english unit 2 copy

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Dec 6, 2023

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T. McCoy 1 Tara McCoy Rutgers Newark English Composition 101 Professor Rosetti 26 October 2023 “On Being a Cripple” by Nancy Mairs Masters the Three Modes of Persuasion to Captivate Readers The famous Greek Philosopher and polymath who lived between 384 and 322 BC, Aristotle, proposed the idea of three basic tools for enhancing the effectiveness of rhetoric. Rhetoric, as defined by Aristotle, is the skillful deployment of language to effectively sway an audience's opinion. Throughout history authors have diligently employed the art of rhetoric in their written works to establish connections and facilitate communication with their readers. Nancy Mairs successfully delivers an effective argument throughout her written work, “On Being a Cripple.” Mairs skillfully employs the three modes of persuasion—Ethos, Pathos, and Logos—to captivate her readers and deliver a compelling and successful argument. Establishing trust with the audience through one of the three rhetorical appeals, Ethos, is a critical component of crafting a successful essay. “Ethos is about establishing your authority to speak on the subject, credibility, integrity, and moral character” (Hassan). Nancy Mairs establishes credibility and authority about her disability throughout her written text, “On Being a Cripple”. She forms a relationship with her audience by discussing individual experiences that pertained to her everyday life of living with Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Being vulnerable and sharing her fears and insecurities, opens the door of trust for the reader. The transparent portrayal of her personal experiences strengthens her connection with the audience and adds a layer of authenticity to her argument. “Because I hate being crippled, I sometimes hate myself for being a cripple. Over the years I have come to expect- even accept- attacks of violent self-loathing”

T. McCoy 2 (Mairs 287). Mairs uses honest and candid language to describe her condition and her feelings about living with a disability. Her willingness to critically examine her own life and the broader issues related to disability demonstrates intellectual integrity. Mairs lives the narrative she presents, reinforcing her integrity and credibility through her honest portrayal of her personal life. This, in turn, allows her to establish a strong foundation for her argument. As previously noted, successful arguments rely on multiple modes of persuasion. Ethos is only one piece of the puzzle for persuasive writing, with Pathos being another. Pathos appeals to the audience’s emotions essentially trying to tug at their heartstrings. “By appealing to the audience’s emotions, speakers can persuade them to accept their point of view. This could involve evoking feelings of pity, fear, anger, or even happiness” (Hassan). Establishing a profound connection with the audience is vital. It compels the reader to feel emotionally engaged, enhancing the receptiveness to the author’s message. Nancy Mairs masterfully employs emotional language throughout her work to make her message more meaningful, which results in the reader gaining a deeper understanding and acceptance of her message. “First, the matter of semantics. I am a cripple. I choose this word to name me. I choose from among several possibilities, the most common of which are ‘handicapped’ and ‘disabled’” (Mairs 281). By opting for the more straightforward term and rejecting the more common euphemisms, Mairs underscores the significant difference between living as a ‘cripple’ and being seen as healthy. This choice of direct language and words prompts the readers to reevaluate their own perception of what it means to live life as a ‘cripple’. This elicits emotions of discomfort, sadness, and for some, empathy. The puzzle still needs one more piece before it can be complete. The third puzzle piece, following Ethos and Pathos, is Logos. Logos entails presenting a logical argument to the

T. McCoy 3 audience using supportive evidence. “It involves reasoning, facts, data, statistics, and sound arguments” (Hassan). The Logos appeal is straightforward when it comes to the three modes of persuasion. To persuade the audience, having supportive evidence is essential to constructing a clear and rational case. Mairs demonstrates this throughout her written text to give us a better understanding of her personal and medical background. “Multiple sclerosis is a chronic degenerative disease of the central nervous system, in which the myelin that sheathes the nerves is somehow eaten away and scar tissue forms in its place, interrupting the nerves’ signals” (Mairs 282). Mairs introduces MS through a medical standpoint pointing out how it is a chronic and degenerative disease. Medical terminology and scientific information are used to create a compelling and rational argument about the challenges she faces due to her condition. Using a fact-based approach lays a logical foundation for the discussion of how MS has affected her life throughout her essay, strengthening her overall message. In "On Being a Cripple," Nancy Mairs skillfully weaves the three modes of persuasion – Ethos, Pathos, and Logos – into a compelling argument, successfully engaging her audience. Aristotle's timeless framework offers the puzzle pieces that allows Mairs to connect with readers, building trust and understanding. Through the strategic use of these rhetorical tools shown in Mairs essay, effectively captures the reader’s attention and establishes a deep connection. Ethos, Pathos, and Logos is essential for the author to connect with the reader and to deliver a powerful and persuasive message. Mairs effectively captures the reader’s attention, ultimately conveying her message with authority, emotional impact, and sound reasoning. On my honor, I have neither received nor given an unauthorized assistance on this paper. TM

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T. McCoy 4 Works Cited Amadio, Anselm H., and Anthony J. P. Kenny. “Aristotle | Biography, Contributions, & Facts.” Encyclopedia Britannica , 11 Jan. 2019, www.britannica.com/biography/Aristotle . “Ethos, Pathos, and Logos.” EnglishComposition.org , englishcomposition.org/advanced- writing/ethos-pathos-and-logos/. “Ethos, Pathos and Logos.” The Decision Lab , thedecisionlab.com/reference- guide/philosophy/ethos-pathos-and-logos. Hassan, Muhammad. “Ethos Pathos Logos - Definition, Meanings and Examples.” Research Method , 15 Aug. 2023, researchmethod.net/ethos-pathos-logos/. Kramer, Lindsay. “What Is Rhetoric, and Why Is It Important?” Rhetoric: A Definition and Rhetorical Devices Explained| Grammarly Blog , 27 Jan. 2022, www.grammarly.com/blog/rhetoric/. Sirk, Christopher. “Ethos, Pathos, Logos: The Three Modes of Persuasion.” CRM.org , 2 June 2020, crm.org/articles/ethos-pathos-logos-the-three-modes-of-persuasion.

english unit 2 copy

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