Rhetorical analysis

Poverty has been an issue that has affected the nation for many years. Matthew O’Brien writes an article about poverty making people genuinely sick that appeals to ethos, logos, and pathos.  O’Brian brings many statistics and examples from studies to articles, adding quotes throughout.  He is very logical as well, explaining how he would fix the problem and explaining how human death appeals to pathos. 

            The authors used studies from how many people entered the hospital at the end of the month after their checks or welfare had been used up they no longer can afford food.  People living in poverty are, “27 percent more likely to be hospitalized for hypoglycemia at the end of the month.”  By citing sources like this, O’Brien brings gets the attention of professionals like doctors, nurses, etc.  Instead of trying to sway readers with a sob story about poverty, O’Brian shoots hard facts and proves his thesis that economic inequality is a serious issue negatively impacting society.

            As well as using quotes and results from studies, O’Brien brings his political background into the article.  He uses reasoning based on the political climate between democrats and republicans. Democrats are in favor of raising the minimum wage despite opposing arguments from republicans.  Stating facts from the political standpoints on the issue, the author adds logical reasoning to his argument, showing that strong political figures feel the same towards the subject as he does causes a reader to increasingly believe in what he believes. 

            The statistics about how many people are admitted to the hospital at the end of each month are heartbreaking for readers to see.  It makes the public realize that the government does not do enough for citizens who are struggling financially.  People from the public who read this article will fair more towards how O’Brien plays on the pathos aspect.  The public will understand the general topics from the statistics. Numbers, cold hard facts, are easy to understand. However, explaining that people who cannot afford the right food, or any food for that matter, at the end of the month end up in the hospital for low blood sugar is just as powerful.  Citizens who read this could have family in the same position and understand what the author is trying to say. 

            Regardless of who ever reads the article, Matthew O’Brien appealed to every person

whether they respond better to logical explanations, statistics, or personal stories.