Post #1 - Rhetorical Analysis - 3/4
Bryan Stevenson, the author of the New York Times bestselling book Just Mercy, was a lawyer before he was a writer. His professionalism and loyalty to the facts come out very clearly in his writing. In the pages I have read so far, Stevenson appeals to logos (logic and proof) the most. For covering a topic that is so personally connected to him, he definitely limits the amount he appeals towards pathos (emotion). This straight-to-the-point style of writing he uses makes his book extremely effective. While I will be covering the argument of his book in more depth during a later post, I feel that is far more than fair to say that even in his introduction to the book he successfully shows us the readers that there is something very wrong with the justice system and that for black Americans, these flaws in the system are that much more catastrophic.
When I say Stevenson sticks to the facts, I mean it. While his views on racial injustice and the American justice system are very clear, he keeps much of his emotion out of his writing and shows the readers exactly what evidence his views are based on. In his introduction to the book he writes, “The prison population has increased from 300,000 people in the early 1970s to 2.3 million people today. There are nearly six million people on probation or on parole. One in every fifteen people born in the United States in 2001 is expected to go to jail or prison; one in every three black male babies born in this century is expected to be incarcerated.”(pg 15) His wording and blunt portrayal of fact make his writing highly effective. In the quote above, he shows us the readers exactly what is happening with all the frills cut out forcing us to face reality.
When I say Stevenson sticks to the facts, I mean it. While his views on racial injustice and the American justice system are very clear, he keeps much of his emotion out of his writing and shows the readers exactly what evidence his views are based on. In his introduction to the book he writes, “The prison population has increased from 300,000 people in the early 1970s to 2.3 million people today. There are nearly six million people on probation or on parole. One in every fifteen people born in the United States in 2001 is expected to go to jail or prison; one in every three black male babies born in this century is expected to be incarcerated.”(pg 15) His wording and blunt portrayal of fact make his writing highly effective. In the quote above, he shows us the readers exactly what is happening with all the frills cut out forcing us to face reality.
Chart showing incarceration rates between racial groups (Wagner)
As far as the physical layout of the book goes, it is very straightforward and easy to read. Starting from chapter 1, the story goes in chronological order. Each chapter so far covers the events of two to three years of the story. In three chapters Stevenson has managed to cover nearly a decade of his endeavors without making it seems forced or rushed. In my opinion, this has made the book much easier to read and also understand. It keeps you engaged without leaving out too much information.
The style and rhetorical position that Bryan Stevenson chooses to use in his book Just Mercy allow him to effectively portray his argument to his readers. By getting straight to the point and moving through the story timeline quickly, he captures your attention and forces you to understand the problems with the United States’ justice system.
Work Cited:
Stevenson, Bryan. Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption. 2019 ed., New York, Spiegel & Grau, 2019.
Wagner, Peter. "Incarceration is not an equal opportunity punishment." Prison Policy Initiative, 28 Aug. 2012,
www.prisonpolicy.org/articles/notequal.html. Accessed 4 Mar. 2021.
I really like your Ethos/Logos/Pathos based analysis, it helps the reader to better understand Stevenson's argument. It is definitely powerful and effective to have a book on such an emotionally charged subject be written in such a factual way. This allows readers to come to their own conclusions based on the facts presented to them. I like how you also incorporated some excerpts from the book to summarize your readings so far.
ReplyDeleteBrendan, why do you think Stevenson feels the need to start with more of a logical appeal, as opposed to an emotional one? Your discussion of the style is good overall, though you could use a few more specific examples in some places.
ReplyDeleteI think the reason he started it off with the mostly logical appeal was to ensure that more people would continue reading the book and not put it down right away. If he were to have started out with strong emotion, it is very likely that someone who did not feel the same way would just stop reading it before the story even started.
DeleteJust like Sara, I really enjoyed your rhetorical triangle based analysis of Stevenson's writing style. Clearly his fact over emotion style worked as you included here with your use of the graph. Do you think however that his style glazes over some important nuances of the topic, one could say over simplifying it? I am excited to read your future blogs as you get deeper into the book.
ReplyDeleteDear Brendan,
ReplyDeleteI appreciated how you explained that even though Stevenson writes about emotional cases, he ultimately sticks to the facts in all of his cases. That makes me trust his perspective. The chart you posted about the US incarceration rates by race and ethnicity is very concerning. Those are also clear facts. I also like how you mention that Stevenson’s style of writing is straightforward and easy to read. It helps encourage the reader to dive in.
Thank you!
-Sincerely, Kate