Algebra is one of the major parts in exams like GRE and ACT so that all college students and high school students need to learn. In order to get a good grade, students are willing to spend hours and hours studying hard on things like matrices and equations. When they are wondering why they have to learn things so difficult and if this knowledge would be useful in the future time. Andrew Hacker, the author of "Is Algebra Necessary?", thinks not. In his editorial, he argues that students, especially those who are not majoring in math, should not be forced to learn high-level math. His arguments are very effective because he successfully uses logos, pathos and ethos in his editorial. The usage of the rhetorical triangle made his editorial logical, …show more content…
credible and persuasive. In Andrew Hacker's editorial "Is Algebra Necessary", he uses logos effectively to make his arguments logical and persuasive. For example, Hacker writes "It is true that mathematics requires mental exertion. But there is no evidence that being able to prove (x^2+y^2)^2= (x^2-y^2)^2+(2xy)^2 leads to more credible political opinions or social analysis"(Hacker). This sentence logically points out that mathematics can not make people more intelligent in all areas and the claim of "mathematics sharpens people's minds"(Hacker) is not true. Furthermore, Hacker also claims that even in those areas that are related to mathematics, "it is not clear that the math we learn in the classroom has any relation to the quantitative reasoning we need on the job."(Hacker) To support his argument, Hacker writes in his editorial that "even in jobs that rely on so-called STEM credentials: science, technology, engineering, math, considerable training occurs after hiring, including the kinds of computations that will be required"(Hacker). This clearly and logically shows that the math students learned in school will hardly be used in their future jobs even those jobs are related to math. By combining these two strong arguments together, audiences can easily understand that high level mathematics education can neither help students improving their intelligence nor be used in their future jobs. In that case, it is not necessary for students who are not majoring in math, to be forced to learn high level mathematics in school and college. This is very logical and persuasive which shows that the author uses logos effectively in his editorial. Pathos is also well used in Hacker’s editorial and makes the author connect to his audiences.
In the editorial, the author makes an argument that most students do not want to learn mathematics. They are forced to learn it and this will cause them to rarely remember what they learned after graduating. Here the author asks a question to all his audiences: "How many college graduates remember what Fermat's dilemma was all about?" (Hacker). This question makes the audiences feel like the author is talking to them and for those audiences who were college students, they will have a feeling of "yes I used to know it but I totally forgot it now" and this feeling supports the author's argument effectively. Another example is what the author mentions in the last paragraph of his editorial: "Think of maths as a huge boulder we make everyone pull, without assessing what all this pain achieves. So why require it, without alternatives or exceptions?" (Hacker). The first sentence asks the audiences to imagine and gives them a vivid analogy. Then the second sentence which is a question for the audiences appears without giving a correct answer. The author uses pathos very well here by giving his audiences the feeling that they are not just reading the editorial but also interacting with the author. With the help of that, the author successfully claims his thesis again in the last paragraph and the audiences will accept his idea not because he persuades them. The idea, which is also the …show more content…
answer of the question the author asks, is thought by his audiences themselves and therefore they will agree with the author from their hearts. Besides using logos to make the editorial logical and pathos to connect to the audiences, Hacker also keeps using ethos in his editorial to show his authority and credibility as a writer. The first place that author shows his authority and credibility is the sentence "I say this as a writer and social scientist whose work relies heavily on the use of numbers"(Hacker). Being a writer and a social scientist, which are two vocations that require authority and credibility, at the same time has already given the author enough authority and credibility. In addition, the thesis of this editorial is about mathematics which is heavily related to the author's vocations. This simply and directly lets the audiences understand that the author has very good authority and credibility to write about this thesis. In the whole editorial, the author shows his credibility greatly by referring to lots of statistical data. For example, in order to prove that a lot of high school students fail to graduate due to the reason of mathematics, the author gives the statistical data that "In South Carolina, 34 percent fell way in 2008-9, according to national data released last year; for Nevada, it was 45 percent. In Oklahoma, 33 percent failed to pass last year, as did 35 percent in West Virginia" (Hacker). These large and accurate numbers all proves that in every place there exists students who can not graduate from high school just because they are not good at mathematics. This group of data also increases the credibility of the author and makes the editorial very professional and well supported. Andrew Hacker, the author of the editorial "Is Algebra Necessary?", argues that students, especially those who are not majoring in math, should not be forced to learn high-level math.
He illustrates all logos, pathos and ethos well in his editorial and therefore his editorial is very logical, credible and persuasive. In my point of view, it is very worth to read his editorial and learn from it as a writer, especially the way he uses pathos. By continuing to connect to his audiences, he will make the essay vivid and attractive. It also makes it easier for the audiences to emotionally accept the idea of the essay. Using pathos along with ethos and logos will lead to writing A-level essay and becoming a good
writer.
There are several points in the essay where Hochswender uses pathos to prove his stance.
“The Onion’s” mock press release on the MagnaSoles satirical article effectively attacks the rhetorical devices, ethos and logos, used by companies to demonstrate how far advertisers will go to convince people to buy their products. It does this by using manipulative, “scientific-sounding" terminology, comparisons, fabrication, and hyperboles.
Pathos is the author's use of emotions and sympathy to urge the audience to agree with his or her standpoint. And lastly, logos apply sound reasoning (logic) to attract the typical ideas of the audience and to prove the author's point of view. "Lockdown" by Evans D. Hopkins is a fine example of an author using these appeals to persuade his audience. Hopkins uses of the three appeals are easy to locate and relate to throughout the entire passage. He undoubtedly uses rhetoric to try and keep his audiences focused and to persuade them to feel the way he does about the treatment of prisoners.
