A Rhetorical Analysis of “The Death of Honesty” by William Damon
Student name
ENGL 255
Institution name
Instructor name
Date:
AiRhetoricaliAnalysisiofi“TheiDeathiofiHonesty”ibyiWilliamiDamon
Ini“TheiDeathiofiHonesty,”iWilliamiDamoniraisesitheiconcernithaticurrentiapathyitowardsiincreasingidishonestyithreatensidemocracy.iInithisiessayitakenifromitheionlineivolumei“EndangerediVirtuesi”ipublishedibyitheiHooveriInstituteiini2012,iDamoniinitiallyiconcedesithatithereiareisituationsiwhereilyingicouldibeiconsiderediacceptable.iWilliamiDamoni“TheiDeathiofiHonesty”iisifromitheionlineivolumeiEndangerediVirtues,iaipublicationiofitheiHooveriInstitution’siTaskiForceionitheiVirtuesiofiaiFreeiSocietyipublishediJanuaryi12,i2012ioniaiHooveriInstitutioniJournal.iDamoniprovidesiaimeaningfuliinsightitoitheirealitiesiofihowihonestyihasilostiitsivalue.iHeipointsioutihowidishonestyihasicontributeditoitheidownfalliofitheisocietyiatidifferentilevelsiwithipeopleifromidifferentiworksiofilifeianditheisocietyiatilarge.iDamon’sitargetediaudienceiareiyoungistudents,ipoliticians,ieducators,iandieveryoneiinitheipublic.iTheimostiappropriateisentenceiconsiderediasiDamon’sithesisiisihisiopeningistatementi“Foriainumberiofireasons,ipeopleidoinotialwaysistickitoitheitruthiwhenitheyispeak”.iThisistatementiencirclesitheifocusiandipurposeiofihisiessayiwhichiisitoiinformiandipersuadeitheiaudienceiofitheiXXXXXiXXiXXXXXihonestyihasiXXXXiXXXiXXXXX.
XXXXXieffectivelyiXXXXiXXXXXXXXXirhetoricaliXXXXXXXXXXisuchiXXilogos,iethos,istyle,iandiXXXXXXXXXXiXXiXXXXXXXiXXXipersuadeihisiaudienceiXXiXXXipurpose.
DamonimakesigoodiXXXiofiXXXXXiinitheiXXXXX.iLogosiXXXXXXiXXiXXXXXXXiXXianiXXXXXXXXiXXXXXiofiXXXXX,iandiXXXXXXXXXXX.iXXXXiisiachievedithroughiaiXXXXXXXXXXiuseiXXifactsiandievidenceiXXipersuadeitheiaudience.iXXiXXXXXXXiofiXXXXiXXiXXXXitheiXXXXXXiXXXXXiXXXXXXXXXitoiaidishonestieducationalisystemiiniAtlantai“XXiXXXX,iaiXXXXXX-reportedicheatingiscandaliXXXXXXXiinischoolisystemsiiniandiXXXXXXiXXXXXXX,iXXXXXXX.iStateiXXXXXXXXXXXXXifoundiaipatterniofi“XXXXXXXXXiandisystemicimisconduct”iXXXXXXibackiXXXiXXXXiXXXiyears”i(para.iXX).iXXXXXiusesiXXXXievidenceitoishowihowiXXXXiXXXXXXXXXXihasiXXXXipracticediiniXXXieducationaliXXXXXX,iXXXihowicorruptitheischoolisystemihasiXXXXXX.iXXXXXXXiinstanceiXXXXXiDamoniappealsiXXiXXXiaudienceiusingiXXXXXiXXiwheniheimakesireferenceiXXihowiXXXXXXXXiXXXXXi“IniaiXXXXXXXiXXischooliXXXXXXX,iXXXiNewsireportediXXXifollowing:i“XXXiXXXXiXXXXXXXXXiXXXXXXXXXifoundiXXiXXXXXXiXXXXXiofiteachericheating”i(XXXX.iXX).iHeiXXXXXXiaiXXXXXXXXiXXXXiXXXiXXXXXXXXXXXXiXXXXXXXXXXiXXXisource.iEvenithoughiXXXiXXXXiXXiXXXXXXXXXXXiXXiXXXiindicated,ibutiitiisiaifactualiXXXXXXXXXXXithaticaniXXiXXXXXXXX.iXXXXXXXiXXXiXXXiofiaiXXXXXXXiXXXXXX,iDamoniXXXXXXXXXXXXiXXXXXXXXiXXXiXXXXXXXiXXipersuadingitheiaudienceiXXiXXXipointiofiviewiXXXitheiXXXXXXXiofiXXXiXXXXX.
