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Rhetorical Analysis Of Happiness By William Hazlitt

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Have you ever heard the phrase, "Money can't buy happiness?" Have you ever thought to yourself that this statement is most likely true because money physically cannot buy the happiness we long for? An author by the name of William Hazlitt believes that money can, indeed, buy happiness. From what it seems, through the diction, syntax, and metaphors provided, Hazlitt brings our attention to no matter how someone may live, money does play even the smallest of roles in buying one's happiness. Hazlitt has a remarkable way of getting us to see how he believes that money does actually buy us happiness. His more obvious way of getting us to believe his thoughts is through his diction. Hazlitt uses more of a sensible kind of diction. It is packed …show more content…

Now, a metaphor is a figure of speech using implied comparison of seemingly unlike things or the substitution of one for the other, suggesting some similarity. Hazlitt uses this in almost every line of this passage. We were most likely all confused the first time we have read this passage, but if we actually sit down and think about it, Hazlitt is showing us the feeling of having no money or having money for happiness by using many, many sayings and phrases that maybe we have all experienced at least once. He reminds us in lines 14 through 16, that without money we will "earn a precarious and irksome livelihood by some laborious employment." Again this short phrase serves as a message that even our daily task of making a living will be met with discouragement and dejection. Most people feel they do not have enough money and the thought of having more would evoke happiness, however, how much is enough? How much is not enough? The feeling is rough, but that's what Hazlitt is showing us in these metaphors. How much money does one need to earn in order to obtain happiness? It is a fine line, and one according to Hazlitt will make all the difference as far as emotional stability is concerned. The feeling of sorrow and pain at heart will undoubtedly follow if one falls

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