Rhetorical Analysis of `The Woking Poor`by David K.Shipler

Introduction

Present essay deals with rhetorical analysis of Shipler 's seminal work The Working Poor : Invisible in America , which represents critical study of American working poor social status . However , central ideas concepts , notions and ideas , defended by the author are not the object of this analysis . In contrast , it focuses on the formal elements of rhetoric , which help the author persuade readers in the relevance of his text

Rhetorical Instruments in Shipler 's The Working Poor : Invisible in America

The rhetorical tools used by the author in his study are

deeply connected with the methodology of analysis and scientific approach . The latter occurs due to scholarly and written nature of Shipler 's narrative in contrast to the rhetorical patterns of the oral speech

First of all , one of the main characteristics of rhetorical competence according to Aristotle and his followers is ethos , that is credibility of author 's argumentation and statements . In Shipler 's study such credibility is constructed through the exploration of the working poor families ' conditions , life stories etc . realized through interviews questionnaires and other qualitative methods (Kennedy , 15

Such credibility is based both on the appeal to scientific rigor of the potential scholarly readers and experience of ordinary people , reading Shipler 's book . In this way , qualitative methods used by the author guarantee both literary and scientific credibility of his narration which helps him reach the largest number of audience possible

In Shipler 's analysis of working poor spending patterns , income levels and discrimination by public service...