A Well Written Persuasion
The article “How to Mark a Book”, was written by Mortimer J. Alder, Ph.D., and published on July 6, 1941. This article is the “father of books” opinion of the benefits of marking in a work of literature as you read it. Dr. Alder devoted his life to education and firmly believed that great conversation and learning stems from the discussion of great works of literature. This article particularly highlights this belief as it is his expressed opinion of the proper way to “do the most efficient kind of reading.” The article walks you through the benefits of not only reading between the lines, but marking in them as well. He also included a few creative suggestions to navigate around some of the popular objections to writing …show more content…
Alder appeals to the reader’s emotion, or pathos, as well as logic, or logos, and he even provides several counter arguments for ethos, or ethical dilemmas, in this case dilemmas to marking in books. The Dr. implores pathos several times throughout the article, but one area in the very beginning of the article stands out the most. He begins discussing the differences in the two ways in which one can own a book; property right from purchase and full ownership. Dr. Alder describes full ownership as the booking being “a part of yourself”, and that the best way to accomplish this is “by writing in it” and that books “must be absorbed in your bloodstream to do you any good.” Dr. Alder appeals to pathos, or emotion several other times throughout the article, making it not only a good writing, but an intricate, emotionally, layered piece. The use of pathos takes a writing and gives it depth like when an artist making a drawing 3 dimensional rather than just a flat 2 dimensional piece. However Dr. Alder doesn’t stop with pathos, his use of logos is not as obvious as his use of pathos. Towards the middle of the article he states that the most famous “active reader of great books” is President Hutchins of the University of Chicago (president 1929-1951). While you may not know who President Hutchins is, it is easy to infer his importance, as well as his level of higher education from his title of university president. This title leads you to either consciously or subconsciously logically associate “active reading” or book marking with the president, a symbol of higher education. If the use of pathos and logos weren’t enough, Dr. Alder includes ethical counter arguments throughout the article. The most obvious ethical argument, and in my opinion most blunt, is within the following sentence; “If your respect for magnificent binding or typography gets in the way, buy yourself a cheap edition and pay your respects to the author.” Alder is trying to argue here that if it is
The article “How to Mark a Book”, was written by Mortimer J. Alder, Ph.D., and published on July 6, 1941. This article is the “father of books” opinion of the benefits of marking in a work of literature as you read it. Dr. Alder devoted his life to education and firmly believed that great conversation and learning stems from the discussion of great works of literature. This article particularly highlights this belief as it is his expressed opinion of the proper way to “do the most efficient kind of reading.” The article walks you through the benefits of not only reading between the lines, but marking in them as well. He also included a few creative suggestions to navigate around some of the popular objections to writing …show more content…
Alder appeals to the reader’s emotion, or pathos, as well as logic, or logos, and he even provides several counter arguments for ethos, or ethical dilemmas, in this case dilemmas to marking in books. The Dr. implores pathos several times throughout the article, but one area in the very beginning of the article stands out the most. He begins discussing the differences in the two ways in which one can own a book; property right from purchase and full ownership. Dr. Alder describes full ownership as the booking being “a part of yourself”, and that the best way to accomplish this is “by writing in it” and that books “must be absorbed in your bloodstream to do you any good.” Dr. Alder appeals to pathos, or emotion several other times throughout the article, making it not only a good writing, but an intricate, emotionally, layered piece. The use of pathos takes a writing and gives it depth like when an artist making a drawing 3 dimensional rather than just a flat 2 dimensional piece. However Dr. Alder doesn’t stop with pathos, his use of logos is not as obvious as his use of pathos. Towards the middle of the article he states that the most famous “active reader of great books” is President Hutchins of the University of Chicago (president 1929-1951). While you may not know who President Hutchins is, it is easy to infer his importance, as well as his level of higher education from his title of university president. This title leads you to either consciously or subconsciously logically associate “active reading” or book marking with the president, a symbol of higher education. If the use of pathos and logos weren’t enough, Dr. Alder includes ethical counter arguments throughout the article. The most obvious ethical argument, and in my opinion most blunt, is within the following sentence; “If your respect for magnificent binding or typography gets in the way, buy yourself a cheap edition and pay your respects to the author.” Alder is trying to argue here that if it is