Analyzing Rhetorical Strategies in The Case Against Circumcision

In the following post, I will be analyzing the rhetorical strategy of my article, utilizing the descriptions provided in the Student's Guide textbook. 

Jordan, Brett. "Rhetorical" 7/8/2011 via flickr. Attribution 2.0 Generic License. 

Appeals to Credibility or Character

Which items on the bulleted list (ethos) can you recognize in your text?

References to credible sources 

Word choice

Tone

Information about the author's expertise 

Acknowledgments of counterarguments and refutations to those arguments

How and why would the author use these strategies?

These strategies individually and jointly were effective in achieving what appears to have been his ultimate goal. Ultimately, he endowed a sense of shame unto readers who had since been ignorant of the points he laid out against circumcision. His use of the strategies mentioned above allowed him to intelligently though still slightly accusingly state his thesis.

How do these strategies affect the audience's perception of the author's credibility and character?

These strategies label the author as an intelligent source for the argument. His reference to sources and his overall scholarly voice reduce any possibility the audience can have as to his reliability. The first sentence of the article reads, "In 2004, 57% of boys born in the United States received a medically-unnecessary, non-therapeutic circumcision at great cost before leaving the maternity hospital [1], although there are no medical indications for this amputative operation [2,3]." He cites his accusations back to academic sources while still providing effective statistical information.

How does the use of these strategies impact the effectiveness of the text's overall message?

These strategies improve the effectiveness of the text's message. The author with his word choice, tone, etc. subtly accuses the audience of being stupidly ignorant.  

Does the author seem to have any biases or assumptions that might impact their credibility?

He does not have any bias associated with personal experience. He has a very strong opinion on the case of circumcision, but all the facts he presents are logical. His profession and history do nothing to suggest a reason as to why he is so invested in the movement. 

Appeals to Emotion 

Which items on the bulleted list (pathos) can you recognize in your text?

Shocking statistics

Tone of voice

What emotional responses is the author attempting to create?

The author is attempting to shame the audience into realizing they had previously blindly following the tradition of circumcision. He himself is not emotional at all in the article, though his main purpose is to evoke guilt.

What is the actual result?

I believe that the author was successful in making the audience feel guilty and uninformed. There was no room for them to feel angry at his accusatory tone because, at the core of the problem, is the well-being of their child/someone important to them. 

Are these emotions effective or ineffective for this particular audience and rhetorical situation?

These emotions are very effective in this rhetorical situation. The author is attempting to raise awareness about the disadvantages of neonatal circumcision. To do so, he had to target the public. The poignant message that these parents could be hurting their children by having them circumcised is definitely an effective strategy.

How do these emotional appeals affect the credibility of the author or the logic of the text?

The emotional appeals may affect the credibility of the author by lessening his humanism. He appears to have no sympathy for the parents, instead accusing them of being foolish enough to blindly follow a tradition they know little about. This however, does not affect the logic of the text negatively; rather, instead, benefits the text's logic.

Appeals to Logic

Which items on the bulleted list (logos) can you recognize in your text?

Statistics

Effective organization of sentences, paragraphs, ideas, images, etc. 

Clear transitions between sections of text

Arrangement of text for sequence

What response is the author attempting to create by employing these strategies?

The author wants there to be no doubts about the risks of circumcision. He answers all questions anyone could have by employing the logos bulleted items. He states, "Alleged advantages rest on claimed, but unproved, prophylactic prevention of disease later in life. Complications and risks, however, are clear and immediate." He fully supports this claim with an abundance of statistics.

What is the actual result?

Though the author was definitely successful in producing such results, there is also the possibility that he "scared" his audience. He presents the information in such a debilitating, pessimistic view, that instead of informing the audience, he may have only stressed them out. 

Are these strategies effective or ineffective for this particular audience and rhetorical situation?

They can be considered both effective and ineffective. As mentioned above, he provided enough information to credibly question the ethics and health benefits of circumcision in neonates; however, he may also have scared the parents rather than strictly informing them. 

Reflection

Reading Jayni and Jessica's posts of their articles' rhetorical situations, I very quickly realized that the rhetorical strategies of an article differ widely depending on the field they cover. Jessica's post was architectural and Jayni's was science based (like mine). In Jayni's post, I found that much of the strategies and their purposes that she identified were much like mine. This was the exact opposite of Jessica's analysis. 

I do believe that I adequately analyzed my article. One possible improvement could be the incorporation of quotes. However, as much of my article consists of statistics, I would have to be very selective and take more time to consider which ones to include. I still maintain what I believe was my author's message and associated strategies.