Rhetorical Analysis: Shouak Bagchi's Letter

Sometimes a stern warning is just what you need in order to push you to take a step back and evaluate your next move, especially when it could be a life changing one. In “Alumnus Welcomes New UC Berkeley Students with Stern Warning,” Shouak Bagchi, an alumnus of UC Berkeley, addresses the Berkeley freshmen class of 2017 with appraisal and advice for the future. Bagchi writes to the new students about what attending one of the most prestigious public universities entails. This article is rhetorically persuasive due to the fact that Bagchi is an alumnus of UC Berkeley. He references topics that the students can relate to and he mentions many of the successful alumni of the university. Bagchi’s inspiration for this letter to the incoming freshmen
When giving advice to someone, especially as stern as Bagchi gives it, it helps if the person has been through the same situation they are giving advice on. This makes the author, and the article, more credible and the students are more likely to take the advice that they are given. If Bagchi had attended another university his letter to the students wouldn’t have as great of an impact. Another way that ethos is used in this letter is that it was published in the Op-Eds in The Daily California. The author of the newspaper felt the letter should be read by more people than just the incoming freshman class. By the newspaper doing this the students will be more likely to read the letter and take what he is saying to heart because they will feel it holds actual importance. Creditably of a source is crucial but so is their appeal to the
He appeals to the most common emotion or struggle found among all freshmen, homesickness. Bagchi uses this when he mentions, “The constant reminders of childhood friends enjoying the comfort and familiarity of staying home for college (Bagchi, 2017).” He also glorifies a restaurant that Berkeley students commonly go to by saying, “Grab a burrito at Gordo’s and start exploring your new home (Bagchi, 2017).” He has already talked about their past and “childhood friends” which makes them look back at what they are going to be missing so now he is forcing them to look at the future. This appeals to the students’ emotion by causing them to look back on their past and be nostalgic, but look forward at their future and be excited. The students will pay more attention and be intrigued by the article if they can relate to what it is saying. The students begin to trust him and Bagchi gives real life examples to further prove his