Rhetorical Techniques

Upton Sinclair’s novel The Jungle had powerful political effects, resulting in his ultimate goal to create change. He was aware about the unsanitary conditions in the meat factories and therefore knew that something needed to be done. He was determined to implant a spark in readers and make them desire change. The variety of the rhetorical devices that Sinclair included helped him accomplish his goal. In chapter 14 from The Jungle, Upton Sinclair identifies imagery, personification, and pathos in order to inspire change upon the unhealthy standards and brutal work conditions in the factories.

Rhetorical strategies are techniques writers use for a particular effect. In previous classes, you might have been introduced to them as “literary devices” – others will be completely new to you. When thinking of language choices that we make when writing or speaking, think of it like this -- everyone draws from a “toolbox” of rhetorical strategies as they express ideas and evoke responses in their readers. The more “tricks” of language that you know, the more effectively you can say what you want in the most effective way.

S.L.O.: Determine and use effective approaches and rhetorical strategies for given reading and writing situations.

In the article “Why Bother” by Michael Pollan, the author addresses the issue of climate change and what we as individuals can do. Pollan starts by making the primary assertion that it is up to each individual to change their habits of mind to curtail the current climate crisis. He believes that by the simple act of gardening it will severely help the situation at hand. During the course of Pollan’s article he gives many examples of what he believes we are doing wrong and how we can change. Through the use of many different rhetorical strategies he is able to support his case very effectively. Pollan clearly states the situation and purpose of his article, along with minor and major claims to support his ideas.

The use of rhetorical devices is to give a better idea as to what is being told but also we constantly suing them already to express ourselves. Within the essay I used a metaphor which was, “ I stuck to my belief of honesty and eventually I made it through the thick mud I seemed to be crawling through” which used to emphasize the situation and express a struggle. I expresses the difficult I conquered in a different view. The statement, “Memories are like the seeds left behind from a fruitful moment” is a simile which I used to provide a clearer idea as to the perspective on memories and why they hold value. In the middle of the essay I wrote, “to learn more about the focus of the experiment, to understand the purpose, to focus on the function

The passage is also filled with subtle imagery. The scripture has light detail that helps the reader understand the situation as it paints a picture for them to see how things would have happened in that time. Luke makes a point to use the description of the lepers “who stood at a distance.” This is significant description because it gives insight on background of the text. The disease of leprosy that these people had was taken so seriously, as it was highly contagious, being the reasoning behind why the men stood so far away.

James Hansen in his article “A Solution to Climate Change”, successfully uses Rhetoric techniques such as ethos, logos as well as pathos to convince his readers that the problem of climate change is one that they must deal with, not leave it to the government. Hansen is a climatology researcher with NASA and was one of the first to announce that human activity was the cause of climate change. This information is given even before the article starts, which reassures to the reader that Hansen is a professional in his field and knows what he is talking about, therefore using ethos to solidify his point. Hansen also makes use of a couple logos, such as the list of actions that the government is taking, which is making the climate problem even

Today, we live in a dog-eat-dog, who’s better than who world. We live in a world where one person’s opinion on something is more important than another’s because they simply are more qualified. With all of the news sources and media outlets, we are left to figure out which source of information is more correct than another based on the credibility and qualifications of its author. This same problem occurs in the topic of climate change. When we look up information about climate change we must evaluate the credibility of the authors who are writing the articles we are reading. Once you are able to figure out which author is more credible the next step is to determine which author is more persuasive and able to convince the reader that their

Overall, this article was clear in the beginning until at the end when the author mentioned looking toward the future. In order to engage the audience, the author has to improve on having a more concise introduction. The message addressed in this article is important so that it create awareness to the audience. I personally had no idea that Trump’s climate denial could threaten everyone. The article was well written but the author did not provide concrete evidence that he will do what he

