Running head: RHETORICAL ANALYSIS ON HUNGER 1

Rhetorical Analysis on Hunger

Paola Tovar

University of Texas at El Paso

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Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to explain how the use of genre affects the argument of the author.

We will make evident this by explaining how D. Gale Johnson uses pathos, logos, and ethos

through examples in his book called World Food Problems and Prospects. The argument of this

book is that there exists many problems as well as solutions to the issue of world hunger.

Johnson further explains the many reasons of it and provides with numerous examples of how it

can be changed. This relates to Swales and his definition of a discourse community because the

world itself is a discourse community working towards the same goal which is to fight and end

world hunger. Johnson uses his credibility to show that what he said is true, his emotions so that

we can do something about it and understand the genre of his argument, and explains the

argument of the book.

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Rhetorical Analysis on Hunger

Hunger is a world problem that is caused by many factors and can even lead to death of

many people. It is a serious problem and we should be worried about it and working to minimize

the magnitude of it. This problem is happening throughout the world, not only on poor countries.

Hunger can be related to malnutrition, famine, and starvation, and can end the life of a person.

There are also many solutions to this problem that can be used to help those with necessity. D.

Gale Johnson, former editor and author of World Food Problems and Prospects (1975), argues

that there is no single problem or solution, but some of the factors that contribute to it are price

rise of food supplies, food production, and agriculture.

Audience

The audience of this book is anyone who is studying economics or any scholar who is

interested in this subject or issue. Johnson was a professor of economics (Johnson, 1975) at the

University of Chicago and was involved in many organizations where he served as president.

According to his biography in World Food Problems and Prospects (1975), he was very involved

in this subject as it mentions that he was part of many organizations. Therefore, this makes the

audience of the book be students who are in the study of economics and any other subject that

relates to finding the reasons and solutions of world hunger. Johnson argues that one of the

primary reasons of world hunger is the rise of prices in food. This is why it relates to economics

because he tried to find how we can change the way it is functioning to change this issue.

Ethos

Credibility is given to Johnson in his book, according to his biography. He has many

examples of ethos and it explains where he was involved. In this book, he has several factors

that authenticate what he wrote on it. He was a professor of economics (Johnson, 1975) at the
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University of Chicago. His interest in economics was big and was involved in many associations.

Johnson was not only involved in economics, but in the university itself. He was the vice

president of the university and dean of the faculties at the University of Chicago. The

organizations where he engaged much of his time were American Farm Economic Association

(where he served as the president), National Advisory Commission on Food and Fiber, and the

Commission on Population Growth and the American Future.

This makes the audience be sure that there is credibility in what he says and knows.

Another example is all the sources that he used to write his book and the citations of it. Using

many resources and citing them, helps the audience be sure that what they are reading is true. It

also shows that he went beyond research to write such a book.

Pathos

Pathos has to do with emotions of the author and this is presented throughout the book of

World Food Problems and Prospects. The author tries to convince the audience that there is still

hope to change such a big problem of hunger. He uses many examples and explains his emotions

towards this issue. According to Johnson (1975), we should be concerned that “the world has

entered a period of permanently increased food prices” (p. 3). This quote shows how concerned

he is and how he is trying to input that same feeling to us. It states that prices are increasing so

this brings us to be worried and willing to make a change about it. Johnson (1975) is “optimistic

that the world has the capacity to provide more and better food for an increasing population (p.

5). Even though he said that he was concerned about such issue, he now further explains that he

feels there is hope that we can actually do something to change. This relates to how the genre of

the author affects the argument because it shows his emotions towards the argument which is the

many solutions there are to world hunger. Although we want to help end world hunger, Johnson
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(1975) says that it is normal that we might sometimes feel “a sense of helplessness” (p. 1). This

is the result of our reactions to circumstances like this.

Logos

Johnson presents the use of logos throughout his book. Logos is presenting the argument

of the book. In this case, he does it in several ways. According to Johnson (1975), the argument

is that “there is no single world food problem or single solution” (p. 1). This leads to the

questions that he asks in the introduction of his book and further explains the answers to each of

them throughout the book. He wants to make clear the point that we cannot just point to a certain

problem that leads to this or that there is only one way to solve it. There is another quote where

he shows the argument of the book. According to Johnson (1975), “there is a real concern that

the world has entered a period of permanently increased food prices” (p. 3). This example is not

only showing logos but pathos as well, since it is showing the feeling of concern towards world

hunger. It shows logos because it is stating one of the reasons that hunger exists throughout the

world. He believes that food prices is an important factor to why people suffer from hunger. The

last example that shows logos in his book is given throughout the book because Johnson keeps

reminding the audience of the argument of the book.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Johnson clearly uses pathos, logos, and ethos, in his book called World

Food Problems and Prospects. After research, it is evident that there is credibility in what he

says because he was a professor of economics at the University of Chicago, was part of several

organizations, and was much engaged into the subject itself. Johnson showed emotions towards

the argument by having a positive attitude that we can make a change to the argument he

described. The argument was understanding the different problems and solutions to world
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hunger. Therefore, this shows that genre affects the argument of the author because the way he

described this issue in his book, he made us understand more in depth the argument itself and

change our emotions so that we can do something about world hunger.

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References

Johnson, D. Gale. (1975). World Food Problems and Prospects. Washington D.C.: American

Enterprise Institute for Public Policty Research.