Logos Examples in Literature: Exploring the Use in ‘Silent Spring’ by Rachel Carson

Various types of writing techniques can either be effective or ineffective, depending on the writers usage, in persuading particular readers, including academic and non-academic audiences, to agree with the author's position and its significance described. The author does so through the usage and combinations of pathos, ethos, and logos, typically proving to be multi- dimensionally effective and in other instances unsuccessful.

Comparing two concepts that are dissimilar is a technique that writers should utilize because they successfully relate to pathos and logos, known as the reader's feelings and their logic, respectively. As Silent Spring was written in 1963, the author included many factors that generate emotional responses in relation to war. She describes "the possibility of the extinction of mankind by nuclear war, the central problem of our age has therefore become the contamination of man's total environment with such substances of incredible potential for harm" (Carson, 8). Carson includes the possibility of nuclear war as the destruction of mankind, a risk that was an imminent fear in the lives of Cold War victims.

In addition, Carson compares two ideas that do not share many similar qualities: nuclear warfare and pesticides. Both are debilitating, unnatural things that can ultimately destroy life as we know it. Scientists understand that the reality of this becoming America's future has heightened, especially during the Cold War and when DDT was commonly sprayed. Comparing ideas that are unalike and appealing to the generation's specific issues is a strategy that effectively relate to academic and non-academic readers, as they both convey pathos and logos. It is obvious that mentioning time-related issues will trigger emotions from a non-academic audience; however, this is not the case with academic readers. They can see past the violins playing their saddest song and realize that the author is simply trying to manipulate their better judgment.

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In contrast, the academic audiences can rest assured and agree with Carson due to her skillful effect of highlighting their intellect, known as logos. She assumes that researchers already know that we could potentially doomed, building their ego. Unfortunately, this is not enough. Most scientists will need proof and credibility that what the author is saying is statistically true. Here, Carson does not do that. In general, this method is commonly developed in typical writing; Carson efficiently displays excellent uses. Fellow authors can appreciate this higher-level technique and further gather new ways to use it by understanding Carson's intentions through her examples.

Pathos can be an effective strategy to master for writers due to its emotional appeal with non-academic audiences and even some academic readers. A tool that Carson utilizes to emphasize the painful effects of DDT, a harmful pesticide, on living beings and organisms is categorizing events via several heartfelt narratives. Carson uses an innocent fable describing the beauty of nature that takes a turn for the worst, ultimately ending with human extinction. She begins describing a picturesque town, eventually leading to her argument regarding environmental issues, claiming that "some evil spell had settled on the community: mysterious maladies swept the flocks of chickens; the cattle and sheep sickened and died.

Everywhere was a shadow of death...children, who would be stricken suddenly while at play and die within a few hours" (Carson, 2). After reading the beginning of part two of the text, the reader understands that this 'evil' that Carson explains stems from the use of DDT. She describes the cause and effect of the pesticide, resulting in the death of animals and children.

This strategy of explaining causes and effects positively allows academic audiences to understand the negatives of using -DDT through accurate examples. Researchers and even the common population know that certain compounds can harm the natural biology of the body, as the causes of cancer and other diseases are rising. The common knowledge that Carson assumes the audience maintains relates to the reader's logos, or intellect. Both types of audience can deduct that if this pesticide is harmful, it will most definitely negatively affect our bodies.

In addition to logos, pathos can simply make a monumental impact on non-academic readers. Carson uses vivid imagery to play the heartstrings of the sympathetic audience. She abstractly portrays the effects of DDT on the body through dying animals and children in order to define such an atrocity. Writers can effectively balance the difficult task of appealing to both types of audiences while triggering their emotional feelings toward the subject and the reader's common sense.

A common method that critics practice is explaining causes and consequences. One can use description in order to inform the audience of importance within the things being argued. Carson's Silent Spring consistently controls the audience by forcing them to agree with the detrimental effects of chemicals on the human body and earth through explanation. She begins with when pesticides first enter into the atmosphere: "chemicals sprayed on croplands or forests or gardens lie long in soil, entering into living organisms, passing from one to another in a chain of poisoning and death. Or they pass mysteriously by underground streams until they emerge and, through the alchemy of air and sunlight, combine into new forms that kill vegetation, sicken cattle, and work unknown harm o those who drink from once pure wells. Man can hardly even recognize the devils of his own creation" (Carson, 6).

In the 1960s, Albert Schweitzer was a notable man that everyone knew. His ideas were praised to be like the words of God during this time period. Quoting Schweitzer gave Carson credibility, relating to her ethos. She explained the cause and effects of spraying chemicals on the Earth and how it ultimately leads to harming humans. This is an effective strategy that Carson upheld for all types of audiences. For non- academic readers, comparing her ideas to that of a famous person almost automatically makes anything that she says true. For academic analysts, she is credible because she is citing a trustworthy man. In addition, her explanation stems from a logical sequence that is widely accepted as true, also appealing to the readers' logos.

Technically speaking, explaining something in literature never does harm; it typically entails credibility for the author. It also allows the writer to give more detail on subjects that are unclear. Explanation is a common strategy that many authors have already mastered. But here's the difference: many authors don't pair two strategies together by the manner in which Carson does. It should be known and understood across the realm of writing that if you explain something, it is indefinitely foolproof to seize your reader's acceptance by adding on a noteworthy quote or idea. Thus, explanation is an important aspect of any type of writing, be it a persuasive essay or a short story.

Asking questions is an interesting way to present evidence. There are many different types of questions that writers can utilize, including open, closed, and theoretical, that all have unique goals and effects on the audience. In Silent Spring, Carson poses a weak rhetorical question to judge the decisions of humans, asking "how could intelligent beings seek to control a few unwanted species by a method that contaminated the entire environment and brought the threat of disease and death even to their own kind? Yet this is precisely what we have done. We have done it, moreover, for reasons that collapse the moment we examine them" (Carson, 8-9).

Her critical language suggests that the answer is obvious and need not be said. These types of questions rarely appear in effective writing. Carson attempts to influence the reader through emotional appeal, using pathos, by describing dangerous 'threats'. And honestly, it would have worked if she didn't ruin it by saying that there is no rational explanation to the question. She also never relates back to the 'reasons'. Rhetorical questions already do not work on academic readers due to their lack of evidence, but now even non-academic readers are skeptical, as she never truly states her reasoning.

To non-academic writers, it just seems that she trailed off on a stream of thought, as she leads her next point with another question. She begins talking about farm production: "Yet is our real problem not one of overproduction? Our farms...have yielded such a staggering excess of crops that the American taxpayer in 1962 is paying out more than one billion dollars a year as the total carrying cost of the surplus-food storage program" (Carson, 9).

This is considered an open-ended question, as the answer is neither implied nor a one- worded answer. These questions are typically successful in convincing the non-academic and even some academic readers. Alas, Carson does not straightforwardly answer her own inquiry, the negative aspect of this example. Researchers want the author to come right out and say 'yes, this is our real problem' and then follow with evidence. She somewhat hints through italics that it is the real problem, yet her proof is weak. She is relating to the audience through logos by including some numerical facts.

However, in general, this question is more effective than her previous because it applies to logos, a more reliable appeal. This appeal can interest academic audiences, however, here, there is not enough evidence. Also, it is an open-ended question with a clearer answer. In all, using questions is a dangerous minefield in which some writers, like Carson, dare to cross. Fellow authors must realize what Carson did here and never repeat it again. If they do, they should put more time and effort into developing the ideas rather than just letting the thought trail off. When used correctly, questions can be highly praised by all types of audiences.

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