Rhetorical Analysis Of Asyndeton

Raghuram Venkatapuram
English, Period B7
9/19/16

Rhetorical Analysis Essay
Excerpt from “Preface to A Dictionary of the English Language” - By Samuel Johnson.

In this excerpt, Samuel Johnson’s feelings about dictionary writers is are very strong, in a sense that he has a direct emotional appeal on the reader about how they, the dictionary writers, are often neglected. In this essay, I will focus on two rhetorical terms - ‘asyndeton’ and, from Aristotle’s Three Appeals, ‘Pathos’ or emotion. The idea coming from these two terms have a profound impact on Johnson’s writing. Overall, the tone is a mix between sad and mad. Right away, you can see how the first rhetorical term ‘asyndeton’ has an impact on the excerpt. The first section goes on talking about how some jobs don’t receive praise for doing something that is beneficial to the community as a whole. In the excerpt it states “...to be exposed to censure, without hope of praise; to be disgraced by miscarriage, or punished for neglect…” The sentence becomes rushed and with that, there’s lots of emotional thoughts. That’s where ‘Pathos’ comes into play. The words

The second section is about how dictionary writers have paved the road for Learning and Genius, but at the same time have not received any recognition whatsoever. The term ‘asyndeton’ has been used mainly in the first sentence. Johnson writes, “...whom mankind have considered, not as the pupil, but as the slave of science, the pioneer of literature, doomed only to remove rubbish and clear obstructions from the paths of Learning and Genius, who press forward to conquest and glory…” This, again, shows the way that Johnson used the idea of the term ‘asyndeton’ to speed up the rhythm of the sentence and to push forth the emotional appeal (Pathos). In the excerpt, it says “...the lexicographer can only hope to escape reproach and even this negative recompense has been yet granted to very