In his essay 'Let There Be Dark', Paul Bogard tells the story of darkness and its importance to every aspect of the world. He uses a combination of personal anecdotes, vivid language, and strong evidence to convince the readers that darkness, indeed, is an "irreplaceable value and beauty" that is slowly being lost. Bogard introduces a shocking fact in his first paragraph: that "8 of 10 children born in the United States will never know a sky dark enough for the Milky Way." This is not commonly known, and readers will feel surprised at the sheer amount of American children who will never see a dark enough sky. He continues the sentence by placing the thesis statement of the essay, which is "I worry we are rapidly losing night’s natural darkness …show more content…
before realizing its worth." Connecting the evidence and the thesis sentence effectively hooks in the reader immediately after reading the first paragraph. He continues with yet another stunning fact, "World Health Organization classifies working the night shift as a probable human carcinogen." Readers who have worked night shifts before will immediately be alert, and those who have not can still relate as working night shifts might be something they have to endure later on in the future. The paragraph continues with the dangers of sleep deprivation and its cause, which is 'long light'. The term is immediately explained as artificial light that comes from sources such as mobile devices, equipment that most of the readers will have and use often. Explaining that the cause of sleep deprivation is something that a regular person probably has done ("work at night or simply take our tablets, notebooks and smartphones to bed") inflicts a sense of urgency in the reader to stop using their devices at nighttime lest they suffer the dangerous effects. After providing readers with facts and evidence that they can relate with, Bogard switches to another point of view: nature. He explains that light pollution caused by humans is "wrecking habitat and disrupting ecosystems", a statement that has not occurred in the regular person's mind as they would have never thought that light from their houses and devices would have an environmental impact as great as collapsing the Earth' ecology. This allows readers to reflect upon their actions and how they impact other of the world's beings. The writer supports his claim that nights are growing brighter by providing evidence of the annual increase of light pollution in United States and Western Europe, and explains that "much of this light is wasted energy, which means wasted dollars" meaning the nation's economy as a whole is being affected by the light pollution. Bogard effectively combines claims and evidences together by putting them immediately one after the other. The main idea of his third paragraph is that artificial light causes sleep deprivation, which affects the body negatively. He introduces his idea through the evidence provided by WHO and AMA, subtly inserting the topic without actually stating it directly. He does the opposite for the fourth paragraph, stating the main idea directly and providing evidence right after it. He repeats this again for the sixth paragraph, which is about the increase of light pollution in the United States and Western Europe. The placement of this information in the second-to-last paragraph appeals to the readers' sense of urgency because Bogard has spent the first five paragraphs stating the dangers of light pollution, and now he is stressing the fact that light pollution is increasing. Pathos, or emotional appeal, is used here because it causes the audience to feel panicked from this information. Perhaps Bogard's sharpest weapon in persuading the audience is his use of personal anecdotes, particularly the opening sentence.
The words "woods so dark that my hands disappeared before my eyes" causes readers to picture an image of darkness, intensified by the beauty of meteors which "left smoky trails across sugary spreads of stars". This dreamy image is immediately shattered by the following fact, leaving a sense of disappointment in the readers and sympathy for the "8 out of 10 children born in the United States" who will never be able to picture such a thing anymore due to the rapid loss of natural darkness. The combination of anecdote and fact directly links to his thesis statement, "I worry we are rapidly losing night’s natural darkness before realizing its worth", because he explains that most of United State's children will never experience natural darkness and therefore its beauty. Bogard again many stylistic and descriptive language to invoke a sense of ethos from the readers and encourage them to picture the scenarios in their mind. For example , he describes the modern world as "crowded, louder, more fast-paced", and darkness as "[providing] solitude, quiet and stillness", something that the readers need to take a break from their fast-moving world. He also states that darkness is needed to provide an inspiration to artists, philosophers, and even religion, proving that it benefits every aspect of the
world. The final paragraph provides solutions to the rapid loss of darkness, causing the readers to breathe a sigh of relief, telling them that all is not lost. However, the essay ends with a warning, that the world will have to be aware of the "irreplaceable value and beauty" of natural darkness in order to properly address and solve the issue of light pollution. This is a repeat of the last sentence of the first paragraph, reminding the readers to take part in conserving the world's natural darkness by decreasing their use of artificial light. This way, Bogard not only informs the readers of the dangers of losing darkness, he also encourages them to be a part of the solution. This conviction is supported by the numerous evidence and reasoning laid out across the essay, and the readers are left persuaded of his idea.
