We're going to look at Carson in terms of how she put her argument together. So, see if you can identify some of the rhetorical strategies that she's using by considering some the techniques that Heinrichs has explained. Where do you see here using ethos (or doing to things to establish her own credibility as well as the credibility of her argument), pathos (trying to get an emotional response out of her audience), or logos (logical or factual arguments). Where do you see her using commonplaces or codes, appealing to the values of her audience? Where do you see her using the context (this was written in 1962, most of her readers lived through WWII, the atomic bomb, space travel was beginning to seem possible, lots of technological and scientific advances in general)? Are there any major concepts that seem to theme her argument? Anything that you note about how these two chapters are put together is worth commenting about. It also might help you that the 2 chapters I gave you are the first two chapters in a book-length argument about pesticides, Silent Spring.
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Carson uses many rhetorical tools in constructing her argument that apeal directly to her audience making it more effective. The setting in chapter 1 could very well be any smaller town in america and almost everyone can visualize this in their minds. She uses this to identify and bond with her audience, using emotion to set up this nightmare reality. Carson also uses the context of the time when arguing her position on radiation, drawing from experiences that happened in WWII with the atomic bomb and linking it to "man's assults upon the environment" and her theme of pollution. She also draws in the scientific debates of the time over evolution. By discussing the natural evolutionary process of insects and nature's checks and balances, she gives evidence of man's destruction of these delicate balances and the impact it's had globally.
Carson also argues emotionally by using broad extreme statments. For example she says, "Who would want to live in a world which is just not quite fatal? Yet such a world is pressed upon us." With such a statement, the audience cannot help but agree with her, and also acknowledges that this must be dealt with here and now.
Carson establishes her ethos before she even begins writing by quoting established and well respected people--Keats and E.B. White. Their quotes are pessimistic in their view of the state of nature and set the tone for the book. By relating her view to these people who are already known, she raises the credibility of her argument.
The pathos is also invoked in the first chapter because she relates her description of a peaceful American town that is destroyed by maladies and death, and states that this could "easily have a thousand counterparts in America." She touches on the death of innocent children to connect to the sentimental side of the reader.
Her logos is shown in chapter 2 as she begins to provide evidence to support her claims--irreversible effects of chemicals, radiation, and strontium 90. The rapid pace of new situations follows the "rapid and heedless" pace of humans. She talks about how the only insects that are really harmful are the ones that are brought over from other environments and this can be blamed on humans, not on nature.
The two chapters are connected by the last sentence of the first chapter in which she raises a question that she proceeds to answer in the second chapter. You can see that she is developing her argument by posing a question as if it were pressing and pertinent to the minds of any human at the time: "What has already silenced the voices of spring in countless towns in America?" The next chapter uses the logos mentioned above as she begins to answer this question. I would assume her thesis statement will come at the end after she has completely developed the complexity of the argument.
The major topics that compose the theme of her argument are that of nature's time versus man's time, evolution and adaptation to the dangers imposed by man, and human interference in the natural progression of nature.
The context is shown in the repetitive mention of radiation and chemicals during the time of the atomic bomb. She seems to be drawing attention to the ignorance of man in that they seem to have discovered something so powerful and great, but it is in fact killing off man's own kind. Man is unknowingly hurting themselves more than improving upon their environment, and she wants to shed light on this fact in her message.
Carson introduces her argument with quotes from well-known sources, establishing credibility of her argument from the start. She then gives a vivid description of a typical small-town in Anerica, in order to identify and create a bond with her audience. Even though at the end of her description she says that this particular town actually doesn't exist, she also defends her point by adding that these misfortunes can occur in actual towns that exist throughout the world. She uses many commonplaces or codes that her audience can identify with: "heart of America," "life," "live," "harmony." Carson switches to pathos when describing how the town tragically is destroyed by misfortunes. The audience becomes emotional when she gives examples of the different types of maladies this small town encounters. She ties this story back to her argument by making a bold statement: "The people had done it themselves." Already establishing the credibility factor at the start, she then adds this curiosity factor. She uses logos when she provides factual evidence and ethos when quoting credible sources such as the entomologist Neely Turner, and ecologists, Charles Elton, and Paul Shepard. The examples she gives to argue her position are known by her audience who all lived in that time period. Time is mentioned throughout and she uses it to identify with current generations as well as future generations. She mentions the major concepts of time, evolution, the effects of mankind's inventions, and the dangers of their actions committed upon nature. At the end she wraps up her argument by appealing to the public, stating that ultimately, it is up to them to do something about this or else they may face the extinction of their own kind.
In the two segments of Silent Spring that we read, Carson identifies in her argument with techniques of ethos, pathos, and logos. By using these specific techniques she creates a well balanced argumentative paper.
In the text, Carson uses ethos throughout her entire argument. She tries to establish her commitment to knowing that most she can about the particular topic. A specific example would be her knowledge about the sprays and the pesticides.
She uses pathos in the beginning of the text by arousing our senses of the imaginary world that we live in. She then starts to talk about the devastation of the world that happens around us. She appeals to our emotions by saying “the people had done it themselves”. This leaves us with the feeling of blame and accusation. She uses pathos to allow us to have images in our minds of the wonderful world that we live in. A particular example that caught my attention in the document was when she said “500 new chemicals to which the bodies of men and animals are required somehow to adapt each year, chemicals totally outside the limits of biological experience.” (pg 18) This statement really caught my attention by making me wonder about all the extra chemicals presented in the world and how they effect out being.
Carson uses logos in the throughout her entire argument. She tries to establish her commitment to knowing that most she can about pesticides. A particular example would be her knowledge about how radiation can bring on gene mutations.
The main objections and theme of the paper are the human life and the dangers that society are bringing upon it. There are many dangers of life that Carson sees and she tries to adhere to all our senses by the use of ethos, pathos, and logos. I really enjoyed her appeal to the audience in the end about how it is our obligation as a society to do something about the dangers that are inhibiting us.
Carson uses pathos to elicit sympathy from the audiences. This is presented in her introduction when she described a town in America where "life seemed to live in harmony with its surroundings". From this description she was able to appeal to the audiences emotion. The authors established credibility when she presented facts from experts in this field and facts. She incorporates quotes from Dr. Elton as well as ecologists like Paul Shepard. Logos was presented through Carson's knowledge about pesticides and the negative effects it has on the environment through facts. For example, she mentions "Strontium 90, released through nuclear explosions into logdes in soil." In addition, she also explains how DDT releases toxic chemicals that kill off organisms. These quotes help strengthen Carson's logical argument. One technique that Heinrich as explained about it is to "Speak Your Audiences Language" and the "Idenity Strategy". I feel that Carson uses this technique by using language that her audience can comprehend. I also feel that she was able to get her audience to identify with her argument.
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