Rhetoric of Gambling. Pathos, ethos, and logos in the gamblers poem (Research Paper Sample)

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THE RHETORIC OF GAMBLING
Introduction.
Gambling is a risky undertaking. It is a game of chance, which is played in the name of captivating money and material thing (Corney and Davis). For many people, gambling is a form of entertainment. However, as the saying goes, ‘not all that glitters is gold’. Betting subjects vulnerable community members at a risk. However, there is no prohibition for gambling, although, different people offer a stern warning especially, in issues concerning common motivations for gambling (McComb and Sabiston). There are different types of gambling including electronic, casino and table. Despite its global acceptance, gambling leads to family break up, increase in crime and many other vices. Consequently, various researches have addressed these phenomena. While articles, of Female frequent Internet gamblers: a qualitative study investigating the role of family, social situation and work, Family Influences on Adolescent Gambling Behavior and Self-perception of Gambling Problems among Adolescents Identified as At-risk or Problem Gamblers provides detailed synopsis as well as rhetorical analysis, the gambler poem uses pathos, ethos and logos to convey message of negative impact of gambling on marriage institution.
Rhetorical analysis
Synopsis of the articles
Corney and Davis, the authors of Female frequent Internet gamblers: a qualitative study investigating the role of family, social situation and work, both from the department of Department of Psychology and Counseling, School of Health and Social Care, University of Greenwich analyses the impact of gambling on social situation and work. Their analysis addresses key issue regarding to women, gambling, Internet, family, help seeking and depression under the theme of idleness. The article provides simplified synopsis which appeals to readers. Their statistic reveals that women largely engage in internet gambling that lead to family disconnection. This is a result of financial crisis. Most gamblers are driven by the urge to winning. Thus, majority of them keeps on ‘chasing the looses’ (Corney and Davis 297). This metaphor implies that gambling is drain game, which is addictive. Nevertheless, the author discourages gambling based on financial crisis. Further, Jennifer and Catherine summarizes on behavioral impacts on adolescence gambling. Nevertheless, adolescent problem is conjoined with individual, social, and family matters. At adolescence stage, teenage stands high chances of influence. Thus, some family practice contributes heavily to bad behaviors in adolescent such as substance use on adolescence. Consequently, under substance influence (such as hard drug), they join gambling. Thus, family relationship and support contributes to gambling among adolescents. The author uses amplification to create emphasis on family, ‘factors such as family support, family cohesion, and family functioning’ (McComb and Sabiston 209). This implies the need for amicable family ties. Similarly, Jessica et.al, article is grounded on the theme of self-deception. Despite the addictive nature of gambling, most victims fail to acknowledge the problem. This results to the idea of self-deception. Surprisingly, the problem hinders treatment of gambling addiction. To create emphasis in this the author uses alteration, for instance, ‘gambling, and wagering, winning’ (McComb and Sabiston 364). This depicts the rising in self-deception, under influence of alcohols and depression. Additional, enumeratio such as ‘have included Non-biological parents, siblings, or extended relatives’, claims that self deception is a huge problem affecting people leaving with gamblers (McComb and Sabiston 372).
Marriage institution is vehemently victimized by gambling. Consequently, Corney and Davis article targets married women engaged in gambling. Their survey reveals that most married women are homemaker, thus they spend most of their time indoors. This subjects them to internet gambling as a way of killing boredom (Corney and Davis 292). Similarly, McComb and Sabiston article focus on how family behavior affects adolescence gambling. They primarily targets family institution more so, parents and adolescence. However, poor parenting style and practices leads to adolescence gambling (McComb and Sabiston 504). Further, Cronce et.al, targeting adolescence, claims that self-perception contributes to gambling. However, male adults are the largely affected group (Cronce et.al. 263).
