Summary Of Consider The Lobster By David Foster Wallace

Lobster, often named the king of seafood, is often seen as one of the most scrumptious seafood delights; yet poses some serious questions in the realm of morality. At least, that is what David Foster Wallace, the author of “Consider the Lobster”, proposes to his readers. He does this through his experience of the Maine Lobster Festival, or MLF, as well as examining the ways in which lobster is handled, prepared, and how people justify these practices. Knowing that the vast majority of lobster is boiled alive, the question posed is important not only for our morality but for the sake of all lobsters. Wallace takes this issue and looks at both sides of the argument; he questions the evidence provided by supporters of the status quo, while presenting evidence and emotional appeals in opposition that cause the reader to really reflect. By highlighting the ways in which we are possibly mistreating lobster, Wallace successfully makes readers reconsider how we handle our lobster and whether we should …show more content…
He accomplishes this rhetorically through making logical arguments that show a possibility of lobsters feeling pain, and counter local rebuttals that propose false premises about the nature of lobsters. And adds his own emotional appeals in his own experiences with boiling lobster and experiencing the festival. While diving into reasoning on both sides of the argument Wallace makes logical arguments to reveal the possibility for lobsters experiencing excruciating pain. At the same time, he pulls emotionally charged language and imagery to cause readers to really second guess their assumptions. I believe that in the end Wallace does prove successful in evoking these emotions and causing readers, like me, to rethink our morality on this food