Rhetoric Assignment - Essay Example

Rhetorical analysis The rhetorical analysis involves breaking down non-fiction work into various parts and explaining how each part works to create a particular effect. The aim is to show how Steve Chapman used rhetoric to shape people’s knowledge about the occurrence of crimes in Chicago City. In this essay, Chapman’s article is broken down into five major components; the text, author, audience, purpose, and setting. The next section focuses on the message content. Detailed illustrations such as the main idea, author’s principal lines of reasoning, communication structure, literary genre, figures of speech, style, and tone will be included. The author section focuses on how he establishes ethos, the way he portrays himself as knowledgeable, and his reputation together with associated authority. The audience section focuses on the makeup of the audience, intended audience, audience values that the author seeks to address, and potential secondary audience. The purpose section focuses on the fulfillment of the author’s message. Text The text in question is a column article written by Steve Chapman, a columnist for the Chicago Tribune. The basic medium of the text is online and print publications in American news agencies. Chapman argues that the security situation has improved in Chicago City in general although some neighborhoods still experience high rates of crime. He also argues that it is the past underlying issues such as racial segregation that gave rise to the current security challenges. He acknowledges the difference in opinion held by other people about whether the crime has reduced or not. However, he supports his argument with statistics from the past and also makes a comparison of Chicago with other cities experiencing similar security challenges. Chapman’s principal line of reasoning is that although the incidences of crime are still high in Chicago, the situation is not the way it used to be some decades ago. If Chicago is compared with other cities such as Indianapolis, Kansas, and Nashville, it has done much better in tackling violent crimes. However, if it is compared with Minneapolis, it is slightly worse. The structure of the communication is public communication. The intention of Chapman is such that what he is communicating is not intended solely for a precisely defined group of recipients. It is the intention of Chapman that what he communicates might be received by anyone. The communication follows an essay literary genre; it is a short literary composition that reflects Chapman’s opinion or viewpoint. Chapman has briefly explained his ideas about crime in Chicago, how it is, and what it used to be in the past. Some of the figures of speech used by Chapman include hyperbole, metaphors, and personification (Glucksberg 3). Chapman uses hyperbole to exaggerate the situation in Chicago. He says Chicago is “the murder capital of America.” He also uses metaphors to compare the current situation of Chicago from what it used to be two decades ago. For example, he says “such progress was the stuff of dreams” in the 1990s. In addition, Chapman uses personification to compare Chicago with other cities facing crime. He says Chicago currently “stand[s] out among its peers.” Chapman has used cause and effects figurative language. He says gangs in Chicago “are as much a symptom of the city’s problems as a cause.” He has also used antecedent and consequence technique. For example, he argues that the economic development in Chicago is indispensable, and neglect would worsen the situation. Chapman has used logos to appeal his arguments logically. He has used both inductive and deductive reasoning. He begins with deductive reasoning in the form of generalizations and then applies them to specific cases. His generalizations are based on an adequate amount of reliable evidence. In the inductive reasoning, Chapman takes specific representative facts and then draws generalizations from them. Like his generalizations, Chapman’s inductive reasoning is based on sufficient reliable evidence. In other words, the facts he refers to fairly represent the larger situation in Chicago. For example, he starts by saying Chicago had 943 murders in 1992. He then emphasizes the significant reduction by saying the city had 415 and 206 murders in 2013 and 2014 respectively. Chapman has used a formal style; long sentences, erudite vocabulary, and many balanced constructions. He has also used a formal tone in writing this article. The reason Chapman chose formal tone and style is to ensure that the readers find the content appealing. The formal style and tone are also chosen because the article is to appear in newspapers and online journals. Author Steve Chapman is an editorial writer and columnist for the Chicago Tribune. He writes his columns about national and international affairs twice a week. The Creators Syndicate distributes the weekly columns, which appear in 50 papers throughout the country. Steve Chapman has worked as a member of Chicago Tribune editorial board since 1981. Chapman uses credible sources in the article to establish an ethos. He also has a certain amount of ethos that can be implied solely by his reputation given that he is an expert in both national and international affairs. In his article, Chapman does not attack or insult other people with opposing or different viewpoints. Chapman also comes out as knowledgeable. He is aware of Chicago’s past and present security issues. He is also aware of what is happening in other cities with crime rates that are comparable to Chicago. He knows that there is a significant decline in homicides in Chicago compared with what used to happen in the past contrary to what many residents might think. In addition, he is conversant with the opinions of others about homicides in Chicago. Chapman’s reputation conveys a certain authority. He has worked for the Chicago Tribune since 1981 and, thus, his knowledge of the city’s past events is credible. He has a regular access to current events because he works in a media organization. He writes columns twice a week, making him an experienced article writer. Audience The audiences for “The Truth about Violence in Chicago” is extremely varied. The intended audiences are the residents of Chicago City. Chapman seeks to address the misconceptions of homicides and other crimes in the city. From the audience’s point of view, crime rates in Chicago are high. However, Chapman wants the residents to acknowledge the significant reduction of crimes in recent years. The secondary audiences are the readers of Chapman’s columns across the country. Many Americans will access the article because it is widely distributed and also appears in 50 papers. Internet users across the globe are also part of the secondary audiences because they can access the article from the Chicago Tribune and Creators Syndicate websites. Purpose Chapman’s immediate purpose appears to be to delight Americans living in Chicago about crimes in the city and how they can be reduced. He acknowledges the significant reduction of crimes in the city in recent years but still feels the rates are high compared with other cities in the country. Chapman wants some underlying issues such as poverty and racial segregation that contribute to crime to be addressed. He also wants the number of police to be increased so that they can tackle crime efficiently. Chapman effectively fits his message to the circumstance, times and audience. The message fulfills his intentions of creating awareness and fighting crime in Chicago. Setting The initial setting of the article is a column for Chicago Tribune and Creators Syndicate. The immediate community and content of the article are the present high rates of violent crimes in Chicago, which Chapman argues that they have reduced in comparison with the past. According to Chapman, some Chicagoans, especially the ones from crime-prone neighborhoods, may not be aware of the large reduction of murders in the city. Conclusion In the article, Chapman argues that the security has improved in Chicago City in general, but some areas still experience high rates of crime. His line of reasoning is that although the incidences of crime are still high in the city, the situation is not the way it used to be some decades ago. Chapman uses figurative language such as hyperboles, metaphors, and personification in his article. He seeks to address the misconceptions of homicides and other crimes in the city. His immediate purpose is to inform Chicago residents about crimes in the city and how they can be reduced. Works Cited “Basic Questions for Rhetorical Analysis.” Birmingham Young University. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 July 2014. . Glucksberg, Sam. Understanding Figurative Language From Metaphor to Idioms. New York: Oxford University Press, 2001. Print. “Guidelines for a Rhetorical Analysis.” Motlow State Community College. N.p, n.d. Web. 23 July 2014. < http://www.mscc.edu/WritingResources/Guidelines%20for%20 Rhetorical%20Analysis.pdf>. Roberts-Miller, Trish. “Understanding Misunderstandings: How to do a rhetorical analysis.” The University of Texas at Austin. 2008. Web. 23 July 2014. . Short, Lindsay. “What in the world is a rhetorical analysis?” North Carolina State University. 2007. Web. 23 July 24, 2014. “Writing a Critical or Rhetorical Analysis.” Bellevue College. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 July 2014. . Read More