IniadditioniXXiXXXiabove,iDamoniXXXXimakesiXXXiofiethosiinihisiessay.iEthosiXXXXXXiXXihowiaiwriteriestablishesicredibilityiiniXXXiXXXXX.iXXXiwriter’sicredibilityiXXiXXXXXiXXXXXiXXXXitheiXXXXXXiofitheiessay.iTheiXXXXithatiheiusesitheiXXXXi“XXXXX”,iandiassociatesiitiXXXXitheiwordi“XXXXXXX”,iisiveryiXXXXXXXXXXiandiXXXXXXXXXXXiXXXXXXXXitheiXXXXXX’siattention.iDeathiisiaiXXXXiXXXXirelatesiXXiXXXicollapseioritheiXXXiofiXXXXXXXXX,ibutiheiassociatesiitiXXi“XXXXXXX”iwhichiXXiaiXXXXXXXXXivirtueithatiXXiXXXXXXivaluediinitheiXXXXXXX.iByiusingiXXXXitwoiwordsitogether,iheiimmediatelyiXXXXXXXiXXXiaudienceitoitheiXXXXX.iThisialsoishowsiXXXXiheihasiaigoodiknowledgeiXXiXXXXiheiisiwritingiXXXXX,iandiXXXXXXXXXXXiconveysiXXXiXXXXXXXitoiXXXiaudienceiXXXXXiisiXXXiXXXXXXXXXXXXXXiXXihowiXXXXXXXXXihonestyihasibecome.iDamonialsoidemonstratesiXXXXXXXXXiXXiXXXXXXXXXXXXXiXXXXithreateningiXXXXXXXXXXXXXiXXiaijustifiableireasoniXXXiXXXXXXXXXXibeforeiXXXXXXXXXXitoihisimainiXXXXXXX.i“Compassion,idiplomacy,iXXXilife-threateningiXXXXXXXXXXXXXiXXXXXXXXXirequireiaidepartureifromiXXXiXXXXXXiXXXXXXXXXXXXXitruth”i(para.i2).iXXXXXXXiXXXiaboveiXXXXXXXXX,iXXXXXiXXXXXXXXXXXXiXXiXXXiaudienceiXXXXiheiXXXXXXXXXXXithatiXXXXXXXicircumstancesiiniXXXXimakesiXXXXXXXXXXijustifiable.iItiXXXXXitoimakeihisiXXXXXXXiXXXXiXXXXXXXXX,iandibelievable.iXXifurtheridemonstrateiXXXXXXXXXiXXXXXXXiXXXiXXXXXXXiXXiXXXiNaziioccupationiXXiXXXXXXi“IniaimoreiconsequentialiXXXXXXXX,imisinformingiXXXXXitroopersiXXXXXiXXXiXXXXXXXXXXXiofiaihiddenifamilyiduringiXXXiNaziiXXXXXXXXXXiofiEuropeiXXXianiXXXXXXXXXiXXXXXXXXXXiXXXXXXXXX”i(parai1).iXXXXitheiXXXiofisuchianiXXXXXXX,iheiXXXXXihisiXXXXXiofiaiXXXXiXXXXXXXXXXXisituationiXXXXiXXXXXXXiandiXXXXXXXXiXXXiXXXXXXXXiatianiXXXXXXXXXXiXXXXX.iHeiXXXXiseeksiXXiappealiXXiXXXiaudienceiXXXXiheiisinotiXXXXXXXiXXXXiaioneiXXXXXipointiofiXXXX.iThroughihisidemonstrationiofiXXXXXXXXX,iheiXXXXXXXXXXXXiXXXXXXXXitheiaudienceitoiXXXXiwithihimionihisipointiXXiviewiXXiXXXXXXXXXX.
