Rhetorical Analysis : Deborah Tannen

In “Bring Back Flogging”, Jeff Jacoby addresses the problems within America 's criminal justice system. He gives many reasons why imprisonment simply does not work, and suggests that corporal punishment should be used as an alternative. Published in the Boston Globe, a newspaper well known for being liberal, Jacoby provides a conservative view and directs his argument towards those who strongly support imprisonment and view corporal punishment to be highly barbaric and inhumane. However, in order to shed light on our current situation, Jacoby discusses the dangers that we face though our criminal justice system a nd shows concern that imprisonment is doing more harm than good. In effect, Jacoby looks to the past for solutions, and

Advertisements are everywhere. From billboards, to magazines, to newspapers, flyers and TV commercials, chances are that you won’t go a day without observing some sort of ad. In most cases, companies use these ads as persuasive tools, deploying rhetorical appeals—logos, pathos, and ethos—to move their audiences to think or act in a certain way. The two magazine ads featured here, both endorsing Pedigree products, serve as excellent examples of how these modes of persuasion are strategically used.

The two main rhetorical devices used in Amy Tan’s “Mother Tongue” are tone and symbolism both of which connect the reader’s emotions to the purpose of the essay. The are multiple tonal shifts throughout “Mother Tongue”. From guilt, to shame, to pride, to many more. One of these

Most parents impose very high expectations on their children. While some expect their sons to become professionals in respected fields, others encourage their daughters to find good husbands. The parents impose these expectations without consulting their children. In most situations, the expectations of the parent deviate from the dreams of the child. This is what becomes evident when one reads Sandra Cisneros’ Only Daughter and Amy Tan’s Mother Tongue. In these short stories, the expectations that the parents of the narrators elicit mixed reactions. The expectations of the narrators’ parents hold them back from attaining personal goals while causing them to desperately desire approval and eventually accepting and embracing their parents..

In May of 1998, Kipland Kinkel brought a gun to his school. Over the course of two days this escalated from: being sent home, to murdering his father and mother, to murdering 2 students and wounding 26, earning a lifetime sentence of 111 years and 8 months in prison. In the court case being examined, the presiding judge addresses the original case, defendants ground for appeal, and the justification for the State’s decision to deny the appeal. Judge Haselton effectively uses ethos, logos, and pathos to support the Higher Court’s decision to deny the appeal because the original sentence was constitutional and just.

The primary election for the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians is to be held Thursday, September 3, 2015. This momentous occasion happens every four years. The elected chief and officials, such as council members, can run for office for as long as they see fit, for there is no term limit. Our past chief, Michell Hicks, was in office three consecutive terms for a total of twelve years. This year Hicks has decided to step down and the new candidates for chief are Patrick Lambert and Gene “Tunney” Crowe. These new candidates must be able to fill the role of a generous and successful leader to those of the Cherokee nation. The platforms of both Lambert and Crowe are used to persuade the public to vote in their favor and are extremely versed in the

“i am a linguist” says Tannen and briefly explains what that means and how it better helps her explore the topic. She lets it be known that in fact she is someone's daughter but does not have one of her own. But because she is well past her adolescent years makes her just as credible if she were to have one. At first it may appear that this piece was written for women and girls who presumably have wondered why their relationship with their mothers or daughters were so complex. On the contrary it grabs the attention of both genders. All though not directly targeted to men and boys it could give them a better insight to the women relationship in their lives. Tannen says “... there is a special intensity to the mother-daughter relationship because talk,particularly talk about personal topics -- plays a larger more complex role in girls’ and women's social lives than in boys and men.” this does not dismiss the male , and Tannen does an acceptable job at engaging both

