Essay 1

Name of student

Name of institution

Name of instructor

Date

I am one of America’s 45 million smokers. I am not a moaner or a whiner. But I am getting fed up. I want to get the government off my back.

The author mainly argues about the issue of smoking in the United States of America. As a smoker, he believes that it is quite inconsiderate of the government to ban smoking in the country. Nonsmokers may see that he is not serious about his claims, so he goes ahead to prove that there is a big plot by the government to ensure that smoking is completely banned within the country. To achieve this, he makes use of different styles of persuasion to ensure that the reader can easily relate to what he is saying. It is not easy for a non-smoker to notice the fact that the government is planning to do away with smoking. The use of rhetorical strategies makes it easy for the author to achieve the intention of the piece which is to convince people that smoking should not be banned.

The first rhetorical strategy used by the author is history. He identifies one of the people who has existed in past and has watched the plot by the government to do away with smoking. To convince people history is one of the most important aspects that the author needs to use. History shows the situations as it was back then and hence can be compared with the current situation. For instance, for the case of a smoker, the author argues that there is no way smokers have harmed people in the past yet the government says that smoking mainly affects the people who do not smoke. He goes ahead to show the feeling of Archie Anderson who has been a smoker for years and now feels terrible about the new rules. This shows some sense to those who do not smoke and can hence sympathize with the smokers.

Other rhetorical strategies that have been used to a great extent include pathos, logos, and ethos. The three styles have been used together to try and convince the reader that banning smoking is bad for everyone. The first one is the ethos. Reasoning based on ethics, the author says that it is common knowledge that smokers can smoke without interfering with the lives of non-smokers. The ethics of smoking can be put into practice such that every person can go about their businesses without having to affect the lives of others. He is against some of the rules that the government is putting in place to try and do away with smoking. He argues that smoking should not be banned, but smokers should be allowed to smoke without affecting the lives of non-smokers ethically.

Another style that has been used is pathos. The author evokes emotions by comparing the same situation that is happening to smokers to what will happen to the people who love liquor and buttermilk. He suggests that this is just a start. By bringing the issue of liquor and buttermilk into the discussion, he makes those that use the products to feel that they are also targeted although they do not use cigarettes. By stating the taxes that the government plans to impose on cigarettes, he also makes other people relate. Over-taxation is an issue that has been discussed for long. When people hear that a particular product is being overtaxed, they feel that the government will target the other products in the market. They have to help with the fight against taxation so that the products they use are also not targeted. This is a style that the author correctly put into use to convince the audience.

Another style that has been widely used is logos. The author tries to bring logic to the audience by citing different examples of how the banning of cigarettes will also affect the non-smokers. By first mentioning that those who do not smoke might think that they are not being targeted by the laws, he already draws their attention into the discussion. The non-smokers now become more interested in the topic, and they wish to know how the banning of smoking is likely to affect their lives. In the past, the government has used such strategies to add taxes on the other products. An issue such as the addition of taxes is one that many people can relate to and they already know the effects it will have on them. He also explains how people can peacefully coexist without being told what to do by the government. It is through this that he can convince the audience that indeed they can easily live with one another.

Another vital style that has been used in the persuasive essay is the appeal to fear. This is a method that is used to instill fear in the audience and make them believe that the argument of the author is right. The author has clearly shown that when taxes on cigarettes go up by 800%, then every person is expected to feel the effect. When an audience feels that they are targeted by specific laws in society they can help in fighting such laws. He instills fear in people who use products such as liquor and buttermilk. Those that use the products can already relate to the situations. They are easily convinced by the example and can even help smokers in fighting the laws that intend to ban smoking.

The styles have contributed to how the essay has achieved its intention. The author has used them effectively to be able to convince the audience that the laws are against the well-being of every person in the country.