Western doctors admittedly know little about acupuncture and with that lack of understanding comes apprehension and concern. In a British Medical Journal Acupuncture in Medicine, Mike Cummings’ article “Acupuncture for Low Back Pain in Pregnancy” critically discusses the benefits of practicing acupuncture on pregnant women, despite increasing litigations and various concerns voiced by prevalent doctors claiming that such a practice causes spontaneous early pregnancy loss. Through his own case study, the author uses deep paraspinal and periosteal acupuncture throughout a patient’s pregnancy at her insistence to help control her lower back pain, and documents his results to convince his audience of the safety of acupuncture during pregnancy. Through his use of questions, examples, organization, style, and graphics, Cummings effectively defends his belief that acupunctural treatment on pregnant women is both safe and reliable.
The author first poses questions to his audience to convey his personal feelings and to help his audience better identify with him. He establishes his firm ethical stance in this way by engaging the reader and illustrating his integrity as a medical professional. As an existing acupuncture patient, the woman in this study had been receiving acupuncture treatment for weeks before she revealed to Cummings that she was in fact pregnant. He then explained how he halted treatment due to the apprehension in his field about using acupuncture on a pregnant woman, but resumed treatment after exhausting every other option and after the request of the patient. Is “it ethically defensible” Cummings asks, “to withhold treatment on purely medicolegal grounds (i.e. the concern about being blamed for a coincidental adverse event in the pregnancy), when the patient, who was aware of the material risks, had made the decision to continue treatment?” (44). Other professionals in the medical field have asked this same question, and this issue about acquiescing patients' requests has been particularly tense in the UK. By posing this question, then, Cummings supports the choice to begin treatment on a consenting patient and presents a background where readers with prior biases will more easily agree with the author's treatment and accept his study. Coupled with the author’s earlier inhibitions about administering the treatment, questions such as these establish his ethos and helps persuade the reader to accept acupuncture as a safe and legitimate option for pregnant women.
Second, through describing his personal study as well as referencing other research presented on this topic, Cummings gives more legitimacy to his results. He logically attests that due to the nonoccurrence of any complications resulting from the administration of acupuncture to the pregnant woman in his study, acupuncture is therefore safe. To prove that his study is not an isolated incident, he further refers the reader to case reports and studies conducted by other doctors on pregnant women who also found this treatment to be a safe and effective treatment. These references include Wedenberg’s “A prospective randomized study comparing acupuncture with physiotherapy for low-back and pelvic pain in pregnancy” and Thomas’s “Use of acupuncture for managing chronic pelvic pain in pregnancy.” Because the acupuncture Cummings prescribed did not cause any adverse effects on his patient, he concludes that this study, coupled with others’ research, provides conclusive evidence to dismiss the earlier claims that acupuncture begets abortions in pregnant women. With the evidence cleverly stacked in his favor, Cummings' audience is logically led to agree.
Furthermore, the article’s organization is deliberately chosen to accommodate quicker and more enjoyable reading. Cummings organizes his article chronologically, separating different ideas and events into paragraphs. This organizational style makes it easier for the reader to follow the study more naturally and provides more insight to the author’s feelings. The events are mostly grouped together by visitation, the first visit from the patient coming at the beginning, the second following that and so on, with a summary at the beginning of the article and a conclusion at the end. In this way, we learn as the author learns, and are more inclined to treat the presented case in its own light rather than applying any previous biases. Also, a notable foundation of trust is built as Cummings leads us through his mind and shares with us his experiences in a story-like manner. Readers feel like they are there with Cummings through every step of his study, hence drawing the audience closer to the text emotionally. Organizational arrangement is further apparent when Cummings introduces new topics. When presenting new information that he assumes the reader does not already know, Cummings laboriously elaborates on every fact that is applicable to the situation. These facts are then used as evidence to support his insights on the given subject in the following paragraphs. This format of new topic to description to explanation to supporting conclusion remains constant throughout his article. Presenting the facts before he gives his opinion helps to establish the author’s logos, as does his well-placed introduction of himself as a Medical Director at the beginning of the piece.
Although he refers to many other examples conducted in other hospitals throughout his paper, Mike Cummings uses just one first-hand example to describe his position. By using only one example in a story-like manner, the author appeals to our emotions by emphasizing the humanness of the patient. This kind of pathos used by Cummings helps us feel attached to the patient rather than citing many examples where each patient seems insignificant. Since the patient said she was experiencing severe pain, the audience begins to feel sorry for her. In this way, the author subtly persuades us to agree with the author to do something to help curb this horrible agony. Cummings expertly creates a singular, thoughtful story which presents an emotional aspect to his work that a statistical study could not have captured.
Most of the graphics Cummings uses in his article help illustrate the pain sites his patient describes and visually portray the severe nature of his patient’s condition. These visuals add a human element to make the article seem more genuine, and they serve to explain and supplement the text. He inserts them on the sides of the page forecast the topics soon to be explained. If a graphic appears on the left side of the page, for example, the audience can assume that topic will be discussed later on in that particular page. In this way, Cummings emphasizes important information not only by creating “landmarks” which make it easier to find particular topics, but also by illustrating concepts or ideas that might otherwise be hard to understand. The figure showing the areas of discomfort on the patient, for example, helps the audience know exactly where and to what extent the patient was experiencing her pain, and to emphasize the necessity of Cummings treatment to provide relief. The author utilized these visuals to present his information in a clear and systematic way, introducing his topic first, explaining it in words, then referring to the graphic in the text parenthetically so his audience would be able to understand and more fully internalize the text.
In his article, Mike Cummings uses a story about a pregnant woman who needed acupuncture in order to persuade his audience to question the predisposing suspicion that acupuncture causes abortions in pregnant women. By chronologically organizing his paper, including pictures, and referring to just one patient, the audience feels more emotionally attached to this case. The author offers emotional and logical evidence to support his belief that refusing treatment to a patient merely on unproven, superstitious beliefs is both unethical and archaic. Through effective use of questions, examples, organization, style, and graphics, this case study actively persuades its readers to disregard primitive and unfounded biases and acknowledge the research presented in this report.
Works Cited
Cummings, Mike. “Acupuncture for Low Back Pain in Pregnancy.” Acupuncture in Medicine 2003: 21;42-46. Print.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
From People to Cars
From People to Cars
Advertising uses sneaky, manipulative techniques to attract everyone, from children to grandparents. Bright and bold colors catch the eye, and the viewer stops, snared. Catchy phrasing keeps them looking. Pictures suggesting something everyone wants ties the unwary magazine reader in emotionally. Before long, a person is marveling at the wonderfulness of the product, doomed from first sight. One such ad is for the Toyota Sequoia. It uses bold catchy phrases at the top, pictures to clarify, smooth calming colors, and the pull of something everyone wants to represent the value of simplified, enjoyable living.