Time and time again, Tan’s mother’s inability to speak proper English is seen by standard English speakers as a sign that she is unintelligent; they believe that the way she speaks is wrong and therefore the things she has to say are not important. This belief is so pervasive that as a teen, Tan herself used to believe that her mother was not smart because of how she spoke. Because Tan’s mother’s speech did not follow the rules of traditional English, Tan “believed that her [mother’s] English reflected the quality of what she had to say. That is, because she expressed them imperfectly, her thoughts were imperfect” (146). Because Tan’s mother speaks in ways that are described as “broken” and “limited”, as a teen Tan felt her mother’s language indicated that her mom was simple minded. However, as Tan grew up, she came to appreciate the beauty and intellect behind her mother’s words. While Tan’s friends comment that they cannot understand a majority of what Tan’s mother says, Tan hears her mother’s speech as “perfectly clear, perfectly natural”, and remarks that “her language, as [she] hear[s] it, is vivid, direct, full of observations and imagery” (146). Tan’s friends seem to hear Tan’s mother’s speech on a surface level; since they cannot understand what she is trying to say, they cannot understand how rich her language is. Just because Tan’s friends do not understand her mother, it does not make the intricacies of how she speaks any less unique. The tendency of standard English

From two perspectives, we see a world plagued by the ignoble aspects of human nature. Through one set of eyes we are shown the global ecosystem imitating the opening motions of a mass extinction, through another we see the inevitable and hellish effects of culturalized greed. In both cases we are treated to the observations of an aggrieved observer, but the means by which these observers show us their perspective on the world are by no means identical. Here we will explore the strategies, expressions, argumentations, and appeals of two authors with intertwining stories to tell.

Stephanie Ericsson categorizes the many ways people lie on a daily basis. She uses a mixture of facts, quotes and opinions to capture the severity of telling a lie. Her article has enabled me to understand the thought process that goes behind telling a lie. She justifies minor lies by using ethos and stating that minor lies prevents hurt feelings and that it is normal to lie. Stephanie frequently asks rhetorical questions to make readers think of the matter at hand. She also uses anaphora to seem more relatable and understanding to her readers. I tell minor lies on a daily basis but I did not realize that there is so many different types of lies. i and many other people often rationalize with ourselves to make our lies seem less harmful when

Texting and driving is one of the most debated topics in society. Whether it affects all people or whether or not you’re just good at multi tasking. Yet, all people would come to the agreement that it is one the most dangerous activities to participate in and ends millions of lives yearly. "Drivers and Legislators Dismiss Cellphone Risks” published in New York Times by Matt Richtel and "LOL? Texting While Driving Is No Laughing Matter: Proposing a Coordinated Response to Curb this Dangerous Activity" by Alexis M. Farris are two articles that present variations of ethos, pathos, and logos and make identical arguments claiming that texting and driving is not only dangerous but is shaping the way Americans live. Both articles illustrate

The United States, as many believe, is the land of opportunity, however, when looking at individual states, towns, and cities, this popular slogan may seem false to some. Within each state, all schools, such as middle and high schools, may not receive or offer equity. In an effort to revel inequalities within school systems, I will discuss the differences between schools in my town, the apparent lack of public concern about schooling inequality, and what changes could be made in an effort to reduce schooling inequality.

Paul Chappell, the peace literacy director of the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation, will be a keynote speaker at the upcoming G3X Conference at Mihaylo College this August. The advocate for peaceful and nonviolent solutions to personal and global challenges shares his ethos and passion.

The president, Barack Obama gave a speech at Howard University commencement ceremony. Speaking to the graduating class about the need to keep pushing for change he gave the students at the historically black university advise on how to shape your own future and to always strike for better. The president argues that the U.S and the world is becoming a better place than when he was a collage student. However, there is still work to be done when it comes to employment, achievements, and justice for African Americans. The president also mentions to be confident in your heritage and to aim for greatness. Also that empathy should be extended to all people who are struggling to achieve success or a goal. Furthermore, the president advised the grad

For my third writing project, I have decided to create a research proposal, directed at the USC Rossier School of Education in order to get them to accept my dissertation examining the gentrifying effects of neighborhood preference in charter school lottery systems. This proposal is effective because it employs rhetorical strategies appropriate for the target audience – in this case, a committee of professors that are knowledgeable about the subject of the proposed dissertation. These rhetorical strategies include the structure of the document, stylistic choices such as academic diction and tone, and the choices regarding the content of the proposal.