In the late 1800’s America began to take on its own individual identity as a country. The Chicago World's Fair was a great influence for that notion. In Erik Larson’s The Devil in the White City he tells a duel nonfictional storyline of one of the fair’s architects and a serial killer living just outside the fair. By using imagery, juxtaposition, and syntax Larson is able to enchant the reader and make the novel read like a fiction.
In the book Into the Wild, Jon Krakauer wrote about Christopher McCandless, a nature lover in search for independence, in a mysterious and hopeful experience. Even though Krakauer tells us McCandless was going to die from the beginning, he still gave him a chance for survival. As a reader I wanted McCandless to survive. In Into the Wild, Krakauer gave McCandless a unique perspective. He was a smart and unique person that wanted to be completely free from society. Krakauer included comments from people that said McCandless was crazy, and his death was his own mistake. However, Krakauer is able to make him seem like a brave person. The connections between other hikers and himself helped in the explanation of McCandless’s rational actions. Krakauer is able to make McCandless look like a normal person, but unique from this generation. In order for Krakauer to make Christopher McCandless not look like a crazy person, but a special person, I will analyze the persuading style that Krakauer used in Into the Wild that made us believe McCandless was a regular young adult.
A good author writes with a specific purpose. Many of them are very opinionated and controversial, calling out certain groups of people, or presenting readers with seemingly outlandish ideas. George Orwell says that he writes “to push the world in a certain direction, to alter other people’s idea of the kind of society that they should strive after.” His purpose is to persuade his readers to better themselves as well as society based on what he deems the correct approach. Erik Larson wrote “The Devil in the White City” to shine light on the infamous Gilded Age of America and the stark contrast, yet inevitable relatedness, of pride and evil. The book follows the story or architect Daniel Burnham as he works on the World’s Columbian Exposition,
As society continuously expands, building new structures, light pollution becomes increasingly problematic. Paul Bogard addresses this problem and argues against the increasing light pollution in his writing, “Let There Be Dark.” Through his use of the ethos and pathos, Bogard attempts to persuade his audience of the beauty of natural darkness.
The author then uses darkness to describe the faces of the adults on Sunday evenings after dinner when everyone is relaxing with their own thought's. "For a moment nobody's talking but every face looks darkening, like the sky outside...The silence, the darkness coming and the darkness in the faces frighten the child obscurel...
Humanity is ultimately dark, it’s just we don’t dare to admit it. Humanity is like a ying-yang, it comes with the dark and the light, but we focus on the light in dark times; we always try to hide away the dark truth. Hiding away the darkness, making society seem perfect; humanity is really terrifying, knowing about the darkness that we all try to hide, is even more alarming. We commit genocide, spend more money on war than peace, child abuse, domestic violence, suicide, and more. We created this place in which all this happens, but we don’t accept it, we shun it. Keeping it locked up, we pretend it doesn’t happen. We don’t acknowledge any of this. We choose to wear rose-colored glasses, rather than seeing the truth of it
...ould become unnecessary and meaningless "if only the darkness", like nothingness, "could be perfect and permanent" (116). Nothingness does preclude individual identity of any sort, however. Surrendering completely to nothingness would negate any possibility of authentic intimate human relations: the one source of meaning and happiness to Sylvie.
