A Rhetorical Analysis Of The Case Against Tipping

“The Case Against Tipping” was a well-written argument, yet there are many ways in which Lewis could fix his argument. Firstly, the essay was mostly based on opinion, with a fact or two sprinkled around. Lewis says: “If you are like most people (or at any rate like me), you are of two minds about this plastic cup” (20). This usage of opinion to state that the audience was just like the author himself as well as repeatedly stating his own opinion thought the essay made his argument less believable. Instead, he could have used multiple data conclusions based on research, such as what percentage of tips were given to certain employees in different companies. Additionally, he could include facts on the historical background of tipping instead of guessing about it. With facts rather than just opinions, readers would feel that the
While reading the essay, the audience is only exposed to one side of the argument, due to the fact that Lewis barely spoke of the opposing side. Lewis discusses more extensively the viewpoint that he holds, which is that tipping is unnecessary, however, including a counterargument would have made his argument stronger and would have enhanced the understanding and acceptance of his view from his audience. When teaching the readers how to build an argument, the author of this book himself states: “In short, it is not enough simply to present your own reasons…to make your case as effective as possible, you must acknowledge and respond to the strongest reasons that challenge your own” (11). By delving into the idea that “people were leaving loose change on the counter to show their gratitude” (21), Lewis could investigate why people might leave tips. Then he could have chosen the strongest argument from the opposing opinion and presented a counterargument. This would aid Lewis in building his argument into one much stronger than his