Rhetorical Analysis: The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge

In the foreword to "Arctic National Wildlife Refuge: Seasons of Life and Land, A Photographic Journey," former US President Jimmy Carter voices strong opposition to proposals that aim to industrialize areas of natural tundra in Alaska. He urges readers to look beyond short term financial gain and to protect nature’s innate beauty. In order to persuade his audience that the Arctic Refuge should be preserved, Carter develops pathetic appeal through the use of personal anecdotes, precise word choice, and evocative imagery.

In place of traditional evidence such as numbers and statistics, Carter utilizes impactful anecdotes from his experience with the Arctic Refuge to persuade his audience. He describes walking along the tundra with his wife and

observing the vast wealth of fauna and flora present there. Then, after witnessing the migration of tens of thousands of caribou, he declares that “the dramatic procession of the Porcupine caribou herd was a once-in-a-lifetime spectacle.” Highly personal anecdotes like these allow Carter to communicate the awe-inspiring power of the Arctic Refuge to his audience. Through such narratives, he portrays the land as a “special birthplace” that supports countless wildlife and thus should be preserved. By personalizing his writing, Carter is able to not only demonstrate the features of the tundra, but also help his audience understand why the tundra is important.

Additionally, Carter uses precise word choice to bolster his piece’s pathetic appeal.

When discussing the ramifications of industrial development in the Arctic Refuge, Carter states that “such proposed developments would forever destroy the wilderness character of America’s only Arctic Refuge.” By emphasizing the gravity of the situation with weighty phrases such as “forever destroy” and “America’s only,” Carter creates an urgent atmosphere for his audience that leads them to consider preserving the Arctic Refuge more seriously. Similarly, Carter takes advantage of America’s sense of national identity by addressing his audience inclusively. He creates a sense of camaraderie when he implores “we must look beyond the alleged benefits…and focus on what is really at stake.” Later on, he carefully chooses words that describe industrial development as “tearing open the heart of our greatest refuge.” Other examples of emotionally charged and audience-inclusive word choice work to make the audience feel part of a larger movement: “It [the Arctic Refuge] is a symbol of our national heritage,” and “our first settlers.” All of these instances of skilled word choice help draw the audience into Carter’s argument. Then, to seal the deal, he claims that preserving the natural land would be “the greatest gift we could pass on to future generations.” Carter aims to make the audience believe that fighting for his cause will result in lasting benefits for everyone. Such pathetic appeal

effectively opens the audience up to his position and makes them more receptive to his message.

Finally, Carter also makes use of evocative and elaborate imagery to appeal to his audience.

When describing the Alaskan tundra, he goes into great detail. Doing so helps to let the audience know what it is about the natural land that is so worth protecting. By using phrases such as “brilliant mosaic of wildflowers, mosses, and lichens that hugged the tundra,” and “muskox…lumber along braided rivers that meander,” Carter lets words transport his audience to the Refuge to experience the breathtaking beauty and wonder of the tundra for themselves. Without such imagery, Carter would be less effective in persuading his audience that the Arctic Refuge is important to protect. Later in the passage, Carter continues to use appeals to pathos by picturing what it would be like “if this great wilderness was consumed by a web of roads and pipelines, drilling rigs and industrial facilities.” These stylistic demonstrations of imagery evoke emotion within the audience and aid in inducing them to discredit industrialization of the reserve. As such, Carter’s use of detailed imagery is a keystone for the persuasive power of the

piece.

Ultimately, Jimmy Carter effectively uses personal anecdotes, targeted word choice, and detailed imagery to persuade his audience. The skillful execution of these elements enhances the power of his argument and helps him address his audience in a way that lets them see the merits of his perspective for themselves. He makes grand appeals through pathos and takes advantage of stylistic and rhetorical devices in order to demonstrate the importance of preserving America’s last truly great wilderness.