The Toyota Sequoia looks a lot like other cars on the market. It has shiny silver paint, sparkling chrome wheels, and four doors. So, what makes it special? In the ad, it is placed in a secluded setting on a beach with mountains in the distance. People are standing on the shore fishing, playing with their children, talking, and sitting back watching the ripples in the glassy lake. They’re far away from the busy hubbub of the city and enjoying life together like everyone wants to. The ad uses the happy people to weave a picture of joy and bliss. The setting, with the crystalline waters and the painted mountains, creates a feeling of wanderlust with a touch of adventure. The ad uses its setting and props to suggest that the Toyota Sequoia will help a person have a good time with the people they enjoy being around.
At the top of the ad, bold white letters say, “You’ve earned enough points with your airline. Earn some with your family”. At the bottom of the ad, a short paragraph describes how the sequoia is for work and play because of its unique design and features. The last phrase says, “There’s no limit to how far your family can go, or how close you can get”. The words in this ad clearly say that this product will help a person get away from ordinary life to create something better and new. This ad is keenly directed to people who feel removed from their family and want to reestablish or even create new bonds to last a lifetime. The ad suggests that the Toyota Sequoia can help achieve these goals.
This ad is filled with blues and browns. Blue, a cool and refreshing color, renews the atmosphere and ensures that the picture never gets old. The browns add the bit of rustic serenity needed to create a familiarity in the picture, so it feels like someplace someone has been that it is possible to return to. The hint of purple in the mountains supply the air of mystique everyone needs to stay interested and alive. This ad uses color to bring out the wish to be carefree and loved that everyone wants to feel from time to time.
Running along the bottom of the page for the Toyota Sequoia, there is a long panorama of a grassy mountainous scene divided into four sections. The first section shows three adolescents running and skipping through some water. In capital words, it says, “GET THE FEELING”. The next part of the scene is empty of people but full of trees and grassy hillsides. After that, there is a picture of a child bending down to point at something interesting he’s found on the ground. The last part of the complete picture says TOYOTA next to the Toyota logo. This sequence takes the mind along a path that begins with excitement, leads to wonder, then to discovery, and at the end of it all like a beacon to the unfulfilled wanderer, there is Toyota. This sequence helps suggest that adventure takes on many forms, but all those wonders are made possible through the Toyota Sequoia.
The Toyota Sequoia uses color, background, diction, and atmosphere to advertise its product. There is no comparing with other brands or ideas, suggesting that it is above those sorts of advertising techniques. It uses the idea of comfort and fun with friends and family to entice new vehicle buyers into the Toyota location nearest to them. It links its product quite successfully to finding what has been lost and fixing what has been broken.
Cars and living an enjoyable life are two very different things. One uses gas, oil, and other dwindling natural resources to go, while the other is supposed to work depending on attitude and personality. They are truly their own entities of individual ideas and focus. People don’t need cars to be happy, but it can definitely be argued that they help. Cars can’t go anywhere without people. In this day and age, they both need each other. It is the idea that people are much happier when they are working or playing well with someone they like that this ad draws upon. The designer clearly understands the pull to have a relaxed life without stress or worry.
The ad uses simplicity to convey its meaning. The scene or picture isn’t clustered with crazy people running around being random. It focuses on real people and what they need. The true basics are all people really want and need, and they are what this ad exhibits. In conclusion, while the ad is for creation and fun, it is also for life. Just as putting the foot to the pedal makes the car go, so being able to be almost anywhere within a few days makes life go. The Toyota Sequoia ad uses a longing to be free, desire for truth, and want of something that works to sell its product.
Advertising uses sneaky, manipulative techniques to attract everyone, from children to grandparents. Bright and bold colors catch the eye, and the viewer stops, snared. Catchy phrasing keeps them looking. Pictures suggesting something everyone wants ties the unwary magazine reader in emotionally. Before long, a person is marveling at the wonderfulness of the product, doomed from first sight. One such ad is for the Toyota Sequoia. It uses bold catchy phrases at the top, pictures to clarify, smooth calming colors, and the pull of something everyone wants to represent the value of simplified, enjoyable living.
The Toyota Sequoia looks a lot like other cars on the market. It has shiny silver paint, sparkling chrome wheels, and four doors. So, what makes it special? In the ad, it is placed in a secluded setting on a beach with mountains in the distance. People are standing on the shore fishing, playing with their children, talking, and sitting back watching the ripples in the glassy lake. They’re far away from the busy hubbub of the city and enjoying life together like everyone wants to. The ad uses the happy people to weave a picture of joy and bliss. The setting, with the crystalline waters and the painted mountains, creates a feeling of wanderlust with a touch of adventure. The ad uses its setting and props to suggest that the Toyota Sequoia will help a person have a good time with the people they enjoy being around.
At the top of the ad, bold white letters say, “You’ve earned enough points with your airline. Earn some with your family”. At the bottom of the ad, a short paragraph describes how the sequoia is for work and play because of its unique design and features. The last phrase says, “There’s no limit to how far your family can go, or how close you can get”. The words in this ad clearly say that this product will help a person get away from ordinary life to create something better and new. This ad is keenly directed to people who feel removed from their family and want to reestablish or even create new bonds to last a lifetime. The ad suggests that the Toyota Sequoia can help achieve these goals.
This ad is filled with blues and browns. Blue, a cool and refreshing color, renews the atmosphere and ensures that the picture never gets old. The browns add the bit of rustic serenity needed to create a familiarity in the picture, so it feels like someplace someone has been that it is possible to return to. The hint of purple in the mountains supply the air of mystique everyone needs to stay interested and alive. This ad uses color to bring out the wish to be carefree and loved that everyone wants to feel from time to time.
Running along the bottom of the page for the Toyota Sequoia, there is a long panorama of a grassy mountainous scene divided into four sections. The first section shows three adolescents running and skipping through some water. In capital words, it says, “GET THE FEELING”. The next part of the scene is empty of people but full of trees and grassy hillsides. After that, there is a picture of a child bending down to point at something interesting he’s found on the ground. The last part of the complete picture says TOYOTA next to the Toyota logo. This sequence takes the mind along a path that begins with excitement, leads to wonder, then to discovery, and at the end of it all like a beacon to the unfulfilled wanderer, there is Toyota. This sequence helps suggest that adventure takes on many forms, but all those wonders are made possible through the Toyota Sequoia.
The Toyota Sequoia uses color, background, diction, and atmosphere to advertise its product. There is no comparing with other brands or ideas, suggesting that it is above those sorts of advertising techniques. It uses the idea of comfort and fun with friends and family to entice new vehicle buyers into the Toyota location nearest to them. It links its product quite successfully to finding what has been lost and fixing what has been broken.
