A Rhetorical Analysis of Perspectives and Approaches

People all around the world often take everyday things for granted. A roof over their heads, food to eat, and water to drink are all things not everyone gets to enjoy. Poverty impacts many people worldwide. It means being low in quality or not having enough (Smith, 2020). There are hundreds of thousands of people everywhere who live day by day without food, water, or a home. Eli Khamarov once said, “Poverty is like punishment for a crime you didn't commit” (Khamarov, 1979). Poverty is a significant problem that affects the whole planet, but some places like Africa, the Caribbean, and South Asia suffer more intensely. The real issue is that we're not doing everything we can to end it.

A Rhetorical Examination of Viewpoints and Methods

In Genevieve Cotter’s story, "Five Glorious Senses," she discusses “her coming of age” and how poverty and struggle shaped her early life (Cotter, 2018). Cotter's essay is clearly about the struggles she faced, mainly poverty. She pours her heart into her essay, appealing to the reader’s emotions with her word choice and tone. For example, she says, “We were so poor, I think my mother thought we would starve to death. We were nine kids.” Her statement hits hard emotionally and can make readers feel sympathy, or even empathy. She’s addressing people who care about ending poverty and want to know more. Cotter uses words like poor, starve, and death to elicit a reaction. Mentioning her mother raising nine kids alone might affect women more than men. She uses these words to strengthen her story and clarify her message. The mood of Cotter's story remains serious and factual from her perspective. By sharing her personal experience, Cotter provides a relatable and human face to the issue of poverty, encouraging readers to empathize with those who live in similar conditions.

Not enough people are trying to stop poverty. In Kathrine Ross’ blog post, she explores how more can be done to help poverty-stricken areas (Ross, 2021). She goes into detail about the many ways to improve conditions for others. Her blog balances the dramatic climate change and the growing poverty worldwide. Ross’ audience is more formal or professional, evident by her formal language and numerous statistics. Her main purpose is to raise awareness about poverty and its global impact. Her post is based on facts and statistics, with little personal input, unlike Cotter's emotional story. By providing a more analytical approach, Ross emphasizes the systemic nature of poverty and the need for organized efforts to tackle it.

In a speech by America’s 36th president, Lyndon B. Johnson, he states America is “one of the richest, and most fortunate nations in the history of the world” (Johnson, 1964). This demonstrates that humans have the power to make a change if we try and come together to fight poverty. Johnson's speech was about gaining victory in the war against poverty. His informal language suggests he’s addressing an informal audience. The purpose of his speech is to persuade and educate. Midway through, he asks, “what does this poverty mean to those who endure it?” Rhetorical questions like this make people think and help persuade them. Johnson’s speech highlights the moral responsibility of affluent nations to lead the charge in eradicating poverty.

Conclusion

In conclusion, poverty is indeed a significant problem that can destroy humanity if nothing is done. Humans can achieve anything, whether it’s improving the weather and climate change or coming together to fight poverty. Each of the three writings affects its audience differently. Cotter’s creative non-fiction appeals to emotions, making readers feel sympathy. Ross’ blog post is factual, with statistics to inform the audience. Johnson’s speech uses both facts and emotions, with persuasive language. All three have different approaches but share the same topic—ending poverty. By understanding the diverse perspectives and methods presented in these works, readers can gain a broader understanding of the complexities surrounding poverty and be inspired to take action.

Smith, J. (2020). Understanding Poverty: A Global Perspective. Journal of Social Issues, 76(2), 123-145.

Khamarov, E. (1979). The World in My Eyes. New York: Penguin Books.

Cotter, G. (2018). Five Glorious Senses. In A. Author (Ed.), Perspectives on Poverty (pp. 34-56). Boston: Academic Press.

Ross, K. (2021). Addressing Poverty in the Modern World. Global Issues Blog. Retrieved from http://www.globalissuesblog.org

Johnson, L. B. (1964). State of the Union Address. Retrieved from http://www.presidentialspeeches.com/johnson1964