Rachel Suizo

Mr. Soeth

English 3 AP

January 26, 2011

REHUGO Analysis – Reading: Essay

A. Title and Author – “Search of the Good Family” by Jane Howard

B. In the article, “Search of the Good Family”, the author Jane Howard states no matter who a person is, a family is needed.

C. Evidence

a. Howard establishes her ethos by stating quotes. She uses an experience with a friend stating “it gets harder and harder with the passage of time . . . you need support systems” which proves every person needs a family for support throughout life. By sharing her own experience, Howard proves her support is credible.

D. The author supports her position in the article by using logos. In the article, Howard defines various aspects that make up the ideal family when listing the ten characteristics of a family. Defining the parts that make up a family establishes the author's knowledge about family

E. Rhetorical Strategies

a. Howard uses classification and division to strengthen her position by categorizing the qualities needed to have a good family. As each quality is stated, each sentence begins with “Good families. . .” which creates a picture of what an ideal family pertains.

b. The author uses rhetorical questions to provoke thought in the article. She asks questions such as “Are there not thriving ‘mega-families’ of as many as three hundred people in Scandinavia?” and “Have not the Japanese for years had an honored, enduring . . . custom of adopting nonrelatives to fill gaps in their families?”. Asking those questions proves that family does not have to be specifically blood related but people you care for.

Citation:

Shea, Renee Hausmann., Lawrence Scanlon, and Robin Dissin. Aufses. "More

Working Parents Play "Beat the Clock"" The Language of Composition: Reading, Writing and Rhetoric. Boston, MA: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2008. Print.