Rhetorical Analysis Of Consider The Lobster

Human Desire vs. Moral Judgement David Foster Wallace provides a controversial argument in his article, “Consider the Lobster,” by forcing his readers to not only think about how good their dinner may taste, but also how it got on their plate. He challenges the ethical standard which Americans use to reason with the idea that it is completely humane to put aside their morals when dealing with their taste buds, specifically when eating lobster. By using rhetorical devices ranging from the way he constructed his paper, to playing with different diction and focusing on emotional appeal throughout his essay, Wallace argues from both sides of the spectrum, (i.e., PETA member to Maine Lobster Fest fanatic), in order to assist his audience in considering

His intended readers were originally the subscribers of Gourmet magazine, the probable suspects who have never thought twice about the value of the food that they consume, however, by connecting through very informal and amiable phraseology in the beginning of his work, making his work easy to read, he creates an atmosphere where any type of audience can relate to him. For instance, he describes the Maine Lobster Fest to readers that may have no idea what it was beforehand, and also goes into detail on how lobsters are killed and cooked to compare and contrast ways that already informed chefs would relate to. He invites readers to join him on his moral journey, without pressuring them into feeling a certain way, which is another one of the advantages that Wallace creates. He simply states the facts, both positive and negative, and encourages his audience to think about their own values on animal

The second half of this article centers all around the question of whether or not lobsters are treated with the dignity that they may or may not deserve. Humans everywhere associate bold feelings when faced with the word “pain,” and that is why this method is most effective in persuading a group of people to try to understand something that they have never, and will never, actually experience, (i.e., being boiled alive). He states that there are two main differences of pain; “... (1) pain as a purely neurological event, and (2) actual suffering.” Actual suffering has to do with the awareness of pain being an unpleasant feeling, and having a preference to not feel it, which involves having some sort of emotional component. In contrast, he brings in the fact that there is a very high chance that lobsters, in fact, do have preferences, as they can detect water change and choose to migrate a certain way. Thanks to Wallace’s strategies, readers may argue back and forth as to what they choose to