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Essay / Analysis of Rhetorical Strategies in Barbara Kingsolver's "High Tide in Tucson"
Barbara Kingsolver's "High Tide in Tucson" attempts to enlighten its readers about the harsh reality that results from leaving home and to demonstrate how our animal our qualities allow us to continue. Kingsolver writes to people who have already left their homes and those who might follow that path one day in hopes of providing them with emotional support and advice – advice that she believes could have helped her overcome conflict that she encountered throughout her life. Barbara Kingsolver uses philosophical diction and the emotional connection created between her audience and the hermit crab to illustrate the disembodiing struggle to leave home and transition into adulthood, as well as the animal adaptation necessary to keep up with the natural ebb and flow of life. . His use of emotional connection successfully connects his audience to the ideas present in his essay; However, his use of philosophical language fails to support his claims, creating an excessive number of safeguards that may conflict with audience opinions.Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay One of Barbara Kingsolver's main rhetorical strategies is her use of philosophical diction. Although philosophical diction can add deep concepts to the writing, the strategy also creates many safeguards which, if the reader(s) have a conflicting opinion, will only succeed in creating frustration and/or a lack of understanding. interest in argument and ideas. suggested by the author. In “High Tide in Tucson,” Kingsolver fails to use philosophical language effectively, thus falling into the rhetorical hole created by the mandates she forces her audience to accept. She confidently states the philosophy as fact: humans are animals; “The most shameful tradition of Western civilization is our need to deny that we are animals” (272). She explains how humans tend to create many wants but only have a few needs. As Kingsolver establishes more and more mandates, his arguments begin to lose meaning. The new concepts created from establishing warrants create tangents that force the reader to struggle to understand the meaning of their claim. His use of philosophical diction, like the idea of his child absorbing the strength and rhythms of the tree his umbilical cord was buried under years ago, fails to speak to the logical audience. Warrants created from the use of this strategy disconnect the mindset of many readers and that of the author due to the lack of factual evidence used to establish the warrants themselves. However, the first half of the essay establishes a strong connection through the introduction. from Kingsolver's hermit crab, Buster. Buster was accidentally smuggled from the Bahamas to Arizona in a common tourist mistake: shell collecting. Kingsolver describes the peculiar patterns Buster followed after his illegal international transport: the hermit crab seemed to follow some kind of mysterious cycle - passing through a series of absolute agitation and depression-like immobility - the origin of which was unknown . After some research, Kingsolver discovered that intertidal oysters transplanted from their natural habitat would live according to the high and low tides of another part of the globe. Since they are unable to feel the ups and downs of their own home, "oysters [do] better." Kingsolver concludes: “When Buster runs with all his might.