Rhetorical Analysis Of Why Bother By Michael Pollan
The earth is experiencing ecological and environmental issues caused by global warming. The earth is changing drastically and it is up to the American people to get up and do something about it. Why Bother? written by Michael Pollan opens the reader's eyes in a compelling way to global warming and other related environmental issues. Pollan uses rhetorical strategies such as the use of current and past events, pathos, and ethos to persuade his readers “to bother” (312) and start thinking more about the environmental issues that involves everyone. Pollan tries to persuade his reader by looking at these global issues from many different standpoints.
“I don’t know about you, but for me the most upsetting moment in An Inconvenient Truth came …show more content…
This shows the reader that he is someone to listen to, and believe. He shows his audience that he too is in the same situation as they are in. By doing so, he establishes his credibility. Throughout his article he uses pronouns such as our, us, and we. These pronouns make his audience feel he knows exactly what he is talking about and puts what he saying on a more personal level. It ideally builds a relationship with the reader, and builds the trust and respect of his audience. By making himself out to be an American, experiencing the same climate changes and other issues caused by global warming, Michael Pollan builds his credibility because the reader can trust that Pollan understands them and their situation fully. This is another way he uses pathos.
Michael Pollan’s also presents himself as someone credible and honest with the use of ethos. He backs up his arguments with evidence from other credible authors. For example, he quotes Wendell Berry, who is also a writer and farmer, saying “You begin to see what growing even a little of your own food is, as Wendell Berry pointed out 30 years ago, one of those solutions that instead of begetting a new set of problems…actually beget other solutions” This is evidence that backs up his reasoning as to we should plant a garden and make environmental changes in our
“I don’t know about you, but for me the most upsetting moment in An Inconvenient Truth came …show more content…
This shows the reader that he is someone to listen to, and believe. He shows his audience that he too is in the same situation as they are in. By doing so, he establishes his credibility. Throughout his article he uses pronouns such as our, us, and we. These pronouns make his audience feel he knows exactly what he is talking about and puts what he saying on a more personal level. It ideally builds a relationship with the reader, and builds the trust and respect of his audience. By making himself out to be an American, experiencing the same climate changes and other issues caused by global warming, Michael Pollan builds his credibility because the reader can trust that Pollan understands them and their situation fully. This is another way he uses pathos.
Michael Pollan’s also presents himself as someone credible and honest with the use of ethos. He backs up his arguments with evidence from other credible authors. For example, he quotes Wendell Berry, who is also a writer and farmer, saying “You begin to see what growing even a little of your own food is, as Wendell Berry pointed out 30 years ago, one of those solutions that instead of begetting a new set of problems…actually beget other solutions” This is evidence that backs up his reasoning as to we should plant a garden and make environmental changes in our