Rule Of Law By Elaine Scarry: Rhetorical Analysis

The constitution provides the moral and legal foundation upon which this country stands. It is a right of every person in the United States to uphold and defend securities given to them by the constitution. Of course, there is occasionally acts passed or committed by the government that directly challenge these foundational beliefs. Elaine Scarry’s book, Rule of Law, Misrule of Men, recounts stories of White House officials violating their pledge to uphold both American and international laws along with the American people’s outcry against these actions. This book provides a detailed look at moral and legal shortcoming of the Bush presidency, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the Patriot Act. Scarry urges her readers to think about the …show more content…
One of the most effective things Scarry does when discussing this is, she dismantles all the rhetoric that is used within the bill. The thing that I found the most striking was that the name U.S.A Patriot Act is, in fact, an anagram. To the everyday person, the name of this act would inspire national pride, yet Scarry’s writing makes it clear to see that there is a very thin line between patriotism and nationalism. This act would have Americans, in essence, turn on each other while simultaneously allowing the government unlimited access to their lives. Scarry also writes about how the bill is incredibly long and convoluted. This adds to the rhetoric of the bill, it is hard for people to argue against something if they aren’t fully sure what it is. Yet people have found a way, and Scarry uses these resolutions to further her argument that the Patriot Act is unconstitutional. She states that “The Patriot Act has degraded the legal stature of the United States by permitting the executive branch to bypass the Constitutional law.” (pg. 4) An excellent job is done of using the grievances of these cities and towns to prove how the law is unconstitutional. Scarry uses the rhetoric found within these resolutions, for example, the fact that the Patriot Act violates a person’s right to privacy, and due process, to build her case. By using the voice of the people, Scarry is able to give her argument a real emotional weight. Her …show more content…
It starts by discussing the growing resistance movements that oppose the unconstitutionality of the Patriot Act. It then goes on to remind the reader of not only theirs but the most basic rights of all people. Finally, it argues that no government official should think himself above the law and break said law must be punished. While there are some minor problems with the book they don’t really subtract from the effectiveness of the book's messages. Rule of Law, Misrule of Men is an excellent novel that includes readers to know their rights and demand