A Rhetorical Analysis Of How To Stop Stewing By Diana Opong

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Rhetorical Analysis Essay In her Article “How to Stop Stewing,” a general assistant reporter Diana Opong makes the argument that even a small gesture can have a significant effect on others. It’s easy to become caught up in our own lives and overlook the impact of our actions on those around us. To gain clarity when things feel personal, it’s important to slow down and consider our own actions, as well as the motivations behind them. Through her use of anecdotes and imagery, Opong teaches us to consider our own actions and reactions in a more balanced and objective way. Opong uses anecdotes in her essay to make her readers understand that empathy is being expressed in the situation from both sides and acknowledge the possibility of the customer not seeing diana. Opong describes an example that is told from a first-person point of view and includes personal thoughts and feelings of the person experiencing the event. Opong states, “Diana felt a little frustrated when the customer didn’t hold the door open for her, but there is a good chance they didn’t see her and it’s not a big deal” (3). By using this example of an anecdote, it is a short, true account of a real incident that happened to someone and it contains a clear plot, setting, and characters. Additionally, the …show more content…

Opong visualizes a situation when a customer didn’t leave the door open for her, making it feel personal. She states, “As I walked to the door, there was another customer ahead of me. And he opened the door for himself without bothering to look back” (1). This example of imagery creates an image of a rude and thoughtless person who is not considering the needs of others around him. Overall, the imagery is created through the use of descriptive language and specific details that allow the reader to visualize the scene and the actions of the characters