We All Fall Down: A Rhetorical Analysis
“In 2013, an estimated 24.6 million Americans aged 12 or older were current (past month) illicit drug users…” (Substance Abuse and Mental Health). Addiction to illicit drugs is on the rise in the United States. More people are becoming addicted, and the users are becoming younger. Drug addiction is a very serious issue that affects millions of people every year. The type of drug can vary from hallucinogens to stimulants; all can have a very deadly effect. In the novel, We All Fall Down, the author, Nic Sheff, was addicted to crystal meth. “Methamphetamine (also called “speed” or “ice”) is a stimulant that has dangerous effects on the central nervous system. It increases heart rate, breathing rate, …show more content…
Nic Sheff used pathos to convey a variety of emotions. Throughout the novel, he has thoughts about his past lifestyle and how it would be easier to give in (Sheff 104-105). The author also describes when he relapsed (Sheff 212). These situations create feelings of disappointment and fury within the reader because he had returned to his old ways. The author also becomes addicted to alcohol and weed to substitute for the hard drugs (Sheff 292-293), and he even took his mother pills for no reason (Sheff 310-311). Again, more anger and disgust is felt by the readers for the author because they feel hopeful and have their trust in him taken away due to his actions. Sheff describes all of these moments because he wants the readers to be in the story and feel the emotions he …show more content…
He uses similes to relate his experiences now to experiences he had had in the past. A simile he uses is “...making my heart beat fast, like I’m on speed or something” (Sheff 281). He uses this simile because he knows exactly what it is like to be on speed and how it makes a person’s heart race. Another simile he uses is “...load up a up a bowl...and smoke till my brain feels like it’s been separated from my body” (Sheff 293-294). Again, because he had smoked weed before, he knows the difference between good weed and bad weed. He also knows the effects that each has. A third simile he uses is “...we both start laughing...so uncontrollably-like little children” (Sheff 277). He uses this at the end of the novel to show how he has improved and gotten past all the negativity in his life. He is showing that he is now content with the life he is living. Similes are constantly used throughout the novel to make certain situations easier to understand. The similes he uses can help the readers relate to themselves and put in their own life experiences to compare to to help them get themselves into
“In 2013, an estimated 24.6 million Americans aged 12 or older were current (past month) illicit drug users…” (Substance Abuse and Mental Health). Addiction to illicit drugs is on the rise in the United States. More people are becoming addicted, and the users are becoming younger. Drug addiction is a very serious issue that affects millions of people every year. The type of drug can vary from hallucinogens to stimulants; all can have a very deadly effect. In the novel, We All Fall Down, the author, Nic Sheff, was addicted to crystal meth. “Methamphetamine (also called “speed” or “ice”) is a stimulant that has dangerous effects on the central nervous system. It increases heart rate, breathing rate, …show more content…
Nic Sheff used pathos to convey a variety of emotions. Throughout the novel, he has thoughts about his past lifestyle and how it would be easier to give in (Sheff 104-105). The author also describes when he relapsed (Sheff 212). These situations create feelings of disappointment and fury within the reader because he had returned to his old ways. The author also becomes addicted to alcohol and weed to substitute for the hard drugs (Sheff 292-293), and he even took his mother pills for no reason (Sheff 310-311). Again, more anger and disgust is felt by the readers for the author because they feel hopeful and have their trust in him taken away due to his actions. Sheff describes all of these moments because he wants the readers to be in the story and feel the emotions he …show more content…
He uses similes to relate his experiences now to experiences he had had in the past. A simile he uses is “...making my heart beat fast, like I’m on speed or something” (Sheff 281). He uses this simile because he knows exactly what it is like to be on speed and how it makes a person’s heart race. Another simile he uses is “...load up a up a bowl...and smoke till my brain feels like it’s been separated from my body” (Sheff 293-294). Again, because he had smoked weed before, he knows the difference between good weed and bad weed. He also knows the effects that each has. A third simile he uses is “...we both start laughing...so uncontrollably-like little children” (Sheff 277). He uses this at the end of the novel to show how he has improved and gotten past all the negativity in his life. He is showing that he is now content with the life he is living. Similes are constantly used throughout the novel to make certain situations easier to understand. The similes he uses can help the readers relate to themselves and put in their own life experiences to compare to to help them get themselves into