A Rhetorical Analysis Essay On Junk Food

Poverty is Literally Making People Sick Because They Can't Afford Food

In his article “Poverty is Literally Making People Sick Because They Can't Afford Food” Matthew O'Brien writes about how low income persons are more likely to get sick at the end of the month because they can't afford food. O'Brien explains how people living from paycheck to paycheck are often out of cash by the end of the month and can no longer afford food ,this problem also applies to those dependant on benefits or food stamps. For people with Diabetes the problem goes beyond hunger and they may end up with Hypoglycemia. As stated by O’Brien “The basic idea is that people struggling to make it paycheck-to-paycheck might run out of money at the end of the month—and

He writes about how low-income people are 27 percent more likely to be hospitalized for hypoglycemia at the end of the month,right before paychecks and benefits come out. A chart that depicts the increase in hyperglycemic patients at the end of the month v.s appendicitis patients that stay the same throughout the month is also used to prove his point. Appendicitis rates stay the same through the month since lack of food is not a factor in causing appendicitis, while hyperglycemia rates spikes around the 27th of the month.

Everyone knows someone who struggles to make ends meet, and the horrific effects poverty can have on families. This emotional attachment to the subject matter increases the In other words, poorer people don't need more care at the end of the month for every kind of condition. Just the ones that get worse when you don't have enough to eat.article’s pathos. The reader may be personally struggling with poverty, hunger or hyperglycemia. This issue really hits home, so the reader may be more inclined to read the entire article and listen to it’s

We see this in many places in the article such as when he writes “We can do better. We could start by paying out welfare, food stamps, and Social Security twice a month, instead of just at the beginning. We could even pay out food stamps as cash instead of benefits, since we know people will trade them at deep discounts to turn them into cash.” With such a clear solution and plan of action, a reader will be able to pass it on to people he or she knows to spread awareness.

The article consists of many sharp points and the author seems very passionate about the subject. This passion suggests that O'Brien has a personal connection to the issue of poverty and the low health quality of low income persons. O’Brien seems almost desperate to convince his readers of the severity of this issue. The article is written in an informal, which compels the reader to feel a more personal connection. It is as if the author is giving personal advice to a friend. The title of the article is also very direct and inclusive to grab the reader’s attention and get right to the