Cars and living an enjoyable life are two very different things. One uses gas, oil, and other dwindling natural resources to go, while the other is supposed to work depending on attitude and personality. They are truly their own entities of individual ideas and focus. People don’t need cars to be happy, but it can definitely be argued that they help. Cars can’t go anywhere without people. In this day and age, they both need each other. It is the idea that people are much happier when they are working or playing well with someone they like that this ad draws upon. The designer clearly understands the pull to have a relaxed life without stress or worry.
The ad uses simplicity to convey its meaning. The scene or picture isn’t clustered with crazy people running around being random. It focuses on real people and what they need. The true basics are all people really want and need, and they are what this ad exhibits. In conclusion, while the ad is for creation and fun, it is also for life. Just as putting the foot to the pedal makes the car go, so being able to be almost anywhere within a few days makes life go. The Toyota Sequoia ad uses a longing to be free, desire for truth, and want of something that works to sell its product.
Freedom Writers Diary
Freedom Writer’s Diary in Irony
“Well, Jeremy was arrested” (Freedom Writers 183). How does someone who horribly raped and murdered a young girl fit into a book that preaches peace and change for the better? The juxtaposition of violence and peace resonate throughout this passage, giving rise to a paradigm in pathos that epitomizes the message of the book, The Freedom Writers Diary. Logos and ethos are also used in conjunction with irony, but not to the same extent. This passage is one, out of 150, student’s diary entry that takes a passage from their life and compares the world around them to the Freedom Writer’s goals.
“There were media vans in front of the school and the first thing I thought to myself was they were there to welcome the Freedom Writers back and to write an article about us. But they weren’t” (Freedom Writers 183). In order to understand this entry, we must first understand the context that it’s in. The Freedom Writers originally went to Washington D.C. to present their idea of their diary to the U.S. Secretary of Education, Richard Riley, to see if he could get it published for the whole world to read. The point of this diary is to let other people know that they can change, no matter what background they’re from and that peace and respect are always better for everyone rather than hatred and segregation.
While they were in Washington D.C., they not only did that, but they visited the Lincoln Memorial, the Holocaust Museum and held a candlelight vigil for peace. The same night as the vigil, a rape and murder were taking place in Vegas and being carried out by another student from their same school. “Apparently Jeremy had brutally raped and murdered a seven-year-old girl in a Nevada casino…While the father gambled, Jeremy and his friend hung out in the arcade…Jeremy began playing tag with the little girl, followed her into the women’s restroom, where he raped and murdered her in a bathroom stall. The friend…left and did nothing to stop this crime” (Freedom Writers 183).
This passage highlights two things: pathos and juxtaposition. The pathos used here is a paradigm which the writer highlighted, but warned the reader not to follow. The paradigm here is that there is a young man, with nothing to do and a corrupt mind (mentioned later in the passage) that led to a horrific act. This can be generalized to all young men who have nothing to do and have “child pornography on [their] computer” while “abusing drugs” that with these conditions, all young men will commit such crimes (Freedom Writers 183). However, the writer of this diary entry also mentioned that the media focuses on these types of things. “No wonder young people are so easily stereotyped” (Freedom Writers 184).
The other part, juxtaposition, has two distinct passages that also use pathos. “It’s ironic that while the Freedom Writers were taking a symbolic stand against violence in our candlelight vigil at the Washington Monument, a murder was being carried out” (Freedom Writers 184). This passage was mentioned earlier. The second one deals with the media in this diary entry. “It makes me sad that this horrible murder moved the Freedom Writers’ story to the back cover, while Jeremy’s got the front page” (Freedom Writers 184). The juxtaposition comes in with both of these passages in the overlying message: that tolerance and peace are the better way to go and that the Freedom Writers are trying to establish that fact through their writings and their works. Yet, the world keeps on focusing on the negative, the horrible, and the treacherous. Putting these two concepts side by side really force that issue out in this diary entry.
There are two other points to make about this diary entry that haven’t been touched upon yet: the ethos and logos. The ethos here is kind of subtle. “There were media vans in front of the school and the first thing I thought to myself was they were there to welcome the Freedom Writers back and to write an article about us” (Freedom Writers 183). This was already mentioned, yet this same passage is applicable to ethos. This sentence established the strong character of the Freedom Writers: they were well known by now. This entry was written in the spring of Junior Year 1997. After two and a half years of being together, the Freedom Writers had made a name for themselves and were well connected as the remedial English class that had risen to new heights and taking on the world’s problems. When a reader reads this passage, then, she expects to understand the point of their entry and what lessons she’ll learn from it.
Logos is also a brief interlude within this diary entry. “Jeremy had a dark side to his personality. He had child pornography on his computer, and he was abusing drugs. This is a lethal combination. Although not an excuse, such things can make a person with such a dark and disturbed side commit acts they may never have if not under their influence” (Freedom Writers 183). While the writer saw this as an enthymeme and put two and two together, the reader can also see this as a form of logos: obvious logic that spells out why Jeremy did these things and what one should do to avoid making similar mistakes in the future.
In conclusion, pathos, ethos and logos are used in conjunction within this diary entry in order to make the reader more aware of what the Freedom Writers are trying to accomplish. Their values of tolerance, justice, peace and love are sharply contrasted with the violence, hatred, intolerance, racism and segregation in their lives and the world around them. This diary entry epitomized that very feeling in juxtaposition.
Bibliography
Freedom Writers with Erin Gruwell. The Freedom Writers Diary: How a Teacher and 150 Teens Used Writing to Change Themselves and the World Around Them. New York: Broadway Books, 1999. Print.
“Well, Jeremy was arrested” (Freedom Writers 183). How does someone who horribly raped and murdered a young girl fit into a book that preaches peace and change for the better? The juxtaposition of violence and peace resonate throughout this passage, giving rise to a paradigm in pathos that epitomizes the message of the book, The Freedom Writers Diary. Logos and ethos are also used in conjunction with irony, but not to the same extent. This passage is one, out of 150, student’s diary entry that takes a passage from their life and compares the world around them to the Freedom Writer’s goals.
“There were media vans in front of the school and the first thing I thought to myself was they were there to welcome the Freedom Writers back and to write an article about us. But they weren’t” (Freedom Writers 183). In order to understand this entry, we must first understand the context that it’s in. The Freedom Writers originally went to Washington D.C. to present their idea of their diary to the U.S. Secretary of Education, Richard Riley, to see if he could get it published for the whole world to read. The point of this diary is to let other people know that they can change, no matter what background they’re from and that peace and respect are always better for everyone rather than hatred and segregation.
While they were in Washington D.C., they not only did that, but they visited the Lincoln Memorial, the Holocaust Museum and held a candlelight vigil for peace. The same night as the vigil, a rape and murder were taking place in Vegas and being carried out by another student from their same school. “Apparently Jeremy had brutally raped and murdered a seven-year-old girl in a Nevada casino…While the father gambled, Jeremy and his friend hung out in the arcade…Jeremy began playing tag with the little girl, followed her into the women’s restroom, where he raped and murdered her in a bathroom stall. The friend…left and did nothing to stop this crime” (Freedom Writers 183).
