Wednesday, January 26, 2011

REHUGO - reading

Jana Kurita
Mr. Soeth
English 3 AP
January 26, 2011
REHUGO Analysis - Reading: Community

A. Essay- “In Search of the Good Family.” by Jane Howard

B. The main point in the essay “In Search of the Good Family,” is that people require a family. A family does not have to be just through kin-ship, but people such as colleges, neighbors, and friends.

C. Evidence:

a. A type of evidence that Howard utilizes in her opening paragraphs was pathos. She uses pathos to hijack the readers attention and make them interested in her topic. An example she uses is “Some of these others must matter a lot - to you, and if you are very lucky, to one another.” (pg 283.) The quote can grab the readers attention because every human being has a mutual caring relationship with someone. For many, that relationship would be with a friend, family member, or a significant other. By saying “we must try to transform our friends into our relatives,” Howard establishes a connection with the reader because a majoring have close friends which they would consider a family member ,allowing Howard to play off of that emotion.
b. Howard uses ethos to establish her knowledgeable tone with the audience and support her claims. Howard quotes Aristotle by talking about how people get to know each other through many encounters. By quoting Aristotle, it supports Howard’s claim that people can chose who they want to be friends with and inevitably become a part of their family. Howard talks about thevhuman need of a support system ,which is gaining as many relatives as possible. Howard uses Kurt Vonnegut Jr.’s book, Slapstick, to support her idea of the benefits of gaining as many relatives as possible.

D. Rhetorical Strategies:

a. Definition: Howard defines family as “consist either of friends of the road, ascribed by chance, or friends of the heart, achieved by choice.” (pg 283.) Howard then goes on to define ascribed friends as “those we happen to go to school with, work with, or live near....Maybe they will still matter to us when we or they move away; quite likely they won’t....Unless by some chance they and we have become friends of the heart.” (pg 283.) The use of defining terms, is so the audience can understand Howard’s point of view. Howard goes on to further explain how the ideal family runs throughout the essay to further dive into the topic of family.

b. Metaphor: The metaphor, “Good families are fortresses with many windows and doors to the outer world,” is significant because it is a solid base that is open to the outside world. The quote is saying that the family has a lot of friends due to the outside contact they achieve through activities which inevitably create a more fortified family. The metaphor is used to support Howard’s concept of the importance of a families sense of care within all the members. Without that sense of care, the family would have the potential to easily be replaced or crumble due to the lack of a solid foundation.



MLA citation for essay:

Howard, Jane. "In Search of the Good Family." The Language of Composition. By Renee H. Shea, Lawerence Scanlon, and Robin Dissin Aufses. Boston: Bedford/ St. Martin's, 2008. 283-88. Print.

1 comment:

  1. hijack the reader's attention? strong word for this purpose.

    By quoting Aristotle, it supports Howard’s claim that people can chose who they want to be friends with and inevitably... - instead of "it" you can say Howard supports her claim that ..." sounds much better that way, be direct.

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