Writer Peter Singer’s article “The Solution to World Poverty” develops a persuasive argument to encourage and make people understand the importance of donating to help save kids life within their means, Singer adopts a guilt-ridden tone in order to sway the audience into donating money to help the kids of Brazil. Singer achieve his purpose through the use of imagery, syntax, and rhetorical questions.
Singer beings his article by describing a Brazilian film in where a homeless boy is persuade into going to an address where he will be killed for his organs however the Woman who took him there did not know about he final result for the boy instead she was more drawn into the money that she would receive. When telling the story Singer uses parenthesis in which he talks about how the women was lied to since she was told the boy would be taken to a wealthy family.
This dramatically changes how the women is views since it make you do that slight head nod in where you somewhat understand and comprehend why the woman would do such a horrific thing. With the money Dora 9the women who delivered the boy) buys a television set and Singer describes it as “fun” later on however Singer Juxtaposes that feeling when he later tates that Dora had a “troubled” night knowing that the boy was actually going to get killed.
It’s as if Singer wants to acknowledge and link together the idea that even when we’re having fun and we think all is going well there is always someone out there who is having a bad day. Some people have it better than us but there are also other who have it worse. Following Singer gets into the principle and most crucial point in which is basically the whole reason for his article.
He uses logos to make a prominent point in where he states that one third of the income made by the average American family is going to hings that we want but don’t really need. He follows this with the then stating that we could actually use that money to help children that would make a world difference for them. Do you feel that? Yeah that feeling of guilt. By now is the time where you’re questioning every single thing you’ve ever bought and thinking if you really needed the latest iPhone.
That’s how Singer wants us to feel and in his hopes wanting us to be aware of the fact that we can help end world poverty. Although it doesn’t end there because now is the time where you come up with excuses and doubt and it still doesn’t seem to sink in the idea that we houldn’t spend money on things we don’t need and instead we should donate it. Well no to worry because Singer follows up with the use of imagery to get us to see things in a more “What would I do? ” sort of situation which is really eye-opening.
There has probably been a time where someone had asked or you opinion on what you would if you were in a certain situation and that is exactly what Singer does when he talks about an example of how a man is close to retirement and he’s in a situation that with in switch he could have saved a child life although he was a stranger or his valuable car that would secure im financially With the use of this imagery it’s quick to judge and not be able to understand why Bob would choice a car over a child’s life and it make you feel miserable and just sad for the boy and the thought that there are people like that out in the world.
However Singer is quick to remind us that we are all Bob in some way. We have the opportunity to help but most of us don’t do it and so what makes us better than Bob? Singer than proceeds to once again fill our minds with the use of logos to give an estimate to how much money donating would guarantee for a child’s wellbeing. Singer provides a phone number and names of organizations to which basically shoves you into a corner and gives you no way out of not being able to donate. Later Singer states “Now you too, have the information you need to save a child’s life.
By starting off the sentence with “now you too” he gives off a sense of power and it really makes you believe that you can make a difference. Relating back to the image of Bob and how could have saved the little boy’s life Singer than compares not donating to being just like not switching the switch which causes an over showering of guilt owards his audience and the feeling of not wanting to be as heartless as Bob was. As if Singer could read minds he uses rhetorical questions that he knows have probably crossed his audiences mind if the money will donated will actually help a child.
He then puts those questions to rest by assuring his audience the money will reach its target. Singer than continues with hypothetical scenarios that keeps his audience on their toes and with every question an scenario just makes them more and more convinced to donate. As the article continues Singer gives the general overview and he covers every doubts or in ome cases excuses that the audience many come across and it all leads to the final thought that donating the money that you spend on luxuries should actually be donated.
Towards the end Singer breaks down everything into the matter of money that can easily scare his audience however he infuses guilt by acknowledging the fact that if you think going out to dinner is more important than saving a child’s life than wow what kind of a person are you? Basically there is no escaping the guilt, anguish, and overwhelming feeling of feeling that all your life you’ve just been a little too selfish and all this time you could ave been making a difference.
That is what Singer wants you to feel and to end things with that last bit of guilt he compares the situation of Bob to the one we all have because in some way we are all Bob we all have the opportunity to choose to help we are all in the situation that Bob was in. We can either choose to not care or too donate. Singer ends with two very short sentences in which he states we are all in the situation to donate or not and the use of these short sentences make it earlier for the audience to remember and acknowledge that they are in fact in same situation that Bob was in.
Thus connecting back to that “What would you do ? ” scenario that Bob was in it’s likely that his audience thought that Bob did wrong which connects to if they don’t donate they would be exactly like Bob. Overall Singer brings out the guiltiest feeling scenarios and examples to help his audience understand and rally think about how much they can change the lives of kids by giving up on something that is not a necessity to them. Singer covers all the bases when it comes to the what if questions and leaves his audience with nothing but the eagerly feeling to do better and be better by donating.