Rhetorical Analysis: The Solution to World Poverty (Essay Sample)

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Rhetorical Analysis
The Solution to World Poverty is written by Peter Singer. Singer is an Australian philosopher and has practiced lecturing at Princeton University. Most of his works fall under the category of applied ethics and focuses on issues to do with society from a preference utilitarian and secular perspective. As an author, he educates his readers on issues that can help make the society a better place to live in. regarding world poverty, he addresses the American people and identifies issues that they should have taken to help end this menace, but due to various reasons, this has not been the case. Singer focuses on the amount of income that people generate and how they spend it (Singer para: 3). In particular, he identifies that majority spend their income on luxury. After fulfilling the basic needs, most people do not think of saving or sharing, rather, what comes to their mind is how they can go out and have fun to the fullest. The immediate audience is the American people. However, the message goes far beyond to other rich nations and individuals. The solutions to the problems currently facing the world lies with the people themselves. The only thing that is needed is people be mindful of others and be determined to solve the problems.
In addressing the Americans, Singer applies three persuasive techniques. These are the pathos, logos and ethos. In Ethos, Singer presents himself as an Authoritative and powerful leader (Singer para: 6). His ability to identify the problem associated with poverty makes him a qualified authority. In the article, he identifies himself as a utilitarian philosopher. This goes head to prove that he has self belief. Self belief is an important character in any leader and for the success of an individual. The moral appeal to all the able persons to help end world poverty adds to his ethos. Many people have identified problems, yet they keep them to themselves rather than seeking solutions even by appealing to the general public. His writing skills are very good as they enabled him to describe in details what he sees and feels. His use of analogies helps in creating a mind picture. For example, the analogy where a man sacrifices a child only to save his car shows how people have their priorities reversed. This makes him a qualified author.
Singer makes references to some hypothetical dilemmas where children suffer yet they cannot be blamed for the plight facing them. It is very emotional to think of a person who meets a child whose appearance tells that he is hungry. The child could even be suffering from malnutrition, yet instead of showing concern, an individual chooses to look and walk away leaving then child helpless. This is a case in point where singer makes use of pathos. It gets very emotional when he refers to people who have to sell their body organs so as to live (Singer para: 7). This sends a message to the rich and averaged people to do something and help those who cannot even place food on their table. If a person can sell his or her organ so as to place a plate of food on the table, then it is shameful for all those who change cars every now and then and to those who purchase new TV screens to even place them in their bathrooms. Some people are so much into having fun that they are willing to sell their kids for adoption so that they can get money to buy a new TV (Singer para: 9). Pathos comes into the limelight via his appeals to people to change their behaviors on spending. After having the basic needs, some of the left resources should find their way to the less fortunate.
In addressing the people, Singer applies logic so as to make a lasting image to their minds and also to trigger a reaction to his remarks. He offers some unconventional thoughts on the common obligations that Americans ought to take towards reducing world poverty. The logos in his work come in his conclusion that the wealthy people should give what they hold as excess to the poor (Singer para: 4). This would help end world poverty. To make this a reality, he suggests that people should spend on their necessity first then the rest be put in a kitty to help end poverty. However, those who struggle to make their end meets should continue to put extra effort and not to be dependent on charity. Here, Singer emerges to be mindful of how the society operates. It is common that the rich continue to grow richer while those languishing in poverty move from just poverty to abject poverty. It makes sense to contribute the little that one has so as to save the world. Many children especially in the developing world die of hunger while this can be reversed if only people decide to be mindful of others.
In a bid to make his point clear, he uses different descriptive styles. He makes use of visual representation throughout the article. This is seen in the way he describes the restaurants and the beach hotels. He gives the description step by step making the reader to vis...