Fife's Rhetorical Analysis Of Facebook Profiles

579 Words2 Pages

Thesis?: Fife’s article is a strong essay because of its early establishment of pathos which helps to develop an ethos that is backed up by logos; however it falls short in using evidence from strong sources and vocabulary. Fife’s article discusses the importance of pop culture, particularly Facebook, in the study of contemporary literature. Instead of shunning Facebook as inferior to scholarly texts she praises it for the affect it has on a user’s rhetorical analytical skills and the complexity between individual profiles. Fife, a professor, explains the experience her students have during an assignment in which they must analyze Facebook profiles. Even her tech savvy millennials are apprehensive about this assignment because “[Facebook] is just a straightforward communication tool.” (Fife, 558) However they began to realize how …show more content…

In her introduction, Fife appeals to the reader by recognizing the widely-known strain of social media on student/teacher relationships. Fife, continuing to appeal to the reader, demonstrates her understanding of opposing perspectives of students and teachers- she does not portray one side superior to the other. For instance, she understands the frustration teachers face when Facebook “sneak[s] into the classroom uninvited” and causes students to not “[participate] in class discussions and activities.” In contrast Fife goes on not to praise the distracted behaviour of modern students but recognizes strong rhetorical analytical skills that students have developed because of modern means like Facebook. By establishing pathos early on in her essay, Fife has developed an empathetic base that is maintained throughout the essay and aides her in having the reader listen to her arguments. For the remainder of the essay, Fife recognizes opposing perspectives and continues to transfer those beliefs into her main argument. By appealing to her audience Fife is able to effectively connect with her audience’s beliefs and

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