Stephen Henderson’s main rhetorical strategy is sarcasm. Some may say that sarcasm isn’t so much of a strategy as it is a writing style, however, in this case I believe that Henderson used (juvenile) sarcasm as his argument against the Detroit government.
The first real use of sarcasm in the article was three paragraphs in, after informing the readers of the hideous crime that the residents had committed. “The nerve! It was time for a crackdown.” The use of this sarcasm shows the foolishness of the city for fining the residents for their trashcan crime rather than dealing with real disgusting issues like burned down houses that could be breading bacteria.
“The context of the Quades' trouble seems an indictment of some terribly misplaced priorities, awful service delivery, and rampant dysfunction.” This may not appear to be sarcastic off the bat, however when the extensive vocabulary that the author suddenly uses is analyzed, the line can be seen in a sarcastic light. The author speaks in relatively simple terms throughout the entire article. The sudden change of vocabulary comes off as an offense to the city of Detroit who makes light of actual crimes and then destroys a senior citizen’s good name because of trashcan confusion.
“Let's start with the fact that their house and block are an oasis in an area that is just a disaster.” This sarcastic line is something that any onlookers in Detroit can sympathize with. There are so few decent places in Detroit to live, and because of that the City goes after them?
“So while there's no apparent move afoot to deal with the squatters or the fires or the trash, at least the trees will be nicely pruned.” This final example just goes to show that the city of Detroit simply doesn’t have their priorities straight. Henderson uses sarcasm to make sure that his readers see how ludicrous some of the things they do really are.
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Saturday, April 12, 2008
darnell
Young Darnell sums up everything that I myself have thought of the Mayor over the past few months. Darnell, however, unlike myself, does not just think, What would Sweeny (Todd) Do?, he logically states his opinion through his own personal suffering and the suffering of those around him that has been prolonged due to Kwami's antics.
One of the reoccurring themes and strategies Darnell uses throughout his essay is personification. He takes the city of Detroit and gives it the human quality of death. "I have seen every aspect of Detroit decay,". This sentence applies that previously, that the city was mearly dying. Now it is dead and cold, completely falling apart. Just as it takes a human body time to decompose, it takes a city time as well. Certain parts of a human body decompose faster than others, like the eyes, as certain neighborhoods of Detroit had fallen apart more quickly then others. A human body left unattended will be infested first by harmless fly larva and eggs, then more damaging bugs like maggots take over and eat the flesh until their is nothing left to eat. In the same way, a city may start out with a few drug dealers, which leads to gangs, which leads to the devastating violence that Detroit now faces. Darnell says the city ""crumbles" just as bones left under extreme heat crackle and break into small fragments. Darnell finishes his personification by saying that the mayor has, "Dug the grave" for the broken and decrepit body of the city to lay in, to be forgotten and left to finish it's rotting.
Darnell also uses imagery to convey his message. In one of his opening paragraphs, Darnell claims that his "words are drenched in tears". He admits clearly how upset and disgusted he is with the mayor who took an oath to protect and uphold the reputation city. Darnell warns the mayor in his letter that he isn't just angry but saddened by how far the mayor went with his little scam, and that this letter isn't just a liberals opinion, but that of an actually concerned citizen.
He also uses irony in questioning, "the mayor is clearly a sharp man; can he not see the ramifications of his actions", which is really reminiscent of Kym Worthy, who said that kindergartners know the civil expectations of right and wrong, and they know the consequences. If Kwami can honestly say that it isn't his fault that he had an affair and it cost the city $8 million, then he should go back to kindergarten and try learning the basic, 'you play, you pay' principal.
Darnell has an extensive vocabulary that makes him sound wise beyond his years. His selection of diction throughout the essay was impressive, words such as "dilapidated" show that he is passionate about his topic and well informed of it as well. His choice in "massive mess" makes Kilpatrick look more foolish than he already does and by saying that "he has embarrassed this city long enough," shows he is serious and isn't just complaining about a matter of money, but a matter of respect, honor and ethics.
One of the reoccurring themes and strategies Darnell uses throughout his essay is personification. He takes the city of Detroit and gives it the human quality of death. "I have seen every aspect of Detroit decay,". This sentence applies that previously, that the city was mearly dying. Now it is dead and cold, completely falling apart. Just as it takes a human body time to decompose, it takes a city time as well. Certain parts of a human body decompose faster than others, like the eyes, as certain neighborhoods of Detroit had fallen apart more quickly then others. A human body left unattended will be infested first by harmless fly larva and eggs, then more damaging bugs like maggots take over and eat the flesh until their is nothing left to eat. In the same way, a city may start out with a few drug dealers, which leads to gangs, which leads to the devastating violence that Detroit now faces. Darnell says the city ""crumbles" just as bones left under extreme heat crackle and break into small fragments. Darnell finishes his personification by saying that the mayor has, "Dug the grave" for the broken and decrepit body of the city to lay in, to be forgotten and left to finish it's rotting.
Darnell also uses imagery to convey his message. In one of his opening paragraphs, Darnell claims that his "words are drenched in tears". He admits clearly how upset and disgusted he is with the mayor who took an oath to protect and uphold the reputation city. Darnell warns the mayor in his letter that he isn't just angry but saddened by how far the mayor went with his little scam, and that this letter isn't just a liberals opinion, but that of an actually concerned citizen.
