Francine Furphy
Mrs. Hutchins
8 August, 2013
Rhetoric Analysis Frank McCourt uses of Rhetoric
Since I have been taking A.P English for two years I am skilled in analyzing authors for rhetoric devices used to enhance their writing. After reading E.B White’s, and Frank McCourt’s works I judged them on their strength of rhetoric. By being able to relate to Frank for the desire for knowledge and love and routing for him as an underdog made it easy to understand his memoir. Compared to E.B Whites Once More to the Lake being more symbolic of death and him reflecting, I felt no connection to his work. Not being able to connect with E.B. White caused his audience to be distanced leading for a weaker effect on our emotions. The best way to get the audience emotionally evolved is by having similar aspects in you audiences life. By having a father that was idolized and hated at the same time, and having several siblings I was easily related to Angela’s Ashes rather than Once more to the Lake. E.B. White had written about a father and son that was were more on the wealth side of life. Not really going through hardships besides the loss of elderly family members not much them affects them. Being only a mini story of a camping trip and not being able to see how my own life is ending like the father does. Both authors do use rhetoric devise only Frank McCourt uses it better with pathos, logos, and realism while E.B. White uses nostalgia mostly. Frank McCourt mastered pathos when he wrote about his family and own feeling. Everyone can connect to the desire for a fathers love and the desire for knowledge. While hospitalized with typhoid Frank experiences his father show the only true love when he ” steps away, stops, come back, kisses my forehead for the first time in my life and I’m so happy”(193, Frank). Malachy never showed affection by kissing foreheads but by sharing his black tea, and telling stories yet Frank has all way longed for the clearest physical expression of love from his father compared to how we have experienced it. At church the children are taught about their religion and saints in a board over view, but not until uncle Pa Keating has him bring him books from the library does Frank truly understand his religion.” The saints in these books are different. There are stories about virgins, martyrs, virgin martyrs and they are worse than a horror film at the lyric.”(664, Frank) Frank is so interested in these stories that he visualizes them. Most people once they truly enjoy a book are picturing it happen before their eye even his friends don’t read to understand things they just except it. Being able to be captivated by virgins and martyrs is compared to being equally entertaining to the movies. Have read hundreds of books it is natural to see a film running about the book I am reading. Since the library doesn’t allow children in none of them know word meanings, popular works, or religious works go untouched by the youth.
Logos is a present in several of Frank’s actions when he destroys Mrs. Finucane book of clients and their debts, and proving for his family. While writing the threating letters and after returning from air-ins Frank finds Mrs. Finucane dead. He is shocked but then takes logical action by taking “seventeen pounds… I take forty… and the ledger…..her ledger is well on its way down the Shannon ”(831, Frank) by taking these items he is logically thinking of how he will be able to pay for his way to America, and get rid of the debts of Limerick. Destroying the book of debts symbolizes all of Limerick being freed from Mrs. Finucane. While helping Bridey with is coal mining job Frank is wanting to provide for his family un like his father. But the coal dust damages his eyes to the point where his mother won’t allow him to work. While speaking with Mrs. Hannon about not working” I won’t have a job any more, Mrs. Hannon. You have a job, Frank ,School. That’s your job. That’s not a job, Mrs. Hannon.