Analyzing Rhetorical Analysis Of Samuel Johnson's Great Expectations

Samuel Johnson in response to madams request to have him seek the archbishop for her son to enter the university denies this request in a well-constructed argument. Johnson’s refusal is supported through the use of definitions, diction, and the appeal to logic. These rhetorical devices play an important role in conveying Johnson’s unwillingness to complete the woman's task. Initially, Johnson predicts the mothers awaiting emotion towards the letter: hope. Johnson prefers to define the term hope as an “ pleasure immoderately enjoyed” and as an “expectation immoderately indulged”to make a clear indication that she had hoped for too much. The use of definition allows the reader to make a connection and accept the final rejection on her own rather than being able to directly place blame on Johnson. Johnson is able to be obvious in intent and meaning, the indirect connection of regret and hope allows Johnson to let the mother down easily than if he had been more direct and said the true meaning. The use of definition allows the writer to distance himself from the action of rejection.

The author uses the pronouns ‘you’ and ‘I’ while explaining, in order to shift the fault onto the mother. He uses 'I' in a friendly tone to represent that he doesn't have the capability to help the mother at the time, which presents the writer as someone who would very much like to assist, but his hands are tied. Also of interest is the word 'Madam', the writer never uses the sender's name, indicating a sort of contempt for it now. The word 'Madam' is used to warn the woman in lines 17 and 26 and makes the entire affair her mistake in the first place. Johnson uses diction to make it so that he is innocent and she is