This passage highlights two things: pathos and juxtaposition. The pathos used here is a paradigm which the writer highlighted, but warned the reader not to follow. The paradigm here is that there is a young man, with nothing to do and a corrupt mind (mentioned later in the passage) that led to a horrific act. This can be generalized to all young men who have nothing to do and have “child pornography on [their] computer” while “abusing drugs” that with these conditions, all young men will commit such crimes (Freedom Writers 183). However, the writer of this diary entry also mentioned that the media focuses on these types of things. “No wonder young people are so easily stereotyped” (Freedom Writers 184).
The other part, juxtaposition, has two distinct passages that also use pathos. “It’s ironic that while the Freedom Writers were taking a symbolic stand against violence in our candlelight vigil at the Washington Monument, a murder was being carried out” (Freedom Writers 184). This passage was mentioned earlier. The second one deals with the media in this diary entry. “It makes me sad that this horrible murder moved the Freedom Writers’ story to the back cover, while Jeremy’s got the front page” (Freedom Writers 184). The juxtaposition comes in with both of these passages in the overlying message: that tolerance and peace are the better way to go and that the Freedom Writers are trying to establish that fact through their writings and their works. Yet, the world keeps on focusing on the negative, the horrible, and the treacherous. Putting these two concepts side by side really force that issue out in this diary entry.
There are two other points to make about this diary entry that haven’t been touched upon yet: the ethos and logos. The ethos here is kind of subtle. “There were media vans in front of the school and the first thing I thought to myself was they were there to welcome the Freedom Writers back and to write an article about us” (Freedom Writers 183). This was already mentioned, yet this same passage is applicable to ethos. This sentence established the strong character of the Freedom Writers: they were well known by now. This entry was written in the spring of Junior Year 1997. After two and a half years of being together, the Freedom Writers had made a name for themselves and were well connected as the remedial English class that had risen to new heights and taking on the world’s problems. When a reader reads this passage, then, she expects to understand the point of their entry and what lessons she’ll learn from it.
Logos is also a brief interlude within this diary entry. “Jeremy had a dark side to his personality. He had child pornography on his computer, and he was abusing drugs. This is a lethal combination. Although not an excuse, such things can make a person with such a dark and disturbed side commit acts they may never have if not under their influence” (Freedom Writers 183). While the writer saw this as an enthymeme and put two and two together, the reader can also see this as a form of logos: obvious logic that spells out why Jeremy did these things and what one should do to avoid making similar mistakes in the future.
In conclusion, pathos, ethos and logos are used in conjunction within this diary entry in order to make the reader more aware of what the Freedom Writers are trying to accomplish. Their values of tolerance, justice, peace and love are sharply contrasted with the violence, hatred, intolerance, racism and segregation in their lives and the world around them. This diary entry epitomized that very feeling in juxtaposition.
Bibliography
Freedom Writers with Erin Gruwell. The Freedom Writers Diary: How a Teacher and 150 Teens Used Writing to Change Themselves and the World Around Them. New York: Broadway Books, 1999. Print.
The Efficacy of Jonathan Edwards’ “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God”
The famous sermon “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God,” written by American reverend Jonathan Edwards in 1741, is a prime example of the potentially forceful convincing powers of rhetoric. The sermon, even when read silently, is effective in forcefully projecting a specific interpretation of the wrathful nature of God and the sinful nature of man. In crafting his highly effective sermon, Edwards utilizes his authority as a man of God and as an interpreter of the scriptures, a logical and direct organization of arguments, and violent imagery to convince his audience of the vengeance of God against man.
Jonathan Edwards begins his sermon by quoting Deuteronomy 32:35, which reads, "Their foot shall slide in due time." Edwards quotes the verse, and then immediately offers an interpretation of its meaning. He places the verse in context by mentioning the "unbelieving Israelites," then passes judgment on the doctrinal situation by saying that the scripture "seems to imply" the points to be illustrated in the rest of the document (Edwards 194). Edwards is very aware of his audience's loyalties to the Bible as the word of God. He is also aware of the influence his position as a preacher has on the congregation. Edwards makes use of his knowledge of his audience's allegiances in order to add the most impact to his argument. He uses two authorities to which he knows his audience claims allegiance; that is, he exercises both his own authority and the authority of the Bible to make his arguments about the nature of sinners more powerful. The scripture quoted at the beginning of the sermon then becomes irrefutable proof of the precarious nature of sinners in the sight of God. The strong argument in the introduction to Edwards' sermon, which is fortified by the scriptures and Edwards' ability to interpret the scriptures, immediately establishes Edwards as an authoritative figure, thus lending credibility to the rest of the sermon.
As the sermon goes on, Edwards continues to utilize his authority as a man of God, specifically by creating his own interpretation of the nature of God. This interpretation of God becomes the reference point for the rest of the sermon. All of the commands and accusations in the sermon rely on Edwards' portrait of God as an angry, all-powerful being that has no obligation to have mercy upon his creations. By convincing his congregation of God's wrathful character, Edwards is then able to convince the congregation that they are in danger of damnation and severe punishment at the hand of this wrathful God. Edwards characterizes God as a being that "abhors" mortal men and "looks upon [them] as worthy of nothing else but to be cast into the fire" (200). Edwards then uses scriptural references to support his claims about the nature of God. He says, "We often read of the fury of God" (Edwards 201), "How awful are those words, Isaiah 63:3, which are the words of the great God" (Edwards 202), and quotes other scriptures in order to illustrate his point. Once again, he justifies his arguments by relying upon the word of God (scripture) and his own authority to interpret those words.
Edwards' arguments are further strengthened by the overall organization of his sermon. The sermon follows a very logically formulated course. Edwards begins by explaining the situation of the Israelites, as outlined in the Bible. He dictates, in a numbered list, the assumptions that can be made about the Israelites' exposure to "punishment and destruction" (Edwards 194). After outlining the Israelites' situation, he makes a claim that stems from his preceding logical explanation. He claims that "'There is nothing that keeps wicked men at any one moment out of hell, but the mere pleasure of God'" (Edwards 195). He then supports this claim, once again, with a numbered list of fully articulated explanations. Finally, after creating a well-structured argument about the Israelites, Edwards shifts his attention toward the members of his congregation and applies his claims about the Israelites to their present-day situation. His language immediately reflects this directional shift. He says that the subject thus far addressed "may be for awakening unconverted persons in this congregation" (Edwards 198). Edwards addresses the audience very directly, saying "This that you have heard is the case of every one of you that are out of Christ" (198, emphasis added). Before this shift, Edwards uses generalized language that is not directed at any specific individuals. When speaking of the condemnation of men, he says "the devil is waiting for them, hell is gaping for them, the flames gather and flash about them," etc. (Edwards 198, emphasis added) By shifting his attention directly to the audience before him, Edwards makes a logical transfer of ideas from the Israelites to the Americans in his congregation. The punishments and dire consequences assigned to the Israelites in the first half of the speech, before the shift, are then applied to the congregation. This sudden shift wastes no time in directly condemning the so-called sinners in Edwards' congregation. The logical progression of Edwards' argument makes his claims directly impactful to his audience.
