Rhetorical Strategies In Ways Of Seeing By John Berger

In the essay titled “Ways of Seeing,” by John Berger, it is apparent that the author speaks to a higher class of academics that there is a subjective way people of today’s culture view things, including art. He contends that the socially accepted normality’s skew the perspective of the current generation and it is believed that there should be multiple ways of thinking instead of one. Though subtle at first glance, Mr. Berger uses the three key rhetorical strategies; logos, ethos, and pathos to develop a persuasive argument towards changing subjective observations. By tying in logical reason to support his claim, showing trustworthiness, and giving emotional persuasion, the Author uses all three rhetorical strategies to try and change certain subjective thinking. The rhetorical strategy, logos, is an appeal to logical reason to give the reader evidence of the claim. When the author writes, “The bogus religiosity which now surrounds original works of art, and which …show more content…
Within the first paragraph, the essay is written that, “John Berger is an art critic, novelist, painter, and author… [and also] the winner of England’s Booker Prize and the James Tate Black Memorial Prize” (Berger 118). Starting the essay out with showing that the author knows what he is talking about gives a sense of trust between the reader and the text. This should always be a questioned method, but is crucial to get someone to listen to the opinion written out. If an author was to give an excellent resume, but had nothing to do with the topic, then the information couldn’t be trusted completely. That’s why this specific strategy will attract a person who is familiar with his achievements, John Berger’s work, and credibility of his ideas. The purpose of John Berger gaining confidence with his listeners is to push them out of their comfort zone and into something