Fatimah. Ahmed
There is this Famous quote in the Novel called “The Alchemist” by Pablo Coelho, and in the novel, Coelho states; “when you want something the universe conspires in helping you Achieve it”. I wanted to discuss this quote (and some other few), talk about the rhetorical strategies that were used, and also talk about how these quotes can be tied to society and the concept of Achievement in a figurative sense. [ the second part is explained more deeply] [ I also cut some parts and elongated the summary]
Coelho uses the rhetorical strategy of pathos, which centers around evoking one’s emotion through the use of carefully picked and crafted sentences to create an emotional understanding with the reader. He also uses the rhetorical strategy of Amplification to evoke urgency in what is being said, in the sense that one’s desire or goal is so important that the universe as a whole will conspire and help you achieve what it is that you want. His writing skill can also be put in a narrative; like how the concept of the universe can be the everyday people and things in our lives. And how they can be the universe secretly helping us in achieving what we want.
“A Sheppard may like to travel but he should never forget his sheep ”; in this quote or short sentence, it can be seen that Coelho uses the rhetorical strategy of Logos in the sense that he speaks and implies facts written in a form that doesn’t seem so. Coelho also uses the rhetorical strategy of Amplification to highlight, intensify, and show the importance of the fact that even though a shepherd loves to travel he should never leave his flock of sheep behind. So, in real life, this can be equivalent to some people hitting the jackpot and literally forgetting where they came from. In the sense that once someone hits the jackpot, they forget the ones who helped them reach their destination.
Also, in another quote from the novel Coelho states;” Every blessing ignored becomes a curse”. In my opinion, I feel that this is ethos because in some way it highlights ethics and beliefs. In real life, this can be put in the perspective that you should stop to admire and be grateful for what you already have in life instead of rushing to acquire more.
Second Analysis
In the Second paragraph of Amy tan’s “Mother’s tongue,” she states the following: “I am a writer. And by that definition, I am someone who has always loved language. I am fascinated by language in daily life. I spend a great deal of my time thinking about the power of language — the way it can evoke an emotion, a visual image, a complex idea, or a simple truth. Language is the tool of my trade. And I use them all — all the English I grew up with”. It can be assumed that Tan is using the strategy of Alliteration in this paragraph, and it can be seen as so because she goes on to repeat the word Language to make her point across as a person who loves and is always thinking about the power of language. And also, she uses pathos to evoke an emotional connection to the language. Another use of a rhetorical strategy is shown in paragraphs 7-8 where Amy states the following: “Lately, I’ve been giving more thought to the kind of English my mother speaks. Like others, I have described it to people as ‘broken” or “fractured” English. But I wince when I say that. It has always bothered me that I can think of no way to describe it other than “broken,” as if it were damaged and needed to be fixed as if it lacked a certain wholeness and soundness. I’ve heard other terms used, “limited English,” for example. But they seem just as bad, as if everything is limited, including people’s perceptions of the limited English speaker.” “I know this for a fact because when I was growing up, my mother’s “limited” English limited my perception of her. I was ashamed of her English. I believed that her English reflected the quality of what she had to say. That is because she expressed them imperfectly and her thoughts were imperfect. And I had plenty of empirical evidence to support me: the fact that people in department stores, banks, and restaurants did not take her seriously, did not give her good service, pretended not to understand her, or even acted as if they did not hear her”. it is seen that she uses elements of pathos where she uses events and word choices that evoke emotion in her writing to get to the reader and in my opinion, it is to also somehow draw them in, and also, I can assume that she used this rhetorical strategy to push a sense of understanding within the reader and connect to individuals that share the same perspective of broken English /limited English. Another paragraph where she uses a rhetorical strategy is in paragraph 1 where she (Tan) states; “I am not a scholar of English or literature. I cannot give you much more than personal opinions on the English language and its variations in this country or others. I cannot give you much more than personal opinions on the English language and its variations in this country or others.”. it can be seen that she uses ethos to appeal to the reader and gain credibility by being simply honest about her perspective regarding her writing abilities and skills which she states, “I am not a scholar of English or literature” which can get her credibility because in society it is assumed that one that does not boast or undermines their ability usually has great skills and they do not realize that.