He also uses irony in questioning, "the mayor is clearly a sharp man; can he not see the ramifications of his actions", which is really reminiscent of Kym Worthy, who said that kindergartners know the civil expectations of right and wrong, and they know the consequences. If Kwami can honestly say that it isn't his fault that he had an affair and it cost the city $8 million, then he should go back to kindergarten and try learning the basic, 'you play, you pay' principal.
Darnell has an extensive vocabulary that makes him sound wise beyond his years. His selection of diction throughout the essay was impressive, words such as "dilapidated" show that he is passionate about his topic and well informed of it as well. His choice in "massive mess" makes Kilpatrick look more foolish than he already does and by saying that "he has embarrassed this city long enough," shows he is serious and isn't just complaining about a matter of money, but a matter of respect, honor and ethics.
Monday, April 7, 2008
Kimmy
Unless you've been hiding under a rock for the past three months, just about anyone in the metro-Detroit area believes that Mayor Kwami Kilpatrick is a criminal, even if he himself wouldn't agree.
Kym L. Worthy also seems to believe that the Mayor is a criminal. She uses extensive legal jargon that comes across as logos, mixed with pathos that the citizens of Detroit are feeling themselves.
The first example of pathos, and perhaps even a bit of ethos, as if pries on the lack of integrity that the Mayor holds. Kym states that, "The public trust was violated." This is an example of pathos because the public are the ones that the mayor is supposed to represent. They voted him into office expecting him to uphold the law and represent the people. Sure, having an affair could represent some people of the city, however, the Mayor should be an example of how to live an acceptable life.
Kym also makes a logos allusion to the fact that this is a hard case because people expect the legal process to happen so quickly because of television programs like Law and Order, where the crime and punishment are taken care of in forty-four minutes. She clearly states that this is not the case and it will take time, months, a year even for all the evidence to be reviewed, that this is real life, not tv.
"The city, through it's lawyers, would continue to try to drag their feet and drag our investigation out forever," Using a metaphor, Kym states that the city is going to hold back the investigation because of their personal bias and obligation to the scandalous mayor.
"Honesty and integrity in the justice system is everything." This is obviously an example of ethos, as she states that there would be no such thing as just justice if people were lying on the stand, just as Kwami did. This perceives the public to ask the question, if the Mayor is a part of the justice system and not honest, then isn't he a hypocrite?
Kym also uses the "everything I need to know, I learned in kindergarten" strategy of logos. She claims that the legal process is based on basic principals that even a child could understand, to tell the truth, take responsibility of your actions and admit when your wrong, etc. This is logos because, obviously, when you are told to "tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth," you don't do this by lying on the stand as a mayor, above all. This not only makes the mayor out to be a liar, but look stupid as well. Apparently he didn't pass kindergarten.
Using pathos, she quotes president Roosevelt saying that no man is above the law. This is especially true for Kwami. Just because he gets to make laws, doesn't mean he can not uphold them or choose when they apply and not. He is supposed to be an example, leading Detroit out of the slums, changing it for the better, so that his children can live in a safe place. However, he put himself outside of the law, and Kym won't stand for this. She knows she can charge him with Perjury, which she makes clear, that she isn't going to sit down and let this injustice go, she won't look the other way.
Kym L. Worthy also seems to believe that the Mayor is a criminal. She uses extensive legal jargon that comes across as logos, mixed with pathos that the citizens of Detroit are feeling themselves.
The first example of pathos, and perhaps even a bit of ethos, as if pries on the lack of integrity that the Mayor holds. Kym states that, "The public trust was violated." This is an example of pathos because the public are the ones that the mayor is supposed to represent. They voted him into office expecting him to uphold the law and represent the people. Sure, having an affair could represent some people of the city, however, the Mayor should be an example of how to live an acceptable life.
Kym also makes a logos allusion to the fact that this is a hard case because people expect the legal process to happen so quickly because of television programs like Law and Order, where the crime and punishment are taken care of in forty-four minutes. She clearly states that this is not the case and it will take time, months, a year even for all the evidence to be reviewed, that this is real life, not tv.
"The city, through it's lawyers, would continue to try to drag their feet and drag our investigation out forever," Using a metaphor, Kym states that the city is going to hold back the investigation because of their personal bias and obligation to the scandalous mayor.
"Honesty and integrity in the justice system is everything." This is obviously an example of ethos, as she states that there would be no such thing as just justice if people were lying on the stand, just as Kwami did. This perceives the public to ask the question, if the Mayor is a part of the justice system and not honest, then isn't he a hypocrite?
Kym also uses the "everything I need to know, I learned in kindergarten" strategy of logos. She claims that the legal process is based on basic principals that even a child could understand, to tell the truth, take responsibility of your actions and admit when your wrong, etc. This is logos because, obviously, when you are told to "tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth," you don't do this by lying on the stand as a mayor, above all. This not only makes the mayor out to be a liar, but look stupid as well. Apparently he didn't pass kindergarten.
Using pathos, she quotes president Roosevelt saying that no man is above the law. This is especially true for Kwami. Just because he gets to make laws, doesn't mean he can not uphold them or choose when they apply and not. He is supposed to be an example, leading Detroit out of the slums, changing it for the better, so that his children can live in a safe place. However, he put himself outside of the law, and Kym won't stand for this. She knows she can charge him with Perjury, which she makes clear, that she isn't going to sit down and let this injustice go, she won't look the other way.
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