Temperature rising isn’t just abnormal; it’s a serious matter that has caught the attention of many scientists. Scientists has issued that climate change is happening and with all the burning of fossil fuel we’ll be looking at devastating consequences. In the editorial “How Mankind Blew the Fight against Climate Change,” published in the Washington Post (June 5, 2014), American environmentalist Bill McKibben discusses the major consequences of oil industries, arguing that limitations can happen if shareholders would stop investing in these unjust companies. McKibben supports the claim by presenting strong evidence of how global warming has created disastrophe like the death tolls in India, providing statements made from Exxon’s executive mocking renewable energy, and finding ways to solve the issue such as divesting. McKibben’s purpose is to stop shareholders from investing in big oil companies like Exxon Mobile, by introducing them to divestment. McKibben adapts an urgent tone for an audience that consists of those who believe that the climate is changing and are caused by burning of fossil fuel. In this essay, I analyze Bill McKibben’s usage of strategic methods for strengthening his claims. Identifying his choices of rhetorical devices, I plan on voicing his approach by breaking down how he incorporates logos and pathos to persuade the audience of this urgent issue concerning our world. McKibben structure his article in a style that best explains his point, his urgency

Oreskes and Conway—in their book “Merchents of Doubt”— discuss the ways in which uncertainty within climate change research is used by sceptics to delegitimize the entire notion of anthropogenic climate change. Climate change deniers take advantage of reported uncertainty, claiming the evidence and conclusions of climate science studies lack legitimacy given their uncertainty. Additionally, climate change deniers claim that scientists alter research or downplay uncertainty, despite no evidence of tampering. Uncertainty therefore, while important to include in thorough research, often leaves scientific facts open to unfounded attacks, used by resourceful individuals, for political gain.

In view of this, I hypothesize that the Herald will use tactics in order to increase readership and prevent readers from having to wrestle with new concepts on the subject of climate change. Boykoff and Smith would be critical of the Calgary Herald and criticize it for presenting climate change as an “evenly balanced debate between apparently expert groups who were ‘‘believers’’ or ‘‘deniers’’’ (Boykoff and Smith, 2010, p. 5) I intend on speaking at length in my MRP about the ramifications that arise when equal weight is given to scientific facts that are by facts and alternative facts that are generated by emotion. Will Potter in Green Is the New Red: An Insider's Account of a Social Movement Under Siege (2011, p.133) strengthens Boykoff and Smith’s arguments by declaring that balancing false impressions has taken precedence over critical, investigative reporting that speaks truth to power (Potter 2011, p.133). A similar approach is taken in Erik Kojola’s writing’s on the political economy of the news industry that are informed by Potter’s claims. Kojola looks at how truth is being compromised by corporate consolidation, profit demands, and political biases that are shaped by the ideological position of newspaper owners and editors (2015, p.7). It is useful to draw upon Freudenburg (2005) who theorizes about ‘privileged accounts’ that are given precedence in the media and in doing so, produce conflictual binaries and recreate dominant

In this article, Akerman pushes several points as to why Climate Change doesn’t exist or that it’s effects are non-existent. He goes on to state how global leaders are using this to push alternate agendas such as further taxation and change the global economy as a whole. However, the article is constantly discredited by its lack of scientific facts to back up claims as well as the constant

In every major discussion of the readings we raised the subject of politics regarding climate change. John Dryzek, professor at the University of Canberra, says in his book Politics of the Earth: “Discourses are bound up in political power.” We discussed how discourse about climate change is increasingly discursive, and that often the controversy stems from differences in values rather than disagreements about the science. One could argue that these opposing groups maintain their differences of opinion because they do not understand the science and are instead resorting to something they know how to talk about. Both Shi et al’s Knowledge as a driver of public perceptions about climate change reassessed revisits how

As debates surrounding climate change have grown in recent times, especially with Donald Trump’s withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement, many environmentalists have evidently viewed his deed as a call to action. In today’s world, environmental change has been glossed over simply for the fact that some disagree upon its existence. In turn, other well known figures have taken matters into their own hands; as a strong believer in climate change himself, famous actor and environmentalist Leonardo DiCaprio gave a powerful speech in front of the United Nations (UN) Climate summit. Through use of the rhetorical triangle, the three appeals, the patterns of development, and SOAPSTone, DiCaprio presents his speech effectively to his audience.