s character. Such an impression that is created by the text itself is known as the intrinsic ethos. Pathos persuades the audience by appealing to his/her sense of identity, emotions and self-interest. This makes the audience to bend always on the side that is advantageous to him/her. That is, the view that serves his/her interests or those of a group that he/she believes to be part of. A writer who belongs or writes about a group an audience to is more compelling. Pathos is considered as the most appealing rhetorical strategy. Logos refers to the explicit reasons that the author uses to justify his/her view. Use of data in a logical argument makes the author be more credible in conveying a certain message. The writer relies on an authority or a testimony by citing opinions of others. The arguer can as well make a comparison or an analogy. He/ can also appeal to cause and consequences. This way, the audience is persuaded more the writer’s position (Halmari 31). Bridget Potter, in her book, Lucky Girl, seems to bring out a view that women in America should appreciate how they live in post-Roe v. Wade years (Danticat & Atwan 86). The writer uses the three rhetorical devices so as to convince the audience on her position. Through the story, Potter advocates for the importance of making abortion legal. There is the use of ethos when Potter wrote her story. The fact that Potter brings her experiences makes her view more appealing to the audience. She portrays a good character she got her unwanted pregnancy after having sex with her first real boyfriend ((Danticat & Atwan 102). This creates a moral character in Potter. The Lucky Girl story is written in first person. This makes it easy for the author to show her motivations of writing the story. She has used short sentences such as “I used the pink foam”, “My period was late” and “My rabbit died” (Danticat & Atwan 124). This makes the audience interact well with the story because he/she gets the message right and with much of ease. Her pathos was impressive. Potter has appealed to the audience’s sense of identity, self-interests and emotions in a very clear way. She described some unpleasant details on what happened. However, this was a reality. Her emotions of confusion intertwined with fear really stood out, and this helped prove her purpose. The audience is older teens, more mature and adults. Potter wanted to let women know how dangerous illegal abortions are. This is because many women die with an illegal abortion procedure in spite of today’s technology. Potter was 19 years of age by the time she got an illegal abortion (Danticat & Atwan 125). She probably wrote the book for women who faced abortions as a result of unwanted pregnancies before Roe v. Wade era when. During pre-Roe v. Wade years, abortion was illegal. Women with unwanted pregnancies feared the consequences of being poor, ashamed, alone and also threatened by the law (Danticat & Atwan 107). To make the audience emotional, Potter provided statistics of high number of women who have died as a result of practicing illegal abortions makes. Writing to the victims of unwanted pregnancies made Potter’s position of securing legal abortion Guttmacher more persuasive. Potter’s story provides statistical evidence from reliable sources such as Institute, which is an international organization dedicated to sexual and reproductive health. She provided statistics about illegal abortions in 1960 and the number of women who died (Danticat & Atwan 130). Proving in numbers the dangers of illegal abortion was a good source of logos. It provides a strong inductive reasoning to the reader, making the story more persuasive. Use of numbers did a great job in achieving Potter’s purpose. On the other hand, Katy Butler’s story in her book, What Broke My Fathers Heart, tries to bring out the importance of valuing the patient rather than money in the healthcare in America. In her story, Kathy urges that a good healthcare should be based on the patient’s best interests and not on financial incentives for hospitals, cardiologists, and manufacturers of advanced medical devices (Butler 56). According to Butler, profit should not be the driving force in healthcare. Kathy remains adamant that physicians should make it clearly known about the options available to patients. She also argues that doctors should not protect patients when telling them what the consequences of each option are. Patients must be made to understand what they agree to undergo. In contrast to the Lucky Girl by Bridget Potter, Butler employs both pathos and ethos as the rhetorical strategies. She has used these strategies so well that she has significantly won the appeal of her audience. The writer’s use of ethos is demonstrated in two ways. First, she gives an experience she has encountered in her life. Second, she has used first person. This makes the story more interactive and influential to the audience. In her use of pathos, she creates a scenario that makes her audience seem to be sick people and relatives with sick patients. The patient was Butler, Kathy’s father. She demonstrates the steady deterioration of her father’s health from almost getting deaf to his severe visual impairment. The author also introduces the ill health status of her mother, Valerie. Both Butler and his wife were elderly. The writer goes ahead and identifies the diseases these elderly parents were suffering from. That is, aortic and mitral valve insufficiency for Valerie and stroke for Butler (Butler 42). These facts make the writer identify with the audience. The story is emotional. Kathy mentions that Butler’s condition worsened, and it reached a time he was unable to complete a sentence. It is Valerie who used to take care of Butler. In fact, Butler at one point wished to die and let Valerie be better off. Valerie reported that she never saw her husband laughing after the stroke (Butler 46). Butler and Valerie died eventually. Such a story is very emotional and conveys the writer’s message in a convincing way. The interest of the audience is to have the patient given best medication, as well as care. Kathy urges doctors should be witnesses to their patients’ suffering. They should sit with them in their suffering but not running from it. Kathy brings out these clearly such that the audience is compelled to go advocate for her idea of doctors providing relevant information on options available and high-quality medication rather than being motivated by profits (Butler 55). In conclusion, the authors of these books have employed different rhetorical strategies differently to effectively communicate their view. The three rhetorical devices have been used in ways such that the authors can to achieve their persuasive goals. Bridget Potter has used ethos, pathos and logos to advocate for legal abortions. Kathy Butler has used ethos and pathos to enlighten her audience on the importance of medical practitioners prioritizing the patients’ health but not the profit they make. Potter and Kathy have two things in common in their stories. They have given their experiences. They have also used the first person. References Butler, K. (2010). What broke my father’s heart. New York Times Magazine. Danticat, E., & Atwan, R. (2011). The best American essays: 2011. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. Halmari, H. (2005). Persuasion across genres: A linguistic approach. Amsterdam [u.a.: Benjamins. Longaker, M. G., & Walker, J. (2011). Rhetorical analysis: A brief guide for writers. Boston: Longman. Read More