Relevance of the Legalization of Organ Donation: Organ Sales will Save Lives - Essay Example

Identifying the only two alternatives of dialysis and transplantation to treat the disease, the author states the limitations of former recourse as being “harsh, expensive and, worst of all, only temporary” (93). Thus, using the literary device of rhetoric in terms of emotion, logic and morality for emphasis, MacKay convincingly contends her case for the legalization of organ donation. The author’s emotional appeal effectively convinces the readers when she reveals the statistics that during 2000, “2,583” US citizens have died for want of kidney transplant and the worldwide figure comes to an astounding “50,000” (93).

The author further prods the conscience of her audience with another shocking information that “60,000” Americans have to wait in agony to receive a “cadaverous kidney” for as long as “10 years” (93). On the other hand, no wait period is necessary for obtaining organ for a seller. Thus, she effectively uses emotional rhetoric to effectively argue her case for the legalization of organ donation in the country. Similarly, MacKay deftly deploys the rhetoric of morality by stating the staggering sum of “$ 150,000” a patient requires for procuring a kidney in the US (93).

It also transpires that a caucus of brokers are involved in this conspiracy and the “buyer, seller, surgeons, and nurses are flown” to destinations in overseas countries to carry out the operation (93). Thus, a ban on sales of organs will only encourage buyers to procure it from other countries, through unscrupulous agents. The author further refutes the contention that organ donation compromises the seller’s “dignity” as a theory of “affluent individuals” (94). The fact remains that banning organ sales promotes illegal trades, which benefit only the middlemen.

Besides, the concept of saving a life appeals most to the human morality, and when a person sells his or her organ the act should rather be applauded than condemned. MacKay also uses the rhetoric of logic to defend his contention that selling organ is a right thing because in legally accepted cadaverous organ donation every stakeholder “except the donor” receives benefits (94). In fact, the donor is the most primary and significant part in the process. No donor; no organ. Therefore, it is only logical that the donor receives some consideration for the contribution.

Apart from rhetorical appeal, MacKay also uses language to good effect as can be discerned from simplicity with which she narrates her theories. In addition, she also uses relevant statistics to validate her arguments, including the evidence from other literature containing donor information from countries like India. Thus, overall, Joanna MacKay uses the rhetoric of emotion, morality and logic in her essay “Organ Sales will Save Lives” to argue her case for the legalization of organ sales in the US.

The author also communicates to her audience in very simple and straightforward language, which renders the essay easily accessible even to the layperson. She also supports all her statements with evidence in terms of statistical data relating to the information she shares with the readers. Thus, her writing sets a good example for an argumentative essay using the literary devices of rhetoric, language and evidence. Works Cited MacKay, Joanna. Organ Sales will Save Lives. The Norton Field Guide to Writing. Ed. Richard Bullock.

New York: W W Norton & Company, 2009. 92-97.