Writing an Argumentative Paper: Bambara’s “The Lesson”

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Table of Contents

Situation Analysis
Summary of the Story
Introduction
Rhetorical Analysis
References

Situation Analysis

This paper’s audience is my instructor and classmates. They are the ones to read this work before any other person does. My instructor expects an essay that analyses the main rhetorical devices in the article. He also expects it to convince my classmates about the effectiveness of rhetorical devices.

This topic is very relevant to the situation in our campus because many students cannot persuade their colleagues and instructors both in verbal and non-verbal arguments. Such students will greatly benefit from this work, especially when writing argumentative papers in our assignments.

Summary of the Story

This story discusses the division of society based on social classes. Sylvia and Sugar do not like Miss Moore because she is the richest in their block. However, Miss Moore loves children and treats them well. Their parents also hate her. Bambara tells the story from Sylvia’s point of view, and it is clear that she hates everything about Miss Moore. She says, “And she was always planning these boring-ass things for us to do” (Bambara, n.d).

One day, Mrs Moore visits the neighbouring town with the children. Most of the things the children see in town are very expensive. However, some of the children consider them ordinary things. For example, Mercedes has a godmother who buys her anything she wants. Her friends criticise everything she says. In one of the discussions, she says, “I have a box of stationery on my desk and a picture of my cat” (Bambara, n.d.).

Introduction

Rhetorical devices are very critical in the process of writing stories. They have an aesthetic value in every story. Bambara is fully aware of this fact, and applies them in her story, The Lesson (Yagelski, 2014). This paper discusses the application of these artistic proofs in The Lesson. She entertains readers and makes them believe the events in the story. She manages to enliven her story with appropriate rhetorical proofs.

Rhetorical Analysis

The first rhetorical device present in the story is ethos. Readers are likely to trust Bambara because she was a scholar in matters of discrimination (Yagelski, 2014). She took a master’s degree in American Studies. Therefore, she was in a good position to talk about discrimination. Her experiences enhanced her credibility. She grew up in the early 20^th century, when black Americans experienced extensive discrimination. The use of Ethos is also evident in the narrative style she uses.

She tells the story from an African-American girl’s vantage point. Her tone is full of disillusionment. She and her friends pronounce words with an African-American accent. Therefore, readers are more likely to believe what she says more than what a white American says about black Americans. Therefore, Bambara’s education, childhood experiences and the characters she uses in the story exhibit her ethos.

The use of pathos is evident in her words. The words appeal to the feelings of black Americans (Yagelski, 2014). The children are very bitter about their plight. For example, Sugar says, “Imagine for a minute what kind of society it is in which some people can spend on a toy what it would cost to feed a family of six or seven. What do you think?” (Bambara, n.d.). Many African-Americans are likely to feel bad about their ancestors’ experiences when they read such statements (McGuigan, Moliken & Grudzina, 2011).

The story displays logos in the form of the evidence Bambara provides for her main theme. Her story describes the state of African-Americans before 1960. She illustrates poverty among African-Americans by using poor black children. They lack many things that their white friends possess. Sylvia and her friends do not have toys yet their white friends have expensive ones.

The children’s accents are also different. Sugar and Sylvia have an African-American accent while Mercedes has a Native American accent. This difference originates from their backgrounds. Therefore, Bambara supports the theme of discrimination using poor and rich African-Americans. The rich ones acquire their wealth from the white Americans.

References

Bambara, T. (n.d). The lesson. Web.

McGuigan, B., Moliken, P., & Grudzina, B. (2011). Rhetorical devices (1st ed.). Clayton, DE: Prestwick House.

Yagelski, R. (2014). Essentials of writing: ten core concepts (1st ed.). Stamford: Cengage Learning.

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Writing an Argumentative Paper: Bambara’s “The Lesson”

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