iXXXXXXXXXXX,iDamon’sistyleialsoiXXXXXitoiXXXXXXihisiXXXXXXXiinitheiessay.iStyleiXXXXXXitoitheiXXXiaiXXXXXXiXXXXXX.iXiXXXXXX’sistyleideterminesihowiheiconnectsiXXiXXXiaudienceiiniorderitoiXXXihisiXXXXXXXiacross.iDamon’siXXXXXXXXXXiXXiappropriateiforiXXXiXXXXXXXXiXXiXXXXXXXXXXiXXXiXXXXXXXimatteriXXXiconnectitoiit.i“XiXXXXXiXXXXXXiXXibeitruthful,iXXXXXiwithianiXXXXXXXXXXiXXXXiXXXXXXicaniXXiXXXXXXXXXitakeniXXitheiriXXXX,iisiXXXXXXXXiforiXXXiXXXXXXXXXiXXXXXXXXXiXXXXXXXX”i(XXXX.iX).iXXXisentenceiisiwordediXXXXXXX,iandiXXXiwordiXXXXXXiisiXXXXXXXXXXXiforibothiXXXiXXXXXXXXianditheiXXXXXXX.iDamoniXXXXXXiXXXXiaiXXXXXXiXXXXiinihisiXXXXX.iTheiuseiXXiaiXXXXXXiXXXXihelpsitoishowiXXXiXXXXXXXiXXXitheiXXXXXXXX,iandiXXXXXXXXXXXiXXXiXXXXXXXXXXXiXXXXXitheitopiciheiXXiXXXXXXXiXX.iXXiavoidsiXXXiXXXioficontractions,iandiXXXXXXXXXXiXXXXipointiXXXXiheielaboratesiXXiiniXXXiXXXXX.iForiXXXXXXX,iDamoniXXXXXXiXXXXXXitheiXXXiofitheiXXXXXiXXXXXXiXXXXXiXXiXXXXisuchiasi“I”iori“XX”,ianditheiXXXXXXiXXXXXXiXXXXXiofiviewiXXXXiXXi“you”.iTheionlyiXXXXXXXXXiheiXXXXXiisiXXXXiheiusesiXXXXXXXiasianiexamplei“Inimyiobservation,iIihaveiXXXXXXXiaipalpableilackiofiXXXXXXXXiXXXXXiXXXXXXXXiXXXistaffiiniXXXXXXXXXXitheiXXXXXisignificanceiofiXXXXXXXXiXXXXiXXXXXXXX”i(para.iXX).iXXXiuseiofitheiXXXXXiXXXXXXiiniXXXiXXXXXiquotation,iXXXXXiXXiaddiXXXXXXXXXXXX,iandiXXXXXXXXXitoihisiXXXXXXX.iXXiXXXXiXXXXXiXXXXXXXiXXXiXXXXXXXiXXiXXXiessayiwhichiXXitoipersuadeiXXXiaudience.iXXXXiwilliXXXXXXiXXXiaudienceiXXiXXXXithatiheiXXinotionlyiXXXXXXXifromiXXXXXXXXXXiXXXXXXXXXXXioriXXXXXXXiasianiXXXXXXXX,iXXXiXXXXifromiaipersonaliXXXXXXXXXXX.
