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Rhetorical Analysis Of Tim O 'Brien's Speech Heroes'

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The term “hero” has many different interpretations for different individuals. In his speech “Heroes”, Tim O’Brien tells his audience how he views a hero and redefines the often dramatized term. He defines a hero as one who knows what a person needs and is willing to give that to them without question. O’Brien accomplishes sharing his argument of what a hero is through the use of appealing to Kairos, diction and syntax. O’Brien opens his speech with immediately appealing to the audience, also known as Kairos. He knows that in order to make this group of authors, well-educated individuals, to not only listen to him but to think about and take in what he is saying he must directly connect them to the term “hero”. He uses the term “all-star” (O’Brien 277) in place of hero and gives the example of baseball players. They are viewed with great respect when he believes writers should receive it. He brings up how baseball players have a large salary; however, “America sometimes gets absentminded about paying writers” (277). This causes the writers to get on his side and so they are more likely to listen to what he has to say. …show more content…

He describes Elroy, whom he previously stated was what he viewed as a hero, in a way much different from what we would normally think associate with the term. We usually think of big, brave or strong. He describes Elroy as “like God” (278) and the one who “watched over” (278) him. Elroy was a “caretaker” (278) not an owner. He had “mute watchfulness” (278) not bursting charisma. He “was simply there” and that is all O’Brien needed at that time. O’Brien viewed Elroy with great respect because of his unwavering knowing, not because of unwavering

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