Split At The Root Analysis

Split at the Root Analysis
Title: “Split at the Root”
Author: Adrienne Rich
Background information: Adrienne Rich was born in Baltimore, Maryland in 1929. Her father was a doctor, and her mother a gentile concert pianist. She married Alfred Conrad, had three kids, and wrote about the struggles of trying to live up to the traditional roles of mother and housewife. After their divorce some years later, her husband committed suicide. Rich later came out as a lesbian, and fell in love with Michelle Cliff, with whom she stayed for the rest of her life. She played an important role in movements during her time, as a strong feminist and a lesbian.
Summary: Rich describes her internal conflict of identity by telling her story and attempting to sort

This is seen in statements such as “And I, who believed my life was intended to be so interested and meaningful, was connected to those dead by something--not just mortality but a taboo name, a hated identity” (page 644) and “My ignorance can be dangerous to me, and to others” (page 655). Ethos, Pathos, Logos:
Ethos: Author establishes credibility through honesty and use of traditional Jewish words that represent her culture.
“...I believe they intersect in the world beyond my life. But I’m not able to do this yet” (page 655). Through a blunt and reflective tone, the reader is inclined to find the author credible.
The author uses words like “kashruth” (page 650) and “shtetl” (page 647) in the correct context and shows the reader that the author understands the subject about which she is speaking.
Pathos: Author creates an emotional response in readers through stories of her childhood experiences, which helps the reader understand what oppression feels like and puts them in her