“People who had incurred the displeasure of the party simply disappeared and were never heard of again.
Pathos is the appeal to an audience’s emotion. Aside from the other two appeals that I have outlined in this essay, pathos is by far the most recognizable appeal in Lamott’s article. The humorous tone of the article is very easily recognized and frankly, it is hard not to laugh at some of Lamott’s uncalled-for sarcastic remarks (whether it be in your head or out loud). For example, when writing about how every writer she knows never writes an elegant first draft, she continues, “All right, one of them does, but we do not like her very much. We do not think that she has a rich inner life or that God likes her or can even stand her” (1). By making such presumptuous claims about this person, some audiences might find this type of language comical or entertaining, which in turn makes them want to believe Lamott and continue reading. In a way this helps Lamott seem credible to some readers, in which case she has created a successful argument. On the other hand, some readers might find this kind of language unprofessional and inappropriate. Because much of the article deals with language that is full of humor and sarcasm, it would make sense to say that Lamott has directed this article towards an audience who is looking for something more entertaining than a typical statistic-filled essay that one might consider mainstream in this field. Whether it be entertaining or absurd, Lamott most definitely uses the appeal of pathos in her
In the argument that college is not for everyone, Reeves establishes his ethos through both extrinsic and intrinsic support while maintaining clarity using the logos approach. Pathos, however, lacked the same amount of control. By using an excess amount of pathos while approaching rhetoric with a condescending tone, the author diminished the persuasiveness achieved by combining the techniques. This resulted in a limited audience due to the insulting nature of the closing remarks geared to the very audience he was trying to reach.
In this example Lennon plays with our sympathy, telling stories of how Roberto was one of two hundred prisoners that were trying to get accepted into the college program that only seats twenty three. He ends with a quote from his mother “How you think is how you act”(Lennon 3). This saying by his mother, is comparing the inmates attitudes going into jail and how if educated how they can change when coming out. In this argument by John J. Lennon he uses a variety of pathos, logos and ethos writing methods in order to try and persuade the readers to agree with adding more college courses for inmates. Although the argument is very well written Lennon’s use of egos, pathos and logos are lacking. Which in turn allows the readers to not be persuaded towards his goal of increasing the amount of classes offered in
The author begins his argument by retelling the story of his youth to build his ethos but the results are poor as it presents more questions on how he is a credible source on this argument as his only evidence is his own story. However, through the same means his pathos is built as his anecdote conveys feelings in the audience, making them more willing to listen. Graff finally, gives a call to action to schools to use students’ interests to develop their skills in rhetoric and analysis, which reveals the logic behind his argument. The topic about how students are taught rhetoric and analysis brings interest but with an average argument only built on pathos, a low amount of logos, and questionable ethos it can fall on deaf
The Letter from Birmingham Jail was written by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in April of 1963. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was one of several civil rights activists who were arrested in Birmingham Alabama, after protesting against racial injustices in Alabama. Dr. King wrote this letter in response to a statement titled A Call for Unity, which was published on Good Friday by eight of his fellow clergymen from Alabama. Dr. King uses his letter to eloquently refute the article. In the letter dr. king uses many vivid logos, ethos, and pathos to get his point across. Dr. King writes things in his letter that if any other person even dared to write the people would consider them crazy.
By appealing so much to pathos, his letter focuses more on emotionally convincing and persuading the reader to accept his claim, rather than providing facts and logic to his argument. His combined use of logos and ethos also adds an aspect of logic and reason to his argument, as well as further showing his credibility and connection to the subject as the author. His use of the three rhetorical devices helps to bolster and support his claim, while also personalizing and connecting with the
The majority of Hasselstrom argument relies on her ability to use pathos. Pathos is the rhetorical appeal that plays on a reader's emotions in order to sway their opinion. The majority of Hasselstrom argument is pathos because she based her view on the use of guns with what has happened in her life. For example, Hasselstrom discussed how there was a man on her property who she believed was going to shoot her because she politely told him to leave. The use of this story is Hasselstrom attempting to have the reader empathize with her due to the danger that was ahead of her. The use of pathos in her writing was to have the
Moore uses a great deal of data and logos strategies to alarm the reader. Michael Moore’s overall essay is based on his pathos arguments. He is highly irritated and in disbelief of the education system. The author uses one of the most common and easy to read strategy. First, he makes a logo standpoint and then supports his argument with pathos. He does this so that the reader is engaged and taken aback by his logo argument then is in agreement with his pathos argument that follows.
Ethos and logos are used as an appeal in the essay. It was a story with a lot of emotion which she had successfully handled in the whole essay. She presented the essay in the real life with many facts, she gave poetic touch to her essay because of some of the metaphors she used like we didn 't breathe it. She used both logos and pathos in
... audience, it made it more complex to have pathos effect all the audiences. To sum up, the author use of pathos did get the audience to be interested in the topic by giving them a solution to help yet, most would not like the topic of depressed doctor in need of aid.
...echniques employed are persuasive and subtle, and this allows Carr to take advantage of all emotional arguments at his disposal. In conjunction with sources pertinent to the topic, Carr’s emotional appeals seem to get his audience thinking, and from the article it is easy to agree with the points he has made. Carr’s use of logos and pathos does bring into question his ethos, however. Fortunately, Carr’s ethos should not be questioned, as he has written several books and articles on the topic. This does not excuse his bias, but it does permit him to speak on the topic at hand. Carr definitely presents himself as a strong literary figure, and his views on the internet are reasonable as well as relatable. This combination of ethos, pathos, and logos successfully allows Carr to write as an expert in this field, and his article and thoughts are not to be taken lightly.