Edwards also makes direct and powerful arguments by addressing specific groups within his congregation. Near the end of the sermon, Edwards begins to identify groups within the audience, then speaks directly to them. He speaks to older individuals, saying, "Do you not see how generally persons of your years are passed over and left," then turns to the younger audience members, saying, "And you, young men, and young women, will you neglect this precious season which you now enjoy. . .?" Finally, he turns to the youngest members of the audience. He says, "And you, children, who are unconverted . . . Will you be content to be children of the devil . . . ?" Once again, Edwards' methodological presentation creates a strong and convincing argument that applies specifically to the audience. By systematically addressing all age groups of the congregation, Edwards argues that God's wrath will not spare any sinner, regardless of age or experience.
Edwards also appeals to his audience through the use of extreme imagery. After identifying his audience members as sinners, Edwards reemphasizes the gravity of their situation through frightening images of destruction. He directly pinpoints the sins of the congregation, telling them that "wickedness makes you as it were heavy as lead, and to tend downwards with great weight and pressure towards hell" (Edwards 199). Through the use of this image, Edwards creates a notion of hell that is very physical, not merely spiritual or mental. The physical reality of the torture of hell increases the negativity of the consequences of damnation. Edwards continues to use similar imagery in his explanation of the wrath of God. The wrath of God is compared to "black clouds," "fiery floods," a bent bow loaded with an arrow pointed at the heart of the sinner, etc. (Edwards 199) The images used in the second half of the sermon (after the shift towards the audience) parallel those used in the first half of the sermon. The audience members are thus in danger of the punishments directed at the Israelites. They can now picture themselves "held in the hand of God, over the pit of hell" (Edwards 198). Because Ewards has used a familiar image, a hand, the wrath of God becomes a physical, easily recognizable metaphor that can directly influence the audience. Edwards' imagery, as used throughout the sermon, paints an overall picture of man's vulnerability to the furious power of God. The violence of the imagery is incredibly sensational, and thus, incredibly frightening and effective in convincing the audience of God's ability to destroy his creations.
The convincing powers of Edwards' sermon are the result of careful construction. Edwards, in recognizing the influence of his own actions as a preacher, utilizes the audience members' loyalties to the Bible and religious authority in order to establish his argument as an authoritative interpretation of the nature of God. Furthermore, Edwards organizes his argument in such a way that the frightening punishments outlined in the Bible can apply directly to his audience members. The logical construction of the argument maximizes the impact of Biblical evidence of God' wrathful character. Finally, Edwards' use of vivid and violent imagery has the ability to create a strong emotional reaction in the audience, essentially inciting fear and dread so powerful that the audience has no choice but to trust Edwards. The sermon finds its power from the specificity with which it addresses its audience. Edwards draws power from the beliefs of his audience, and in doing so, creates a powerful argument about the relationship between God and man.
Works Cited
Edwards, Jonathan. “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God.” The Norton Anthology of American Literature. Ed. Nina Baym. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2008. 194-205. Print.
Jonathan Edwards begins his sermon by quoting Deuteronomy 32:35, which reads, "Their foot shall slide in due time." Edwards quotes the verse, and then immediately offers an interpretation of its meaning. He places the verse in context by mentioning the "unbelieving Israelites," then passes judgment on the doctrinal situation by saying that the scripture "seems to imply" the points to be illustrated in the rest of the document (Edwards 194). Edwards is very aware of his audience's loyalties to the Bible as the word of God. He is also aware of the influence his position as a preacher has on the congregation. Edwards makes use of his knowledge of his audience's allegiances in order to add the most impact to his argument. He uses two authorities to which he knows his audience claims allegiance; that is, he exercises both his own authority and the authority of the Bible to make his arguments about the nature of sinners more powerful. The scripture quoted at the beginning of the sermon then becomes irrefutable proof of the precarious nature of sinners in the sight of God. The strong argument in the introduction to Edwards' sermon, which is fortified by the scriptures and Edwards' ability to interpret the scriptures, immediately establishes Edwards as an authoritative figure, thus lending credibility to the rest of the sermon.
As the sermon goes on, Edwards continues to utilize his authority as a man of God, specifically by creating his own interpretation of the nature of God. This interpretation of God becomes the reference point for the rest of the sermon. All of the commands and accusations in the sermon rely on Edwards' portrait of God as an angry, all-powerful being that has no obligation to have mercy upon his creations. By convincing his congregation of God's wrathful character, Edwards is then able to convince the congregation that they are in danger of damnation and severe punishment at the hand of this wrathful God. Edwards characterizes God as a being that "abhors" mortal men and "looks upon [them] as worthy of nothing else but to be cast into the fire" (200). Edwards then uses scriptural references to support his claims about the nature of God. He says, "We often read of the fury of God" (Edwards 201), "How awful are those words, Isaiah 63:3, which are the words of the great God" (Edwards 202), and quotes other scriptures in order to illustrate his point. Once again, he justifies his arguments by relying upon the word of God (scripture) and his own authority to interpret those words.
Edwards' arguments are further strengthened by the overall organization of his sermon. The sermon follows a very logically formulated course. Edwards begins by explaining the situation of the Israelites, as outlined in the Bible. He dictates, in a numbered list, the assumptions that can be made about the Israelites' exposure to "punishment and destruction" (Edwards 194). After outlining the Israelites' situation, he makes a claim that stems from his preceding logical explanation. He claims that "'There is nothing that keeps wicked men at any one moment out of hell, but the mere pleasure of God'" (Edwards 195). He then supports this claim, once again, with a numbered list of fully articulated explanations. Finally, after creating a well-structured argument about the Israelites, Edwards shifts his attention toward the members of his congregation and applies his claims about the Israelites to their present-day situation. His language immediately reflects this directional shift. He says that the subject thus far addressed "may be for awakening unconverted persons in this congregation" (Edwards 198). Edwards addresses the audience very directly, saying "This that you have heard is the case of every one of you that are out of Christ" (198, emphasis added). Before this shift, Edwards uses generalized language that is not directed at any specific individuals. When speaking of the condemnation of men, he says "the devil is waiting for them, hell is gaping for them, the flames gather and flash about them," etc. (Edwards 198, emphasis added) By shifting his attention directly to the audience before him, Edwards makes a logical transfer of ideas from the Israelites to the Americans in his congregation. The punishments and dire consequences assigned to the Israelites in the first half of the speech, before the shift, are then applied to the congregation. This sudden shift wastes no time in directly condemning the so-called sinners in Edwards' congregation. The logical progression of Edwards' argument makes his claims directly impactful to his audience.
