preview

Suckers Of Us Everything

Decent Essays

The Hidden Story of Online Goods How do you tell which elements of nonfiction and forms of rhetoric authors utilize in their articles? In the article, “How Online Shopping Makes Suckers of Us All”, Jerry Useem makes use of several literary devices to inform his audience of the shadowy world of computer algorithms that control the consumer’s online shopping experience. In this article, Useem uses cultural and economic factors to elicit a response from the reader, as this topic can make people think more about what happens when they shop online. The author also incorporates two styles of rhetoric into his article, pathos, and logos. He writes using pathos to engage the audience emotionally by speaking about the drastic price changes over the hours, days, months, and years, and to inform consumers about their lack of consent during studies (“Arguments Best Friends”). He is using logos in his article by telling facts and showing evidence, such …show more content…

He uses a higher level of vocabulary than one might expect from an article about online shopping such as his use of “vibrating between two quantum states” in reference to the price of Pumpkin-Pie spice, giving the audience a vivid idea of the sort of variable price changes they might see (Useem 1). His usage of higher vocabulary implies a good education and adds to his credibility. The author uses an economic basis, so readers will better understand what he is speaking about, while showing examples in his work. Useem’s syntax throughout the article is very articulate, giving the article a well-thought-out appearance, and further adding to his credibility. There are a few instances where the author creates a mood of suspicion, one of the most powerful being “what’s the true price of pumpkin-pie spice?” (Useem 7); creating the question and giving them a sense of uncertainty about their own

Get Access