Gordon Martel's Synthesis Essay

Martel’s comprehension of his audience allows him to utilize persuasive techniques to convince the students that his book is telling the real story of what caused the war. When listing the causes of the war, Martel writes, “we must unravel the diplomatic ties that connected these events to one another” (5), which conveys his own viewpoint rather than relating to any of the views that he previously mentioned. Martel’s use of the phrase “we must,” subtly convinces the audience that they will not be able to understand what actually caused the First World War without looking at his own point. Furthermore, Martel utilizes repetition to make his viewpoint seem more cogent. In the same sentence as the one quoted before, Martel once again uses the phrase “we must,” writing, “We must understand what the ‘alliance system’ was and how it was bound” (5). The use of repetition here helps firmly ingrain the information into the reader’s mind. Additionally, it strengthens the idea that only by understanding the alliance system, will the reader be …show more content…
Martel does so by fully understanding who his audience is – North American or British undergraduate college students. With the knowledge of who his audience is, Martel is able to properly cater to their needs. The use of rhetoric convinces the audience that the viewpoint they had been previously taught did not tell the whole story, and what Martel informs them is what actually caused World War I. Martel’s academic voice gives him authority on the subject and allows the audience to trust him and his information. Although Martel does acknowledge that there are other viewpoints unlike the one he collated, he proficiently persuades the readers that his synthesis is the best and most logical