Edwards also makes direct and powerful arguments by addressing specific groups within his congregation. Near the end of the sermon, Edwards begins to identify groups within the audience, then speaks directly to them. He speaks to older individuals, saying, "Do you not see how generally persons of your years are passed over and left," then turns to the younger audience members, saying, "And you, young men, and young women, will you neglect this precious season which you now enjoy. . .?" Finally, he turns to the youngest members of the audience. He says, "And you, children, who are unconverted . . . Will you be content to be children of the devil . . . ?" Once again, Edwards' methodological presentation creates a strong and convincing argument that applies specifically to the audience. By systematically addressing all age groups of the congregation, Edwards argues that God's wrath will not spare any sinner, regardless of age or experience.
Edwards also appeals to his audience through the use of extreme imagery. After identifying his audience members as sinners, Edwards reemphasizes the gravity of their situation through frightening images of destruction. He directly pinpoints the sins of the congregation, telling them that "wickedness makes you as it were heavy as lead, and to tend downwards with great weight and pressure towards hell" (Edwards 199). Through the use of this image, Edwards creates a notion of hell that is very physical, not merely spiritual or mental. The physical reality of the torture of hell increases the negativity of the consequences of damnation. Edwards continues to use similar imagery in his explanation of the wrath of God. The wrath of God is compared to "black clouds," "fiery floods," a bent bow loaded with an arrow pointed at the heart of the sinner, etc. (Edwards 199) The images used in the second half of the sermon (after the shift towards the audience) parallel those used in the first half of the sermon. The audience members are thus in danger of the punishments directed at the Israelites. They can now picture themselves "held in the hand of God, over the pit of hell" (Edwards 198). Because Ewards has used a familiar image, a hand, the wrath of God becomes a physical, easily recognizable metaphor that can directly influence the audience. Edwards' imagery, as used throughout the sermon, paints an overall picture of man's vulnerability to the furious power of God. The violence of the imagery is incredibly sensational, and thus, incredibly frightening and effective in convincing the audience of God's ability to destroy his creations.
The convincing powers of Edwards' sermon are the result of careful construction. Edwards, in recognizing the influence of his own actions as a preacher, utilizes the audience members' loyalties to the Bible and religious authority in order to establish his argument as an authoritative interpretation of the nature of God. Furthermore, Edwards organizes his argument in such a way that the frightening punishments outlined in the Bible can apply directly to his audience members. The logical construction of the argument maximizes the impact of Biblical evidence of God' wrathful character. Finally, Edwards' use of vivid and violent imagery has the ability to create a strong emotional reaction in the audience, essentially inciting fear and dread so powerful that the audience has no choice but to trust Edwards. The sermon finds its power from the specificity with which it addresses its audience. Edwards draws power from the beliefs of his audience, and in doing so, creates a powerful argument about the relationship between God and man.
Works Cited
Edwards, Jonathan. “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God.” The Norton Anthology of American Literature. Ed. Nina Baym. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2008. 194-205. Print.
Sexist Sows
Katie Macdonald
Dr. Paul
Rhetorical Analysis
Sexist Sows
It is taken as almost gospel truth that men discriminate against women. They are the ones who for generations remained atop the pedestal of superiority; they were the dominant half of our species. Therefore, it has come to fabricate such stereotypes as to completely shift the social atmosphere when something like feminism pops up. In the midst of the conflicting altercations between the many avid groups, Anne Richardson Roiphe wrote an essay in the New Yorker, entitled “Confessions of a Female Chauvinist Sow”. In her writings she aims to convince her readers that women must put faith in the idea that they are equal to men, not inferior, but neither superior. Despite the happenings of the past, the important thing—and the hard thing—is to wipe the slate clean, to start again without the meanness of the past. "Women who want equality must be prepared to give it and believe in it…” (Paragraph 9). Through exercising a careful manipulation of language in terms of connection to audience, contrast, and comparison, Roiphe effectively creates an equalizer in beliefs on both sides of the species-spectrum.
There is an old saying that plays something to the tune of, "sticks and stones will break my bones, but words will never hurt me." It is possible that such a phrase was popularized in order for people to equip themselves with a psychological defense against the reality that words can, in fact, have a tremendous amount of significance depending on their usage and context. The careful manipulation of language in essays, for example, is one way that words can be arranged and exploited. One way in which Roiphe orchestrates her scheme in the essay is through the use of specific pronouns, such as "us," "we," "they," and "you" to establish a rapport-like connection with female readers. The effect of this subtle device is that Roiphe is able to directly communicate with other women, enabling her to transmit her point of view.
This connection is vastly important, as what woman would enjoy hearing her opinion that “women as a group are indeed more masochistic than men”(Paragraph 11)? She goes on to explain that the practical result of this division is that women seem nicer and kinder, but when the world changes, women will have a fuller opportunity to be just as rotten as men and there will be fewer claims of female moral superiority, but it still entails an insult to women as a whole; however, by putting herself on the same level as her audience, and by always presenting a counteracting example, such as the fact that there are “1000 Jack the Rippers to every Lizzie Bordon” (11), she allows the claim to become more accepted.
In addition to capturing the reader's interest with the indisputable bonds, Roiphe begins using contrast. The numerous examples of contrast throughout the essay portray men and women as being drastically different, especially morally. Boys are thought to be incapable of engaging in “easy companionship” (Paragraph 4) as girls are able to do, and men are generally believed to be “less moral”(4) than women. “Everyone assumes a mother will not let her child starve, yet it is necessary to legislate that a father must not do so”(Paragraph 5). Roiphe uses contrast to illustrate the common anti-male attitudes women have, and in doing so, makes it obvious that women feel superior to men. This exactly, Roiphe points out, is the barrier to equality between men and women. It is clear to the reader that equality between the sexes will never exist as long as women continue to feel superior to men. The contrasts also function to support points Roiphe makes later concerning the similarities between men and women.