Pathos, ethos, and logos of the articles
‘Self-perception of Gambling Problems among Adolescents’ article appeals to ethos. The listed author’s academic credentials are persuasive to targeted reader. Both Croce and Potenza are from Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Yale University, and Steinberg works with Connecticut Council on Problem Gambling (Cornce et.al. 363). Similarly, ‘Negative consequences experienced as a result of gambling behaviors may be more salient than the behaviors themselves’; this means that gambling results to negative impacts such as disparaging influence of family members and self deception. Such consequences are considered more dangerous compared to gambling, which appeal to pathos (Cornce et.al. 365). Further, ‘It was also hypothesized that individuals who had engaged in a greater number of gambling activities who gambled more frequently, who had wagered a larger amount of money over the course of a single day or who had placed a bet at an early age would be more likely to report a current or past gambling problem’ (Cornce et.al. 374). This Implies that early exposure to gambling may lead to future addiction, the reasoning appeal to logos.
Family Influences on Adolescent Gambling Behavior, is persuasive to audience. ‘To date, most of the family variables examined in the gambling literature are derived from risk and protective factors associated with adolescent substance use and misuse’ (McComb and Sabiston). This portrays a pathetic result of gambling. Further, the article points finger on marriage institution, ‘Family sociodemographic factors and characteristics of the general family climate are ultimate influences on adolescent gambling behavior (McComb and Sabiston 508)’. The authors believe that family play critical role in shaping adolescents behavior. This pleads with the logos philosophy of marriage institution. On the other hand, Female frequent Internet gamblers, article resulted from a survey conducted by the author. ‘The study undertaken was a qualitative study of 25 females in the UK who gambled at least twice a week on the Internet’, this depicts their professional capability of conducting a study and compiling report (Corney and Davis 291). Further, they work in the department of Psychology and Counseling, School of Health and Social Care, University of Greenwich (Corney and Davis 291). Gambling results to family break down, ‘common problems reported by family members include: the loss of household or personal money, arguments, anger and violence, lies and deception’ (Corney and Davis 291). This shows pathetic aftermath of chasing losing game.
Pathos, ethos, and logos in the gamblers poem
‘The gambler’ poem largely appeals to targeted audience. It depicts negative impact of gambling to marriage institution. Using a narrative approach, the author takes us through descending journey of a black man resulting from gambling. The overall set up of the poem plead to ethos. It depicts a norm that is accepted by the community. However, this is on winning condition. Once he was a winner, He had a home and car, this shows that winning lead to better life. Similarly, gambling is an addictive game, which keeps players wanting for more. ‘But all the same the gambler can’t resist another round’ (The gambler L. 3). Further, both community and family accept the winning side of gambling, this appeal largely to the accepted ethic of winning.
A gambler does not mind tomorrow. He is short sighted to the see the victory of today without contemplating of tomorrow. Additionally, a gambler is never satisfied until the source runs bankrupt ‘This man is never satisfied until he’s done the lot’ (The gambler L. 6). However, a gambler is much concerned with what remains in the pot than what he has gambled. Gambling is enticing and hard to leave as explained in the statement ‘Madness never ending’ (The gambler L 4). Every time he thinks of quitting from the vice, another opportunity presents. His wealth is never profitable to himself, children or the wife. It only gives them short-lived pleasure before leaving them more miserable than before. The treasures that were gathered in years are ruined in days throwing away everything they’d worked for in this life’ (The gambler L.12).
When gambling opportunities diminish, a gambler does not acknowledge that he can move from a luxurious life to a poor life. He does not want the community to understand that he is experiencing a financial breakdown either because he is ashamed. Nothing works for him at this juncture, not a smile on the face ‘The gambler tries to smile back, but his mask is wearing thin’ (The gambler L. 21). Nobody can notice the smile but the pain on his face.
The community around the gambler is also disturbed by his appearance. His life is full of fantasies, ‘At last the nightmare’s ending’ (The gambler L. 40), and nobody can understand how soon he gets rich and how soon he becomes poor. The same person who spent his holidays with the family at luxurious places, driving, and owning a home is the very person lying motionless in his bed. As the poet indicates, gambling reduces a ...