Rhetorical Analysis

Rhetoric analysis

Statement: Bittman’s essay is effective because adequate facts and logic allowed him to convinces his audience about the adversities of fast-food consumption.

Mark Bittman in the article, “Is Junk Food Cheaper?” assesses the role that junk food plays in our lives. He represents the main argument on the strategy used by fast food companies to grab customers. The central claims state that fast food costs less than healthy food that encourages low- income people to choose the cheaper one. The main reason for the increased consumption of fast food is the pricing strategy. People are more convinced to buy fast food because it saves cost. CITATION Ben15 \l 1033 (Garner, 2015).

The logos are apparent as the author provides facts to justify his claims. Incorporation of logos provides supporting evidence. Bittman uses logos in the comment, “it’s more affordable to feed a family of four at McDonald’s than to cook a healthy meal for them at home” (Bittman). The logic is visible as he explains how cooking health food will need more money than buying fast food. The text exhibits inclusion of facts that makes the argument strong. Logos help Bittman to convince the audience about his main argument. The logic is also visible in, “judicious ordering of “Happy Meals” can reduce that to about $23 and you get a few apple slices in addition to the fries!” (Bittman, 2011). The text builds a comparison between choosing a healthy diet or readymade fast food. According to logic, people with low-incomes will buy fast food. Continuous use of logic in the articles makes it acceptable to readers. To support the argument Bittman use calorie meter to measure the pricing of both food types CITATION May12 \l 1033 (Rao, Afshin, Singh, & Mozaffarian, 2012).

The ethos allows Bittman to add credibility in this article making the information more valid. Ethos explains audiences perceptions about the author. The mention of credible authors in the article such as Santa Cruz provides ethical support. Bittman quotes Santa Cruz who is a writer of “Weighing In: Obesity, Food Justice and the Limits of Capitalism” (Bittman, 2011). Cruz discussed fast food businesses and the industry's role in the promotion of capitalism. The inclusion of Cruz makes the argument more acceptable and valid. He quotes Cruz, “and it’s one of the few things that less well-off people have: they don’t have to cook” (Bittman). Ethos emphasizes on authenticating the information and enhancing the accuracy. He uses literary support to make the article more convincing. Similarly, the inclusion of the Scripps Research Institute also adds credibility to Bittman’s article.

Bittman quotes the research presented by Scripps Institutes as, “overconsumption of fast food “triggers addiction-like neuro addictive responses” in the brain, making it harder to trigger the release of dopamine” (Bittman, 2011). The text confirms through a credible source confirms the relationship between fast food eating patterns and brain activity. The source provides support and enhances the validity of the argument. Ethos is also visible as the article explains the experiences of the author. Bittman observes the fast food industry and its influence over lives and eating patterns of people. He includes personal experiences, “I used supermarket ingredients” (Bittman, 2011). The use of I depicts he engaged himself in experimentation of fast food and its impacts. Through personal experience of assessing different food choices, he tries to persuade the audience about his view on fast food’s disadvantages and impacts on human health.

Pathos is another visible rhetoric device used by Bittman to defend his argument. The technique helps Bittman to build emotional appeal. The persuasive power of the argument increase due to the use of pathos. Pathos is visible in the comment, “let me enjoy what I want to eat, and stop telling me what to do” (Bittman, 2011). The pathos convinces the people about the harms associated with fast food. The incorporation of pathos also builds continuous interaction of the author with the readers. Invoking emotions increases the strength of the argument. Readers manage to think about the situation more personally by considering how the situation can influence them. The text incites the emotional appeal as it provides a reason for relying on fast food. It captures the real-life situation as people have less time to cook due to their involvement in other activities. Stress is a significant factor that influences the purchasing decision of people.

I think the author has adequately accomplished the purpose by supporting his claims with logic. The comparison between the calorie consumption of the poor and rich depicts logical reasoning. He states that the majority of the population with high calorie belong to poor strata. He identifies the difficulties in accessing supermarket and its impact on fast food consumption. Bittman uses the logo in addressing the role of companies, “fast-food companies spent $4.2 billion on marketing in 2009” (Bittman, 2011). The logic becomes more convincing due to the inclusion of facts related to the marketing expenses. The fact that increased spending on marketing improves the customer base increases the logical sense of the argument. The role of fast food companies is also vital in attracting households. The logos confirms the relationship of fast food with obesity as the author identifies the main reason for obesity as overconsumption.

The author was successful in using rhetoric techniques such as ethos, pathos, and logos. The strength of the argument depends on rhetoric tools and writing strategies. His strategies allowed him to persuade the audience by convincing them to realize the reality of fast food. I think the author could have proposed solutions for minimizing the consumption of fast food. The overall analysis of the rhetoric tools depicts that the author made valid claims on changes in consumption pattern that increase health risk and adversities.

Reference

BIBLIOGRAPHY Bittman, M. (2011). Is Junk Food Really Cheaper? Retrieved 2018 йил 02-Jan from http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/25/opinion/sunday/is-junk-food-really-cheaper.html

Garner, B. (2015). CONFLICTING MESSAGES: THE VISUAL RHETORIC OF SLOW FOOD. Communication Today, 6 (2).

Rao, M., Afshin, A., Singh, G., & Mozaffarian, D. (2012). Do healthier foods and diet patterns cost more than less healthy options? A systematic review and meta-analysis. BMJ Open, 3 (12).