An Analysis Of Jimmy Carter's Foreword To Arctic National Wildlife Refuge

In a "Foreword to Arctic National Wildlife Refuge: Seasons of Life and Land, A Photographic Journey", Jimmy Carter tries to sway his audience to leave the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in its "pure, untrammeled state" for its beauty and history. Carter uses sensory imagery, a personal anecdote, and appeals to emotion to dissuade the audience from developing the Refuge for industry. In the first paragraph, Carter sets the scene of the Refuge. He uses sensory diction like vast, wild, windswept, and towering to establish a picture of "this magnificent area". These type of words are effective in persuading the audience to view the Refuge as a place of beauty, rather than a source of income because they appeal to the senses. These words make it easier to imagine the coastal plain s and the cliffs. By using sensory imagery, Carter effectively grabs or hooks the reader in with just the first paragraph.
It is about the time he and his wife went to the Arctic Refuge. Here, Carter manages to establish his credibility, which is key because it is hard to persuade people if they do not trust you. Also, if the audience senses that you have no connection to the cause, that is enough reason for them to not want to join in. However, Jimmy helps build his argument by making his connection to the Arctic Refuge seem more personal. Additionally, within the anecdote itself, he uses experienced diction like ancient, mosaic, and timeless. Jimmy does this to establish the Refuge's everlasting quality. These words make it seem like an old library where reader can come and learn things from. It is almost like a grandparent that teaches you lessons. Yes, they are old, but they are still knowledgeable and full of so much life. Carter effectively uses his word choice to force the audience to view the Refuge as an ecological wonderland ready to be loved