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Rhetorical questions are a feature of style extensively used in literature to capture the readers feelings in any article. It involves asking questions in the course of narration or describing scenarios that raise such questions within the readers mind. More complex rhetorical questions are built using other stylistic features. Rhetorical questions may drive the reader to think hard or create thematic dilemma thus an urge to read more is created.
Michael Pollan has elaborately employed the use of such questions in an attempt to win the readers appreciation of the subject matter of the book; eating habits. He has effectively used pathos to appeal to the emotions of the reader as well as logos to bring the reader to understand the real issue of contention in the book.
The author has also used ethos a rhetoric feature to criticize the stereotypic believes and eating ideologies exhibited by Americans. The book has been designed in such a way that it gives room for the reader to develop rhetorical questions, point out criticism as well as figure out solutions to the concerns raised by the author.
The author uses pathos to describe his passion and concern for the adopted deer. Michael Pollan had adopted a deer that was sent to the feedlots and grew so fond of the animal. At one instance, he imagines the butcher dissecting the deer and subsequently dividing its carcass into portions for sale. He is emotionally attached to the animal that he cannot imagine the same animal dead. He uses the experience with deer to emphasize that cattle are subjected to cruelty under industrial life.
In an attempt to vividly describe his first hunting experience, the author widely employs the use of pathos. He describes how it felt like to hunt for ones own wild meat.
He also elaborately recalls sporting his first hunt and how adrenaline levels built up in his body. This draws and carries the readers emotions along with the author as he continues with his argument in the book. Any person reading the book and had never tried hunting will definitely develop interest and anxiety to try it out. He can try and create a virtual mental imagination of how the activity feels like.
On the other hand, readers who had tried hunting can easily relate the emotions to the activity thus building a real mental picture of the scenario. The rhetorical question in the hunting experience and the adopted deer thus remains how Americans came to embrace industrial meat? And what to do now that the author has eventually revealed scaring facts about the same.
There are instances of logos in the first part of the book. The author tries to affirm the authenticity of his opinion. He suggests that whoever doubts the facts as presented by him, should go ahead and look at the sources of his arguments in the reference section of the book.
For instance, he uses an example illustrated in the food chain intending that the reader will see the real sense behind his facts. He argues that almost in every three American children, one eats fast foods every single day. This is meant to frighten the reader and possibly make the reader agree with the authors opinion.
He develops the assertion that Americans should change and eat less processed food. The rhetoric here amongst readers remains, where should one acquire such foods? Critics find Michael Pollans argument as rhetorical too. While he advocates for people to shun organic foods and turn to local foods, he is quick to surpass the imminent environmental effects. He is also against people turning into vegetarians as he labels it unethical, especially among the middle class in society.
What should people eat then? Through his explanations, he continuously champions for animal rights and reprimands industrial treatment of animals. However, he does not end up giving a solution to the raised and developed problem. He is on the forefront of eating pork when he cannot withstand his adopted deer being slaughtered for meat. The reader then is left to ask if the animal concern should be partially applied or covers across the whole animal fraternity.
Ethos has not been left out in the book. In fact, through the use of ethos, the author elicits more rhetorical questions. The author begins by introducing the eating habits of American and manages to explain the traditional widespread meat eating culture among Americans. Furthermore, the author then goes ahead to introduce the readers to the various sources of the foods. Hence, through critical analysis of the food chains, Pollan attempts to bring out the detrimental dietary effects of various foods.
He goes on to appeal to his readers to make an effort and belong to at least a group of social standing. He asserts that that Omnivory is more sociable at least where vegetarians still represent a relatively tiny minority (Pollan 314). The reader is then left asking, what are omnivores? From the basic definition of omnivores, they are animals which feed on both animals and plants.
Advising people to be pure omnivores and avoid being vegetarians would still mean consuming more meat and fewer plants. This then contradicts Pollans concern for animals. Thus, it can be said that Pollan is attempting to defend and seek justification for his own meat eating habits while neglecting the macro-population eating culture.
Hence, the author uses ethos to criticize the traditional meat-eating culture and the rush for organic foods with less prior knowledge of their origin. The rhetorical question that still remains is that, are the authors facts intended at the whole society or personal defense for an individual habit?
Nevertheless, Michael Pollan has effectively used his knowledge of journalism to expound on his facts against what he terms as detrimental effects of organic food. He also clearly explains the various food chains trying to explain the origin of every single food in the food chain.
He highlights the plight of animals intended for industrial meat which according to him deserve better treatment than what they are currently being treated. Using various examples of animal farms, he compares his personal treatment of animals and industrial exposure (Pollan, 2006).
He finally finishes by stressing on the need to avoid organic foods and check on meat-eating habits. All through his arguments, the author brings forth several rhetorical questions in the readers mind. Although the questions are not directly posed, the author uses the above-analyzed styles of logos, pathos, and ethos to create the rhetoric atmosphere.
In conclusion, it can be summarized that the book to a large extend meets its objectives through the use of rhetoric scenarios. It elicits more critical mind-boggling questions for the reader, and that is the best way to create rhetorical effects.
Works Cited
Pollan, Michael. The Omnivores Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals. London, UK: McGraw Hill. 2006, Print.
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