Allowing only adults of the age 25 or older to consume alcohol is a decision that could help prevent thousands of alcohol related fatalities every year. This is a controversial topic that is discussed and debated by many. One individual in particular is Andrew Herman, who argues this in “Raise the drinking age to Twenty-Five”. Herman does very well in addressing the rhetorical situation by presenting the audience with data from alcohol related accidents and deaths, this evidence is strong and makes his claim credible and logical.
Herman does a tremendous job identifying his position on making the drinking age 25. He also does well separating the audience and speaking directly to them on his position toward the drinking age. Herman’s argument is directed to an audience of anyone who has ever attended college or a college party. He provides the audience with evidence and data such as “Every year 1,400 college students die from drinking too much” or “Every year 17,000 die from drunken driving” (Herman 470).
Herman uses these to persuade his audience to agree.
To continue, Herman uses excellent means of persuasion such as Logos and Ethos. He also uses a small amount of pathos to persuade his audience’s emotions. For example throughout the article Herman uses the Logos technique to persuade the audience logically increasing the drinking age will decrease the amount of youth drinking, therefore preventing deaths due to alcohol consumption . Also, Herman gives annual numbers of alcohol accidents and deaths as a form of Ethos to persuade the audience. Last, he uses a small example of Pathos as he says “For the sake of our friends, those we love and our futures” (Herman 471).
The Essay on Underage Drinking Alcohol Study Age
STUDY FINDS YOUTH DRINKERS MORE LIKELY TO DRINK AND DRIVE, GET IN ALCOHOL-RELATED CRASHES AS ADULTS Boston, MA - The younger people are when they start drinking alcohol, the more likely they are to drive after excessive drinking and get into alcohol-related car crashes over the course of their adult lives, according to a new study conducted at Boston University's School of Public Health. The BU ...
This appeals to the audience’s emotions further persuading them to agree.
Furthermore, Herman’s Rhetorical strategies develop very well because of his organization, evidence and use of strategies. His organization helps identify his thesis and explains the principal reason behind his article. Also Herman uses great techniques of Ethos, Logos and Pathos to persuade the audience. Then Herman’s evidence helps connect these ideas back together to a coherent claim. All in all, Andrew Herman addressed the Rhetorical Situation very well by identifying it and presenting his audience with credible evidence to back up his claim. Because of this Herman’s Rhetorical strategies were extremely effective in getting the interest of the audience. He had a specific claim and very strong evidence that supported his claim well.
