In Defense of Darkness Rhetorical Analysis Essay - 1134 Words

In Holly Wren Spaulding’s essay, â€Å"In Defense of Darkness,† her main claim is that we have fallen away from darkness and immersed ourselves in a society of lightness. Furthermore, she claims this has lead humans to lose touch with basic human emotion as well as the sensual and spiritual experience true darkness has to offer. Spaulding makes this claim evident through exceptional use of personal testimony and copious appeals to value. Spaulding begins her essay with a detailed personal testimony that describes the deep emotional connection she feels for darkness. In part of the second paragraph she states, â€Å"the sky and shore and water were all one inky darkness though stars sparkled on the watery surface,† (83). This description of the†¦show more content†¦She takes advantage of her passion for the darkness as a way of persuading her side of the argument, placing greater favor upon the peacefulness in darkness versus chaos in the light. Also her description of her emotions when she is surrounded by darkness suggests that our busy lives in the light have taken relaxation away from our lives; darkness helps us fall back into simpler times and serenity. Next, Spaulding places her appeals to value upon the light/urbanism. She states, â€Å"We modern, industrial, technological Homo sapiens favor light,† (84). This is the start of her counterargument; she explains the importance of light in our technological society. Spaulding shows how it has become a security blanket that has caused us to slowly move away from darkness, almost as if it was an enemy. Which brings her to consumer capitalism and how institutions draw us into products taking advantage of light and brightness. Because consumer capitalism is a way for institutions to control us, Spaulding is suggesting that they are in control of the obsession with light; they make sure it surrounds us showing us â€Å"the action is here, this is the thing to buy, we are open for business, this is the way,† (84). While the previous paragraphs considered the value we place upon light and served as a part of Spaulding’s counter argument, it also built up for her qualifying argument. She has acknowledged that humans prefer light and claims â€Å"But why notShow MoreRelatedStrategy Safari by Mintzberg71628 Words   |  287 Pagesway to ensure that strategy is controlled in one mind is to keep the process simple (182). However, this point, together with the first, forced Andrews to tread a fine line throughout his text between nonconscious intuition on one side and formal analysis on the other, a position he characterized as an act of judgment (108). This distinguishes the design school from the entrepreneurial school on one side and the planning and especially positioning schools on the other. 4. Strategies should be oneRead MoreOne Significant Change That Has Occurred in the World Between 1900 and 2005. Explain the Impact This Change Has Made on Our Lives and Why It Is an Important Chan ge.163893 Words   |  656 Pageslamentable. Taken together, the key themes and processes that have been selected as the focus for each of the eight essays provide a way to conceptualize the twentieth century as a coherent unit for teaching, as well as for written narrative and analysis. Though they do not exhaust the crucial strands of historical development that tie the century together—one could add, for example, nationalism and decolonization—they cover in depth the defining phenomena of that epoch, which, as the essays demonstrateRead MoreLogical Reasoning189930 Words   |  760 PagesReasons ................................................................................................ 236 Deceiving with Loaded Language ................................................................................................... 238 Using Rhetorical Devices .................................................................................................................. 240 Review of Major Points .............................................................................................