Rhetorical Analysis Of Rachel Carson's Silent Spring

The author of Silent Spring, Rachel Carson, was a zoologist and marine biologist and had a successful civil service career at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. While pursuing a writing career, she became interested in marine biology, changed her major, and eventually completed a master’s degree in zoology from Johns Hopkins University in 1932 (Lear, 1998). Carson’s interest in writing and biology lander her a prominent position and later inspired her future writing ambitions. During her 15 year civil service career, Carson became Editor-in-Chief of all publications for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Lear, 1998). Carson used her scientific knowledge as a biologist, her work experience, and her literary skill to expose the problems and

The first two paragraphs of chapter one describes a fictional town living in such a harmony before the environmental impacts from chemicals begin (Carson, 1962). Silent Spring utilizes all three of Aristotle’s rhetorical appeals to drive its purpose across to readers. The ethos is simply the author’s credibility and authority to bring up the issues in the book. Carson’s education and experience give her these credentials. The logos and ethos appeal are more prominent and are used very effectively as a means of persuasion about the environmental issues presented and the much needed action to further prevent environmental

Silent Spring describes many unethical practices such as massive spraying operations, the campaign against the Japanese beetle and gypsy moth, and the mass killing of birds and salmon (Carson, 1962). There is also reference to insects developing resistance to insecticides that further enhances the need to stop their use. The irresponsible use of man-made chemicals is highlighted and brought to home by describing the human maladies and problems caused by them. For example, the book links cell damage, cancer, mutations and Down’s syndrome to insecticide poisoning (Carson, 1962). The ending of the book is devoted to alternative methods such as introduction of natural enemies, diseases and parasites to control insects as safer and less costly to environment and