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Why We Care About Whales Rhetorical Analysis

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Analysis of Rhetorical Devices from Marina Keegan
Through emotional diction and anecdotes in the text “Why We Care about Whales”, Marina Keegan draws on the reader’s empathy as she shifts from the whales to herself and finally to needy people to condemn human inaction towards humanity. First, Keegan recounts an anecdote by sharing how she “weaved between carcasses, kneeling beside an old whale that was breathing deeply and far too rapidly for a healthy pilot”. With this poignant anecdote, the author attempts to evoke an emotional response by illustrating the brutal reality of the whales’ death and the horrific scene at that moment. Not only did she see those dying whales, but she “weaved between carcasses” meaning that she had to avoid a multitude …show more content…

In this anecdote, she uses words such as “old whale”, “breathing deeply” and “too rapidly” which together illustrate the helplessness of those dying animals. With those evocative words, Keegan portrays the weakness of the whales and the inevitability of their death. This vivid diction of suffering allows Keegan to direct the reader’s empathy towards the whales. Subsequently, Keegan deepens the horror of this death and focuses more on herself when she mentions how “[she] imagined dying slowly next to [her] mother or a lover, helplessly unable to relay [her] parting message”. Here, the author shares her deep thoughts about her feelings, creating an emotional connection with the reader. Keegan expects the reader to feel empathy for her, and for them to imagine themselves as human beings dying in such a way. Keegan shifts from the whales to herself to prove how humans would be just as miserable and helpless as those whales, which sets the tone for her final shift to humans later in the text, to denounce the neglect of human suffering. Moreover, within this anecdote, Keegan does not simply share how terrible it would be to die. Instead, she adds “dying slowly” and feeling “help[less]”. This shows how Keegan highlights the suffering and agony of this

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