A single book was able to convince an entire country to support and love a tyrannical dictator who became responsible for one of the most deadly genocides in history. This book was Meín Kampf and it is the autobiography of Adolf Hitler. In order to influence the immense number of people that he did, the author employed several rhetorical devices to convey his message. The author successfully delivered his ideals by mainly using ethos and pathos both supported with minor logos.
Past leaders such as Andrew Jackson, Adolf Hitler, Benito Mussolini, and Marc Antony are evidence that society does not reward morality and good character in leadership. Society is drawn to leaders that have good rhetoric, propaganda, and charismatic personalities, and society supports them despite their immorality. Society is concerned about stability more than the morality of their leaders and will support immoral leaders in times of crisis to provide stability. In history there have been multiple leaders that have used rhetoric, propaganda and charismatic personalities to gain power, despite their morals.
Kurt Vonnegut Jr. shows horrificness inequality through the use of precise details. For example, Vonnegut writes “And George… had a little mental handicap in his ear.” (page 34). This displays the upside-down world of equality through George’s intelligence. Later in the short story, George says“‘Two years in prison and two thousand dollars fine for every ball I took out.’”
Throughout history, many crucial events have touched numerous people in their own way, one of these events being World War II. This war impacted countless people who were affected by the horrendous things that Germany ensued. One person that was impacted by World War II is Kurt Vonnegut. From his experiences in the war, he has written multiple books, one of his books being about his involvement in the Dresden firebombing. Within the book, he uses different literary devices that reflect this historical event.
The historical, science fiction novel Slaughterhouse-Five written by Kurt Vonnegut follows a man named Billy Pilgrim, who has become “unstuck in time” spending one moment in a year and then blinking only to find himself in another (Vonnegut, 29). However, the book consistently centers on Billy’s life in World War Two, as he witnesses one of the most considerable massacres in the history of Europe: “the fire-bombing of Dresden”, which killed nearly 135,000 people (Vonnegut, 128). Even though the story appears to lack a beginning, middle, and end, it does not. Billy’s life itself does not follow a consistent timeline within the novel; however his life during World War Two does happen chronologically, even though it is broken up by different time
As a writer, the way a story is told can be the key factor to properly transferring the novel’s message to the readers. From point of view to the lapse in time, every little factor plays into the overall impact of the novel. In Kurt Vonnegut’s novel Slaughterhouse Five, the use of a presumably time-traveling main character is a factor that did more to benefit the overall message of the novel than it did harm it. This is a shocking revelation because a character of doubtable sound mind would not be expected to properly narrate a story of this depth. But what is even more staggering is that this scattered narrator may be what truly brings the message of the book to life.
“The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing.” As the renowned scientist Albert Einstein stated, the lack of free will can be highly detrimental to society. This principle is also emphasized in Kurt Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse-Five, in which the main character, Billy Pilgrim, is involved in a plane crash. This accident further unsettles his mental condition, in addition to his experiences in World War II. This causes Billy to imagine about an alien planet called Tralfamadore, where they believe that all incidents in time are structured and that free will has no impact on the future.
According to Lemony Snicket, “[You should] never trust anyone who has not brought a book with them” and writer Stephen King presumably would agree. In On Writing, pages one forty-seven through one fifty, King uses diction, critical and ardent tones and figurative language, to highlight the significance of reading and how it benefits a writer. King utilizes diction to persuade aspiring writers to read regularly. He writes, “I take a book with me everywhere I go, and find there are all sorts of opportunities to dip in.” (147) “Waiting rooms were made for books—of course!
Utkarsh Sharma Ms. Harris English 3.1 21 September 2015 Rhetorical Analysis The Democratic Party candidate election of 2008 was a historically significant event for the people of the United States of America. For the first time in the country’s history, an African-American, Illinois Senator Barack Obama, and a woman, New York Senator Hilary Clinton would compete against one another to earn the Democratic presidential ticket. In order to show her support for Barack Obama, Toni Morrison, the only African-American woman to win the Nobel Prize for literature, in her letter, demonstrates her approval for the Democratic candidate for president.
The Sci-Fi short story that is chose to read is “2BR02B” by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. Setting In this story, the cure for old age had been found and there is no limit to how long a person can live which resulted in population growth. Therefore, the population had to be controlled so in order for a person to be born, someone had to die voluntarily. The story states that the population of the United States was limited to forty million.
Imagine a life where everything seemed perfect. No wars, no diseases, no prisons, etc. This was life in “2BR02B” by Kurt Vonnegut. However with this perfect lifestyle, one flaw can be seen, which was population. The United States stayed at a stable forty million, killing off a person every time a child was born.
“Why don’t you write an anti-glacier book instead? What he meant, of course, was that there would always be wars, that they were as easy to stop as glaciers. I believe that too.” (Vonnegut 3). Kurt Vonnegut ironically wrote this in his book Slaughterhouse-Five, which is an admired antiwar book.
The passage from the short story named “EPICAC” by Kurt Vonnegut identifies a computer program named EPICAC who fell in love with a woman and left a gift for the protagonist but ultimately dies in the end. This shows a representation of anthropomorphous through the machine’s dialogue and the protagonist’s narrative. The author is able to humanize the machine by making EPICAC expressing feelings and conduct actions that normal machines cannot do. EPICAC expresses very bold emotions that only living things could do. “I want to be made out of protoplasm… so Pat will love me” shows his desire to deny fate and become something impossible.
The people of the United States fight and strive for an absolute “equal” society, but is it what’s really wanted? “Harrison Bergeron,” a short story written by Kurt Vonnegut, uses satire to describe the deficiency in our idea of a truly “equal” society. Throughout the story, Vonnegut describes the torture and discomfort the government administers among the people, and though they were “equal,” they were not balanced. Vonnegut uses characterization and word choice to warn his readers of the potential drawbacks of a truly “equal” society. He warns normalcy would become the base of thought, and people would become incapable of emotion.
In the stories, "The Lie," by Kurt Vonnegut and "Barn Burning," by William Faulkner, the main characters, Eli Remenzel & Colonel Sartoris (Sarty) Snopes, both mature from childhood into adulthood. This growth and maturity develops from having family support and a stable upbringing or perhaps their growth happened within their own self-consciousness. The main characters, in both these stories, use their inner maturity to be strong and courageous and make good decisions as they are growing up. In the story, "The Lie," Eli matures into adulthood.