About midway through the essay, Roiphe transitions smoothly from contrast to comparison and begins focusing on the idea that women are actually very similar to men. She bluntly states in paragraph 11 that aggression is not a male-sex-linked characteristic, and despite her shared emotional conviction that women given power would not disrupt the peace, she admits that even “great queens have waged war before”(11). Comparisons such as these lead Roiphe into making her strongest comparison: “Us laughing at them, us feeling superior to them, us ridiculing them behind their backs…if they were doing it to us we'd call it male chauvinist pigness; if we do it to them, it is inescapably female chauvinist sowness”(paragraph 14). This particular technique forces the reader to reflect on previous ideas in the essay. Roiphe’s previous statement “what they have done to us [women], and, of course, they have and they did and they are…” (paragraph 2) momentarily makes the assumption that men are to blame for the inequality between the sexes. However, through effective comparison Roiphe leads her readers to logically infer that women must also be responsible for the inequality between men and women. Minorities, and in this case, women, automatically feel superior to the oppressor because, after all, they are not hurting anybody. In fact, they feel they are morally better. It then becomes clear to the reader that the secret sense of superiority women feel is what makes them equally as chauvinistic as men.
If a male chauvinist was a "sexist pig," then what is a female chauvinist? The term “sexist sows” seems to fit rather nicely. Roiphe worked through her techniques to come to this conclusion; had she gone straight to the point without careful administration of her language and without putting a contrast along with the comparison, a very different effect could have been contrived. Her audience, particularly the female members of it, would have undoubtedly been offended. Roiphe’s specialized techniques allowed her to create a specifically designed essay beneficial to leveling the adverse in points of view. It is true that the women's movement cannot remake consciousness, or reshape the future, without acknowledging and shedding all the unnecessary and ugly baggage of the past, but it is important that the movement not become so anti-male as to dismiss its own hidden prejudices and class assumptions. Men and women are who built this world; and in all aspects of intelligence and humanity neither can surmount the other. We are equal.Lincoln's Young Men's Lyceum Speech
Lee Deppermann
English 150
Rhetorical Analysis Draft
Lincoln’s Young Men’s Lyceum Speech: A Passionate Appeal Against Passions
In November of 1837 a proslavery mob burst in to Elijah P. Lovejoy’s house and printing office. They killed Lovejoy, destroyed his abolitionist printing press and shocked the nation. Two months later a young lawyer and sometime Whig politician, Abraham Lincoln, gave a stirring address extolling the rule of law and the legacy of the founding fathers. Lincoln declared that there were no circumstances that justified mob action, and that any measure that subverted the rule of law endangered the future existence of the United States. Abraham Lincoln’s Young Men’s Lyceum speech carefully illustrates the logic of self-control, while at the same time uses passionate appeals against the use of unrestrained passion.
Lincoln’s audience included both the people who attended the speech it’s self as well as a much broader readership. Significantly, he realized that his speech would be delivered in a time where tensions between the North and South were never lurking far away. Several times during the speech Lincoln carefully casts himself as a moderate, thus broadening his appeal. Early on in his address Lincoln clearly states that mob tendencies are not unique to any region or social class: “they have pervaded the country from New England to Louisiana; neither are they confined to the slaveholding or the non-slaveholding states. Whatever, then, their cause may be it is common to the whole country” (29).
Lincoln’s effort to include both North and South in his denunciations was intended to enhance not only the accuracy of his message, but his credibility as a speaker. Any effort to cast the slaveholding South as the primary perpetrators of tyrannical violence would have branded Lincoln a radical, thus alienating him from his more conservative audience. Further, by including the South in his characterization of mob violence Lincoln produces the same effect in relation to the North. These differences, although insignificant to the modern reader, were sensitive issues at the time. By casting himself as a sectional moderate and distancing himself from a moral debate on slavery, Lincoln made himself more credible.
Lincoln’s most famous speeches, especially his presidential letters and addresses, are characterized by persistent appeals to logic. Lincoln, perhaps calling on his frontier story-telling background, was always able to relate a complicated moral or political issue with a saying or image familiar to the common person. Although Lincoln’s Young Men’s Lyceum address primarily features appeals to passion, the speech contains several prominent arguments that appeal to logic. Lincoln uses logic to decry mob violence by both giving specific examples and broader assumptions.
Lincoln was careful not to mention the Lovejoy murder because it was still a national scandal, and thus by mentioning it Lincoln would have alienated part of his audience. He does, however, bring up several prominent examples designed to illustrate his point. Lincoln’s first example involved the hanging of several gamblers in Mississippi. Concerning the gamblers Lincoln stated: “a set of men, certainly not following for a livelihood a very useful or very honest occupation; but one which . . . was actually licensed by an act of the [state] Legislature” (29). Here Lincoln is acknowledging the gamblers base character while at the same time appealing to the authority of the state legislature. Lincoln next cited the illegal lynching of both whites and blacks accused of fermenting slave insurrection in St. Louis (29-30). Lincoln’s most poignant example was the “most highly tragic” story of a free black seized in his home and murdered in public (30).
Lincoln’s use of specific examples shows the violent results of disregarding law, while at the same time showing his audience that the crisis of mobocracy was not a distant problem. When Lincoln gave graphic descriptions of the lynchings he connected those individual murders to all other instances where the rule of law is replaced by passionate law breaking. Lincoln’s audience would have had no illusions about what mob action really entailed after hearing those examples. Also, by choosing examples that occurred on America’s frontier Lincoln showed his listeners and readers that disregard for law both pervaded their community and could be stopped in their communities.
Although Lincoln built up his ethos by appearing moderate and used specific examples as logical appeals, most of his argument was supported by passionate appeals to common morals, civic virtue and the legacy of the American Revolution. As he opened his speech Lincoln extols both the American landscape and government: “We find ourselves in the peaceful possession of the fairest portion of the earth . . . under the government of a system of political institutions conducing more essentially to the end of civil and religious liberty” than any other in history (28). Later in the address Lincoln appeals to the mores of gratitude, justice, duty and love (28-29). When Lincoln appealed to American exceptionalism and virtue he was connecting his argument with his audience’s beliefs. The desire Lincoln’s readers would have had to be moral and exceptional would have connected them emotionally to Lincoln’s argument.
The majority of emotional appeals in the Young Men’s Lyceum speech deal with preserving the legacy of the American Revolution and the Founding Fathers. Although fifty-two years had passed since the signing of the Declaration of Independence the American Revolution still figured strongly in America’s historical memory. Both Lincoln and his audience would have grown up hearing stories and experiences from Revolutionary War veterans themselves. Along with memories of sacrifice, honor and duty Lincoln’s contemporaries would also have remembered the violence and rebellion of the Revolution. In appealing to his audience’s passions Lincoln had to connect the Revolution with law and order.
After identifying the problem of mobocracy through logical examples and arguments, Lincoln talked at length of how to resist those tendencies. Lincoln’s answer was passionate: “Let every American, every lover of liberty, every well wisher to his posterity, swear by the blood of the Revolution never to violate in the least particular the laws of the country; and never to tolerate their violation by others” (32). Again, Lincoln stirred his audience by appealing to the universal values of liberty and posterity. “As the patriots of seventy-six did to the support of the Constitution and laws, let every American pledge his life, his property and his sacred honor . . . to his own and his children’s liberty” (32). Here, and throughout the speech, Lincoln equates the Revolution with law, order and morality. Lincoln’s audience would not have missed the symbolism.
