Classical Principles of Argument Paper

Classical Principles of Argument Paper

When writing a persuasive, argumentative, or when making a claim there is one goal, that is to reach the audience, and persuade them to what the essay is saying. Authors will use tools when writing so they can reach a targeted audience, and have the audience persuaded to the authors way of thinking. A synthesis is bringing to arguments together allowing for a comparison or a contrast, rebuttal, or accumulation with supporting points. Authors will also use ethos; this is where an author is well respected and their audience will believe most anything they say. Pathos is where an author will use emotional to persuade their audience. Then we have logos this is where the author uses reasoning to pull their audience in and persuade them one way or another. All these tools are known the classic principles of arguments. (Ethos,Pathos, and Logos, 2010) (Lamm & Everett, 2007)

In the essay written "The Water Revealed" written by Jim Wallis, Willis uses all three appeals in his argument. Hurricane Katrina was a devastating natural disaster that everyone around the world remembers. Hurricane Katrina produced so much water that the levees around New Orleans could not withstand the pressure and the levees broke. Was it really Katrina that caused all the damage in New Orleans or was it the fact that the levees could not sustain the level of the water that was rising and thus broke. Wallis shed light to the ugliness that most Americans were not aware, and the media did not cover. If Americans were fully aware of it and only decides to turn the other cheek and pretend its non-existent chooses to ignore it. Hurricane Katrina did not only destroy homes, businesses it also destroyed lives. The essay reflects on our society's reluctance to admit how poverty and race correlates to our American society. (Lamm & Everett, 2007)

Wallis uses pathos when he writes "The faces of those stranded in New Orleans were overwhelmingly poor and black, the very old and the very young. They were the ones who could not evacuate: had no cars or money for gas: no money for bus, train, or airfare; no budget for hotels or no friends or family with room to share or spare." This statement is emotional and touches the audience hearts. The author appeals to the reader to understand how his data correlates to the core of the problems of our nation because of Hurricane Katrina. The author uses his data to help the reader see how he has exposed the ill-forgotten poverty stricken citizens of New Orleans, and our nation. (Lamm & Everett, 2007)

Wallis starts off his essay with using logos "Hurricane Katrina destroyed entire cities, the lives of more than a thousand people, the home of hundreds of thousands, and the confidence of millions in the government's commitment and ability to protect them." Here Wallis stated what happened reasoning

...