It Is Abusive To Be Poor Rhetorical Analysis

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Poverty; a word that is commonly used so often when it comes to individuals being a low classed, low income, American citizen who struggle to find success and an efficient job that pays well. In Barbara Ehrenreich’s article It Is Expensive to Be Poor, published in the online news article company The Atlantic, on January 13,2014, she argues that those who are struggling to support their own family or find an efficient well paying job are obtaining no support from the self-centered government. Ehrenreich also tries to inform the readers that those who are in poverty are treated unfairly and unjust. Through Ehrenreich’s argumentative article, she tries to persuade the readers through reasoning, credible personal background and history, as well as emotional appeals. In Ehrenreich’s article, she starts off the article by informing the audience of a President named Lyndon B. Johnson who promised to create a better environment or economic help to those who are in poverty. The author, however, …show more content…

In terms of cause of effect, the author uses pathos to inform the readers what may happen if an event were to start. Ehrenreich, in one of her texts says that“ if you can’t afford the first month’s rent and security deposit you need in order to rent an apartment, you may get stuck in an overpriced residential motel” (Ehrenreich). The cause is if he or she does not pay the first rent, the effect will be being stuck in an overpriced home. In addition to cause and effects, the choices of words also effect pathos. In Ehrenreich’s situation, she shows an abundance of negative thoughts towards those who are in poverty. These words may be words such as “dismayed”, “impossibly”, “struggling”, and “cruel” (Ehrenreich). The author tries to convey a message through an emotional perspective in order to grasp the readers attention on those who are in