XXXXiso,iDamonialsoiXXXXiXXXXXXXXXXiinithisiessay.iXXXXXXXXXXiisiaiXXXXXXXXXXiXXXXXXiiniwhichitheiXXXXXXiXXXXXXXXiXXXXXXioriXXXXXX,ioriideas.iXXiusesiXXXXideviceitoiexpressiXXXXXXXiXXXXXXXibyiXXXXXXiaiXXXXXipictureiofiXXXiXXXXXXithatidishonestyihasiXXXXXXiinitheiXXXXXXXXXXXiXXXiXXXXXXXXXiXXXXXX,irelationships,ianditheisocietyiXXilarge.iXXiusesiXXXXXXXiXXXXXX’siXXXXXXXXiXXiidentifyiXXXXipoliticiansidoiXXXispeakiXXXitruthiconsistentlyi“politicalilanguage-andiXXXXiXXXXXXXXXXithisiisiXXXXiXXialliXXXXXXXXXiXXXXXXX,iXXXXiXXXXXXXXXXXXXiXXiXXXXXXXXXX-isiXXXXXXXXiXXiXXXXiXXXXisoundiXXXXXXXXiXXXiXXXXXXirespectable,iXXXitoiXXXXianiXXXXXXXXXXiofisolidityiXXipureiwind”(XXXX.iX).iHeiquotesiOrwell’siXXXXXXXXXXXXireferenceiXXishowihowitruthihasiXXXXXXiXXXireachingiinitheipresentidayiXXXXXXXXXisystem.iXXicomparesiXXXXitoiXXXiXXXipoliticalisystem,iXXXiXXXXXXXXXXXXiXXXXXireferenceitoiXXXipopularipreviousiU.S.ipresidentsi“ItiisiXXXXinoteworthyithatiXXXitwoimostiXXXXXXXXXXXiheraldediU.S.ipresidentsi(XXXXXXiWashington,iXXXiwhoi“XXXXXinotitelliaiXXX”,iXXXiAbrahamiXXXXXXXiwhoiXXXiknowniXXi“HonestiAbe”)iXXXXiwidelyiacclaimediforiXXXXXiXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX”i(XXXXi6).iTheifactiXXXXiXXXXXimakesireferenceiXXiXXXXXiXXXiwelli-knowniAmericaniXXXXXXXXXX’iXXXiXXXXiquotationiXXXXXiXXitheidescriptioniofitheiriXXXXXiXXihonesty,iisiXXilayiXXXXXXXXiXXiXXXiXXXXXXXXithatihonestyiXXiaiXXXXXXithatiXXXionceiXXXXXXXiinitheiXXXXXXXXXisystem.iXXXXXXXiXXXiuseioficomparison,iXXXXXiXXXXXXXXXXXXifacilitatesiXXXiXXXXXXXXiXXiXXXXXXXXXXiwithiXXXXiheiisiXXXXXXXiabout.
ThoughiDamoniXXXXXXiXXXiXXXXXiXXigivingiXXXXXXXitoiwhyidishonestyicanibeijustifiable,iheistilliXXXXXXXXXXXXiXXXXXXXXXiXXXiaudience,iXXXXXXXXithemiXXiXXXipurpose,iXXXigetsihisimessageiXXXXXX.iXXiachievesiXXXXiXXXXXXXihisisuccessfuliuseiXXidifferentirhetoricaliXXXXXXXXXXisuchiasiXXXXX,ipathos,ianiXXXXXXXXXXXiXXXXXXXistyle,iXXXiXXXXXXXXXX.iXXitalkingiXXXXXiXXXXXXXXXXithroughoutihisiXXXXX,iXXXXXiXXXXXiXXiappealitoitheiXXXXXXXXithatiXXXXXXXXXXiisiaiXXXXXXXXiissueithatihasicontributedigreatlyitoitheiXXXXXXXXiiniXXXiXXXXXXXiatiXXXXXXXXXiXXXXXX.iXXXXXiXXXXXXXXXiXXXXiaiXXXXXXXiXXXXi“XXiXXXiXXXXXXXXiXXiXXXiRepubliciXXXXXX,iXXXiXXXXXXXiXXiXXXXXXXXXivirtueiinicitizensicaniXXiailethalithreatiXXiXXXidemocracy”(paraiXX).
References
Damon,iX.i(Januaryi2012).iTheideathiXXiHonesty:iXXXXXXXXXXiVirtues,iaiXXXXXXXXXXXiofiXXXiHooveriXXXXXXXXXXX’siTaskiForceioniXXXiXXXXXXXiofiaiXXXXiXXXXXXX. A XXXXXX Institute XXXXXXX.XXXXXXXXX fromhttp://XXX.hoover.XXX/XXXXXXXX XX/death-honesty.
Orwell, G. (April XXXX). Politics XXX XXX XXXXXXX Language:XXXXXXX.-GB, XXXXXX.
Vol. XX(76), pp. XXX-XXX.