Running head: RHETORICAL ANALYSIS 1

Rhetorical Analysis

Aylin Caudillo

University of Texas at El Paso

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Abstract

A rhetorical analysis is when one analyses a piece of writing based on the way the author

used pathos, logos, and ethos to support the argument presented in the piece of writing. In this

paper the book Mental Health in Education will be analyzed rhetorically.

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Rhetorical Analysis

Genre can affect an argument presented in a book or journal. In the book, Mental Health

in Education (1954), the author, Henry Clay Lindgren, uses argumentative appeals such as ethos,

pathos and logos to argue that schools are responsible to promote a child’s, social, emotional,

moral and physical growth. Lindgren’s use of ethos, pathos, and logos shows that genre can

affect an argument and how the audience understands the argument.

Audience

The intended audience of the book is educators and psychologists, a scholarly audience in

general. This claim was decided based on the evidence that Lindgren uses classroom studies and,

references a lot of psychology journals (page 19). If one from a different field such as

engineering or business was to read this book they might not find interest in the topic and

argument that is presented. They might not fully understand the argumentative appeals that have

been used. For example, when Lindgren uses classroom studies/experiences, one from outside

the education field might not be able to relate to the Ethos that has been used in the text. Chapter

19 of the book is titled The Teacher: Problems of Adjustment. The chapter is dedicated to helping

teachers not only deal with student health issues but also their own, this supports the fact that this

book was written with the intention of its audience being educators. In the same chapter they talk

about “The mental health in teachers” (page 532). One from outside the educator field, might not

really take interest in learning about the mental health in teachers.

Ethos

Lindgren uses the argumentative appeal of Ethos to show his credibility. The expertise of

Henry Clay Lindgren is psychology. He was a professor of psychology in San Francisco State

University. The book was published by Henry Holt and Company. One way that Lindgren uses
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Ethos in his argument is that he uses outside references such as journal articles and studies (page

55). The references are located after each chapter and he sources them numerically. He holds a

doctorates degree in psychology and also is a professor of psychology in San Francisco State

College. This shows credibility because it shows that he is an expert in the field of the book. It

can be said that Lindgren is a reliable source, and that the knowledge that he gives in the book is

credible. Also, in the book he includes references of other experts which also shows credibility

because not only is he using his knowledge he is using others knowledge to create on his.

Pathos

An appeal to emotion is not used in the book because the text is taking a clinical

approach.

Logos

An appeal to logic is used in this book. Lindgren’s argument in this book is that schools

have a basic responsibility to promote a child’s social, emotional, moral, and physical growth as

well. He supports this argument by organizing the book into chapters that explain the

development of children both at home and in the classroom. Some examples being: The

development of the child as an individual, Behavior problems, Socioeconomic factors underlying

children’s behavior, and Communication: a social process (preface). In the preface he

summarizes the chapters and gives background information on why he is presenting the

argument. Another way that Lindgren uses logos in his book is that he provides in classroom

experiments done by teachers on students (page 98). In the book the author gives an example

about a teacher who studied a kid based on accepting one self and accepting others, “Evan, who

is eleven years old and who cannot read, is an example of the relationship between accepting
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oneself and accepting other” (page 98). Lastly logic is used by directing the book to a specific

discourse community. According to Swales, six characteristics are necessary for identifying a

group of people as a discourse community: common public goals, mechanisms of

intercommunication, looped intercommunication, dedicated genres, specialized vocabulary, self-

sustaining hierarchy. Therefore, the discourse community for this course would be from School

Psychologist to Educators.

Conclusion

In conclusion, genre does affect an argument. The genres you use will influence how your

audience interprets and understands your argument. As an author it is important to use Ethos,

Pathos and Logos to support your argument because it creates more proof to support the

argument at hand. Pathos, Logos and Ethos are known as argumentative appeals, which is why

many writers choose to use them in their writing because it can help their argument appeal to

their audience.
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References

Lindgren, Henry. Clay. (1954). Mental Health in Education. New York :Henry Holt and

Company.

Swales, John. "The Concept of Discourse Community." Genre Analysis: English in Academic

and Research Settings. Boston: Cambridge UP, 1990. 21-32. Print.