Rhetorical Analysis: The Great Influenza

John M. Barry addresses his feelings about scientists and their research through the piece from, “The Great Influenza,” an account of the 1918 flu epidemic. He adopts a speculative tone and utilizes rhetorical strategies such as fallacies, metaphors, and word choice to characterize scientists research. Barry describes the positive mind set and the requirements to be a scientists. The requirements of being a scientist would not only be, “intelligence and curiosity,”but to also to be open minded and to have courage. Berry uses an example to support his claim. He speaks about a man named Claude Bernard, a “French physiologist,” as well as inserting a quote,”Science teaches us to doubt.” Putting this quote within the paragraph explains to

The statement is about how scientist have “grunt work” and “tedious work” work, boring and long. The series of rhetorical questions succeeding are purposely directed toward the audience, in order to have something to think on. Barry questions, “ would a pick be best, or would dynamite be better…?” These types of questions are asked upon the audience but is not expected of them to answer. Barry then uses a simile to compare the perfect tool to mice, “the perfect tool will be available...mice can now be ordered.” This implies that, eventually, after plenty of research, scientist will be able to figure out the right tool. In the end of the passage, Barry claims “Not all scientific investigations can deal comfortably with uncertainty…” This then ties back with the beginning of the piece when he states,”Certainty gives strength.” This would be important because it describes how scientist are needed to be open minded and positive. He then utilizes certain word choice such as lack, rarely, and yield, in order to make the audience more interested in Barry's