Ironically, Lincoln’s main strategy to combat unrestrained passion was to passionately appeal to common values and America’s revolutionary heritage. In doing this Lincoln surely recognized that although logical appeals to reason would support his argument, only passion would evoke emotion and action in his audience. The Young Men’s Lyceum speech is a masterful example of using language symbols to achieve a specific effect. Lincoln’s moderate use of logical examples, combined with passionate appeals to the Revolution, combined to produce the effective argument that the rule of law must always be supreme over our passions.
Works Cited
Lincoln, Abraham. “Address to the Young Men’s Lyceum of Springfield Illinois”. Abraham Lincoln: Speeches and Writings 1832-1858. Speeches, Letters and Miscellaneous Writings. The Lincoln Douglas Debates. Ed. Don Fehrenbacher. New York: Literary Classics of the United States, 1989. Print.
Words from the Dust
Crying from the Dust: Rhetorical Analysis of King Benjamin's Final Address
For many readers of the Book of Mormon, the final address given by a respected religious leader and king stands out as one of the richest passages of the entire book. King Benjamin, as this speech's author and deliverer, was not only a great leader, but also a skilled rhetorician who knew how to involve his audience. In his attempt not only to inform but persuade his people of the truth of certain abstract ideas, King Benjamin draws largely upon his ethos as a respected magistrate and prophet as well as emotions associated with man's relationship to God, while anticipating and addressing objections his listeners might have to his expressed advice.
Throughout his remarks, Benjamin relates his own experience as an example, then compares himself to his audience to further involve them in his message. “I am like unto yourselves,” he says, after emphasizing his frail mortal nature. Knowing that much of the message he was about to deliver came from things he had learned for himself, Benjamin implied that what was true for Benjamin as a king and ruler applied to them in equal measure. Only by recognizing their similarities to Benjamin would his listeners internalize the principles he sought to ingrain within them. Had the people thought that Benjamin was simply trying for one last stab at positive publicity, it would have been easy for them to brush off his exhortations. But King Benjamin left no room for doubt: “I do not desire to boast,” said he, after unfolding to them the service he had provided during his reign. This statement leads into a powerful rhetorical question that both utilizes his connection with his audience and causes them to interact mentally, due to its presentation as a question: “if I, whom ye call your king, do labor to serve you, then ought not ye to labor to serve one another?”
Not only does this question further the relationship between Benjamin and his people, but it is also an enthymeme. Two observations are stated: first, that he is their king; second, that he labors to serve them. His conclusion that they ought to serve one another is only true to his audience if they accept the implied notion that they ought to be more like Benjamin in their conduct one to another. Going back to his previous statements, this draws upon the connection he has established from the first – that he and they are essentially in the same boat and ought to live by the same principles. Taking all these into account, we see that Benjamin has masterfully combined the power of enthymeme, ethos, and even rhetorical question into a single, seemingly simple statement. Significantly, he uses the phase, “whom ye call your king,” rather than “who am your king.” Possibly, he is reminding them of the respect they have already given him as signified by their willingness for him to be their king, further magnifying the power of his ethos. In fact, he goes on to repeat this phrase, “whom ye call your king,” multiple times later on to similar effect.
In delivering his main message, Benjamin proceeds to elicit a wide variety of emotional responses from his audience in order to induce a specific change in behavior or understanding. This first occurs through a sort of collective self-deprecation in which he describes the supreme majesty and goodness of God, which he then juxtaposes with the pitifully low value of man's services to God, no matter how sincerely given. Again, he describes this both in terms of his audience and in terms of himself to unify himself with his audience. The overall effect is an expression of humility and deep gratitude, which are largely products of diction that reflects these emotions in himself. For example, King Benjamin builds tension as he approaches a climatic conclusion regarding the unprofitability of man by making several lengthy “if” statements so that his audience is on the verge of their seats but are nevertheless taken aback at the brevity and simplicity of his final deduction: “yet ye would be unprofitable servants.” Already trusting their leader with whom they now share a strong bond of identity, this sequence would cause their hearts yearn to be better servants and would lead them to marvel on the mercies of their Lord.
Benjamin also makes a direct appeal to emotions of fear and dismay to convince his audience of the awfulness of the condition of the sinner. He progresses through several degrees of intensity to make this argument, from simple implicit advice to final explicit warning. After enumerating the benefits of righteousness, he first moves in the other direction by suggesting that “there is a wo pronounced upon him who listeth to obey [the evil spirit]” (150). Shortly thereafter comes a reference to “everlasting punishment” as well as two metaphors to illustrate the concept of the punishment in contexts that his audience could easily comprehend – drinking and earning wages. Though he has now begun to articulate the nature of the punishment, he has mostly just tapped the logical or perceptual resources available as a rhetorician rather than reach emotional climaxes. He does so in a direct way – by referring to a set of emotions which he associates with the man who dies in his sins. “The demands of divine justice do awaken his immortal soul to a lively sense of his own guilt...and doth fill his soul with guilt, and pain, and anguish...” He then goes even further in relating this message to his audience by addressing them specifically as “old men,” “young men,” and “little children,” and exhorting them to experience a “remembrance of the awful situation of those that have fallen into transgression.” In other words, he actually tells his audience to ponder on the horrible feelings he had just described, to experience it for themselves in some small way, to persuade them of the undesirability of the path which ends in sin.
King Benjamin makes another particularly persuasive point near the end of his speech, regarding charitable treatment of beggars. After urging them to help beggars, he considers an objection one might pose to such a proposition – that the beggar brought it upon himself, and the his punishments are just. Even as Benjamin had earlier implied that his audience should try to be more like himself in serving each other, he now takes this same concept to a higher level, asking “are we not all beggars?” His point is that God is the provider of all our possessions, and that God does not turn us away when we plea to him for help. This is, in effect, another enthymeme. God gives liberally to us, therefore we should give to beggars also. The hidden assumption to complete this argument is that his audience wants to emulate God, which most of them (hopefully) do. Following the pattern he had established earlier in his speech, King Benjamin asks rhetorical questions, employs enthymemes to appeal to reasoning and logic, and even appeals to the ethos of God and our desire to emulate him to establish the intended effect – which is to implant in his people a greater desire to impart of their substance to the needy.
King Benjamin's address is one of the most-quoted portions of the Book of Mormon – with good reason. His speaking style and persuasive devices are unique among ancient records of similar date and have withstood the test of time. Speakers today who wish to improve upon their audience interaction skills, emotional appeals, and even logical progression of ideas will be hard-pressed to find a better example than the one contained therein.
Works Cited
The Book of Mormon. Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1989.
Print.
Note: I haven't put in all the page numbers for the scripture references since I've been doing this on a computer away from my hard copy of the scriptures.
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