This article by Greg Braxton gives us his thoughts on the change that “Black Lightning”, will bring to the television universe by telling us that this show will focus on the problems that many African Americans are facing today. Braxton appeals to the rhetorical device of pathos and he appeals to the emotions of the audience by saying, “This is personal to me,” this essay will be him appealing to the audience about why this essay is important to him, and that this show will be a change to most who watch the CW network. This article tells of the story of Pierce an African American who wants to make a difference in his community by, “combatting racist cops and a violent gang,” and this show is bringing to the attention the issues that face many
Paul Bogard’s article, “Let There Be Dark” advocates for efforts to preserve natural darkness, at a time where light and air pollution is seen as negative upon the majority. Bogard’s defiant tone helps him set an efficient argument about the benefits by natural darkness, including health, environment, and the economy. Through the use of rhetorical devices and logos Bogard is able to successfully deliver his message and persuade society to appeal to the natural darkness.
Paul Bogard an advocate for the preservation of natural darkness from the article from the Los Angeles Times “Let There Be Dark”. Paul uses logos that make the reader actually stop for a second and think about it, how the reader has never thought of wasted light, that nights are getting brighter, and that there is an average increase of light in the sky by about 6%. This makes the audience feel as if Light Pollution is a big deal and that many people are clueless or careless about the entire situation. The purpose of Bogard’s article is to enlighten us about light pollution, and how sacred natural darkens is because the world depends on it, the nocturnal animals, and also states that if it wasn’t for natural darkness, Van Gogh would have never given the world his famous painting of the “Starry Night”. Paul Bogard’s tone is very questioning and blunt, he asks many questions for the readers to think about, but also says what he means with no hesitation.
Throughout its entirety, Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness utilizes many contrasts and paradoxes in an attempt to teach readers about the complexities of both human nature and the world. Some are more easily distinguishable, such as the comparison between civilized and uncivilized people, and some are more difficult to identify, like the usage of vagueness and clarity to contrast each other. One of the most prominent inversions contradicts the typical views of light and dark. While typically light is imagined to expose the truth and darkness to conceal it, Conrad creates a paradox in which darkness displays the truth and light blinds us from it.
In his introduction, Bogard smacks his readers in the face with his first statistic, “8 of 10 children born in the United States will never know a sky dark enough for the Milky Way.” Bogard cuts right to the emotions of his audience by guilt tripping them. He caused them to feel responsible for the light pollution that would plague the next generations and hinted at the idea that children today may never be able to experience the dark night sky like previous generations had. As a result, the statistic gave the reader a sense of the severity about light pollution in the United States. Bogard wants his audience to feel empathy for future generations who may never experience a truly dark
Citing credible sources such as the World Health Organization and the American Medical Association, supports the author’s claims. High and honorable federations such as these prompt the reader to examine and closely pay attention to Bogard’s rationale on preserving darkness. Additionally, the author shares the fact that without darkness the human body may develop cancer, diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease, and depression. Alarming and scaring the reader causes them to focus and believe that this issue is more serious than what it seems. By using respectable evidence, Bogard compels the audience to welcome the
..., Well-Lighted Place”, represent the opinions and views of one typical person, in one ordinary life. The theme of a world of nothingness is overwhelming to the human brain, and almost inconceivable, and everything we do in this life is simply designed to help us take our mind off of death; suicide is the ultimate escape from “despair” over “nothing” (494). Hemingway’s brilliant transitions in time explain how life eventually grows worse with age, and humans will succumb to suicide, drunkenness, or something comforting and safe, much like a clean, well-lighted cafe. Further, Hemingway has shown the world that man has created many bogus ways to cope with the insurmountable fear of nothingness, namely religion. People can try to kid their selves into feeling soulful, genuine, or meaningful, but there is no need to “fear for [the human] soul”, as it is non-existent.
The "Heart of Darkness," written by Joseph Conrad in 1899 as a short story, is about two men who face their own identities as what they consider to be civilized Europeans and the struggle to not to abandon their themselves and their morality once they venture into the "darkness." The use of "darkness" is in the book's title and in throughout the story and takes on a number of meanings that are not easily understood until the story progresses. As you read the story you realize that the meaning of "darkness" is not something that is constant but changes depending on the context it used.