Virginia Woolf

     In a society where women were not accepted into the work world, novelist, critic, and essayist Virginia Woolf writes to describe her profession: literature. In her writing, Professions for Women, Woolf uses modesty, imagery, and flowery language, to appeal to a female audience.  
    To begin, the author recalls her humble beginnings. She simply describes herself as "...a girl in a bedroom with a pen in her hand" (paragraph 2). She does not get into much detail about her adolescent experiences, and concludes the second paragraph by dismissing her qualifications as a professional worker. She states how little she deserves to be called a professional woman, and the little she knows of the struggles and difficulties of this life style. Modest indeed, Virginia Woolf humble qualification and love for literature is subtly refreshing.
    Next, Woolf captures her audience with fantastic imagery. In paragraph 3, the author describes the importance of maintaining a mind of your own. She writes of her encounters with a phantom who attempts to overtake her, forcing her to write in submissively. She writes, "The shadow of her wings fell on my page; I heard the rustling of her skirts in the room" (paragraph 3). Without using long, drawn out sentences, Woolf paints an imagine in the reader's mind. Her descriptions are detailed, yet subtle. This creative sense appeals to both men and women alike.
    Lastly, Virginia Woolf uses flowery language to outline her experiences. Unlike over political non- fiction writers such as Henry David Thoreau, author of On The Duty of Disobedience (1849),  Virginia Woolf writes in an sophisticated way that is neither condescending nor dry. Her beautiful use of prose enchants the audience and leaves an impact.
     I'm mystified by how effectively; how efficiently Virginia Woolf manages to write. I enjoyed her take on the topic of feminism. She is not overbearing, or scornful, or pompous; Virginia does not attempt to flash her intelligence within her writing as an underlying way to achieve superiority. Instead, she writes from the heart. Her self awareness and mastery of language exudes confidence, setting her apart from any author I have ever read from. Taking note of her simplicity, sophistication, creativity, and depth I hope to one day write in a similar way.
   

An Obscene Proposal

    The issues of hunger and poverty have disturbed civilization since the beginning of time. Could there finally be a panacea to end the misfortune? Jonathan Swift, author of A Modest Proposal present a feasible solution.
   The author begins by setting the scene. He describes his homeland, full of starving women and infants; mothers of three, four, five, or even six children. Women are unable to work because they are too busy caring for their young. It is states that these children should be made useful to the commonwealth. But how? Swift proposes that the best way to tackle this issue is by eating the children. Somehow, this heinous idea of cannibalism is muted by prose. His subtle proposal seems qualified; reasonable. The author's use of ethos, logos, and pathos makes this argument so convincing.
     Jonathan Swift establishes credibility by using personal pronouns. He not only describes the issues  around him, but also offers his own confessions as well. Swift writes, "As to my own part, having turned my thoughts for many years upon this important subject, and maturely weighed the several schemes of our projectors, I have always found them grossly mistaken in their computation" (paragraph 4). In addition his use of personal pronouns, ("I" and "my"), the author also establishes himself as a credible source by informing the audience of his devotion to the matter. He inserts the time and effort that has been put into carefully computing possible solutions. These examples support ethos.
     Secondly, the author uses demographics to persuade readers. Swift writes, "... a child just born will weigh 12 pounds, and in a solar year, if tolerably nursed, will increase to 28 pounds" (paragraph 11). By using statistics, Swift appeals to logic. Mathematical figures make his argument stronger by providing more background information and fortifying his knowledge on the subject.
    Lastly, Swift appeals to emotion with his use of vivid language. Scrumptious vocabulary such as "wholesome" and "nourishing" make the idea of eating infants more appetizing. In a nation stricken by poverty, words such as "roasted", "baked", and "stewed" entice readers and evoke an emotional response inflicted by hunger. Swift uses pathos in this way.
    Jonathan Swift presents a outrageously obscene proposal in a manner so eloquent and composed, it appears to be realistic. Perhaps the purpose of this piece was not at all in fact a solution to world hunger, but rather a mockery of unrealistic political aspirations. No matter the intent, Swift's pamphlet is proof that any good writer can construct a well written argument using ethos, logos, and pathos.