The author of the written passage, “The Horizontal World”, Debra Marquart utilizes the rhetorical strategies of bleak imagery and ethos to initially encourage harmful stereotypes of the upper Midwest and later prove that region, where she grew up in, is in fact special. Marquart describes the region’s topology, famous trivialities such as it being in several movies, and even political stance. However, she does so by at first describing its physical characteristics with disgust and even with hints of disdain in order to support her intended audience’ existing viewpoint that the Midwest is simply a “fly-over” region in the United States with no real significance to it. Given her credibility as a midwesterner herself, being acquainted with all
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She delivers a plethora of trivial information that stems from the sole fact that she is from the same region of which she is talking about. She grew up in North Dakota, the most “unimpressive” region in the United States (L. 36). The audience are citizens of the United States who are most definitely inclined to believe everything she says because of where she hails from, giving in to her reputation and credibility as a midwestern author. Actually, she begins the passage with a specific detail only one familiar with the Midwest would know: “Driving west from Fargo on I-94” (L.1). This, right off the bat, establishes the notion that this woman knows exactly what she is talking about. She further supports the notion by informing the audience of historical eyewitness accounts of the region (L. …show more content…
Marquart intends for the audience to mentally take a step back and reflect, “Ohh, wait a minute… this place is actually… special”. Here are Russian immigrants, fleeing their home for a better life, feeling this never-before-felt “anticipation” as they arrived and anxiously waited to receive their government plots of land where they will live and re-make a home, a life. They sought peace and tranquility; the upper Midwest, North Dakota. Or in other words, their new home which is therefore special and not just boring and “a dreary plain” (L.39). Marquart achieves success in hopefully changing the perspective of her audience, making them see and recognize that the upper Midwest is a place people call
She delivers a plethora of trivial information that stems from the sole fact that she is from the same region of which she is talking about. She grew up in North Dakota, the most “unimpressive” region in the United States (L. 36). The audience are citizens of the United States who are most definitely inclined to believe everything she says because of where she hails from, giving in to her reputation and credibility as a midwestern author. Actually, she begins the passage with a specific detail only one familiar with the Midwest would know: “Driving west from Fargo on I-94” (L.1). This, right off the bat, establishes the notion that this woman knows exactly what she is talking about. She further supports the notion by informing the audience of historical eyewitness accounts of the region (L. …show more content…
Marquart intends for the audience to mentally take a step back and reflect, “Ohh, wait a minute… this place is actually… special”. Here are Russian immigrants, fleeing their home for a better life, feeling this never-before-felt “anticipation” as they arrived and anxiously waited to receive their government plots of land where they will live and re-make a home, a life. They sought peace and tranquility; the upper Midwest, North Dakota. Or in other words, their new home which is therefore special and not just boring and “a dreary plain” (L.39). Marquart achieves success in hopefully changing the perspective of her audience, making them see and recognize that the upper Midwest is a place people call