Rachel Carson Silent Spring Rhetorical Devices

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In 1962, Rachel Carson, author of the book, “Silent Spring” paints the image of a disgusting world filled with contamination that is not too far away for the citizens of America in 1962. A world filled with waste and chemicals due to the lack of knowledge that humankind has about the environment would hurt the air, Earth, rivers, and seas, causing both the environment and the human race to be in danger. Carson idealizes change in the environment through use of an abundance of rhetorical devices. Carson utilizes devices such as, imagery, logos, pathos through childhood, compare contrast organization, and shifts in persona. By using rhetorical devices, Carson reveals the truth about the contamination and waste in the environment. In addition …show more content…

In the first chapter, “A Fable for Tomorrow” Rachel Carson tells a short story about a beautiful town in America. “There was once a town in the heart of America where all life seemed to live in harmony with its surroundings...” (Rachel Carson, Silent Spring, 798.) Carson goes on to talk about the beauty that was in America when the settlers first built their homes and families. From the numerous birds to the crystal rivers filled with fish, the beautiful scene aids the audience to visualize what America looked like before contamination. Carson then goes on to paint a picture of a disease that captured the lives of plant and animal life. Causing illness and death to families. Going from one extreme to another allows Cason’s audience to picture what kind of healthy, beautiful environment America once had, but lost. Now having an environment that is plagued with a plant disease named blight, animals and plants grow ill and die making life for Americans scarce. By using imagery, Carson persuades her audience to long for a new America, where waste is not an issue and disease caused by plants no longer

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