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Rhetorical Analysis Of Lord Chesterfield's Letter To His Son

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The power to persuade is a valuable tool for everyone on the Earth. It is vital for every leaders, activists and even teachers to know how to sway and individual or audience. The ability to convince is the most important for a parent however, especially as their children grow older. Lord Chesterfield’s letter to his young son is a wonderful example of this. He is trying to tell his son to succeed and make good decisions without coming across as overbearing or domineering. Lord Chesterfield uses a variety to rhetorical strategies to persuade his son to excel abroad. One method Lord Chesterfield tries is to incense his son’s pride. He reminds him of the opportunities he was exposed to that give him an edge up in the world- “can there be a greater pleasure than to universally allowed to excel those of one’s own age and manner of life… can there be anything more mortifying than to be excelled by them”. He then goes on to talk about since the boy had better education, it would be the greatest shame to be beaten by a lower class individual. The writer, trying to …show more content…

Lord Chesterfield, by writing in this method, peaks interest in the contents of the envelope. He explains he knows he is a parent and he is flattering himself to think that his son will listen, but he beseeches him to at least try- “I flatter myself that your own reason, young as it is, must tell you, that I can have no interest but yours in the advice I give you… and you will weigh it consequently… Do not think I mean to dictate as a parent… [but] advise as a friend.” He likens himself to friend of the youngster, rather than that of a parental nature. By doing this he hopes the ideas in the letter will not be discarded, but rather taken seriously and followed. This shows to the receiver he understands some of the workings of the young gentlemen’s brain. Appearing to understand the internal working of the reader is a method used in this

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King’s letter was structured in such a way, to address all the concerns of the clergymen. Since it was such a long letter, King wanted the clergymen’s major points to be refuted towards the end, effectively showing his audience the racial injustice that occurs with the Birmingham police. In the public statement addressed to King, the Birmingham police were mentioned towards the end. With the way the letter was structured, there is a possibility that King addressed their arguments in a chronological order. King easily refuted this point with an appeal to emotion, showing the appaling image of the Birmingham police force.

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Saying that he is not presenting this advice as a parent but a friend allows his son to open up a little to it since he will not immediately rebuke the advice from a friend like that of a parent’s making him listen to the advice given. “your own reason, young as it is, must tell you, that I can have no interest but yours in my advice”(Chesterfield) Chesterfield states, in an

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One strategy that is obvious to the reader throughout the letter is pathos, what is a father and son relationship without pathos. Lord Chesterfield in his letter says, “I only mean to advise you as a friend.” This is a definite

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lord chesterfield uses many rhetorical devices in the letter to his son written in the eighteenth-century. for instance, the authors use of strong diction when he writes, "... ascribed to the moroseness, the imperiousness, or the garrulity of old age." to be able to convince his young son to take his advice. Chesterfield writes, "I do not mean to dictate as a parent, I only mean to advise you as a friend". in doing this, Lord chesterfield persuades his son to take his advice into consideration, instead of ignoring it like most kids do when they are told to do something by thier parents.

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Lord Chesterfield's Letter Analysis Lord Chesterfield in his letter to his son uses a variety of rhetorical devices such as repetition, similes, logos, pathos, and ethos to explain his feelings. Chesterfield in his letter gives a series of examples by which we, as the reader can understand his strong values. The description of the rhetorical devices gives us a better understanding of what Lord Chesterfield is trying to convey. Lord Chesterfield uses a variety of strategies such as repetition and similies. He keep on writing “I”.

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