Jon Meacham's Rhetorical Analysis: The Appeal To Emotion

Rhetorical Analysis: The Appeal to Emotion
Using evidence from authorities, Jon Meacham speaks as if he is one in the audience and relates to our ideas to remind his audience that the American pursuit of happiness is less about the individual and more about the “common good”

Meacham appeals to the audiences higher nature and ideas to remind them of the American values on pursuit of happiness for the community more than the individual. Often times our want for immediate pleasure, which stunts the idea of common good. To engage the audience, Meacham states how society functions saying that, “...The genius of the American experiment is the nation's capacity to create hope in a world suffused with fear”. He refers to the idea of everyone trying

to be successful and happy in a frightening world, which most can relate to on an emotional level. The nation has managed to live through fear while being overshadowed with an immediate pleasure, creating an unhealthy balance.( think of stuff) He also mentions that the pursuit of happiness is commonly understood, “...is not a license to do whatever we want whenever we want if we believe it will make us happiest right then.” Many want to do things that will make them happy temporarily, or in the moment, but over time they lose the happiness for the thing that made them happy at that time. Often losing sight of what happiness is, which are not clothes or shoes they can buy right now, but more about being around friends and family and less concerned with our own individual happiness. Meacham brings up this idea, leading us to relate to it emotionally and helping us realize that we’ve been interpreting the meaning of happiness all wrong. He uses this strategy, appealing to emotion, to connect with his readers, pull them in, and make them want to read more of his article.