Introduction
In “Forgiveness Story” (2007), Callwood argues that, although forgiveness is hard and sometimes seems impossible, one should forgive one’s insulters for one’s own sake. Callwood (2007) explores various aspects of forgiveness, such as the futility of apologies, the influence of forgiveness on health, and various strategies for forgiving one’s enemies. Callwood (2007) suggests that people should accept the insult, distract their attention from it to suppress wrath, and then, either forgive or forget. The author stresses the importance of forgiveness by arguing that it brings peace to one’s mind and allows one to move forward. Although the article does not provide any information about the writer’s experience regarding forgiveness, Callwood makes herself sound credible by citing multiple anecdotes and providing evidence of thorough research into the question. Callwood’s audience is people who hesitate or struggle to forgive their offenders, and her purpose is to persuade these people to take the path of forgiveness. I agree with Callwood’s argument that holding grudges decreases people’s well-being; however, I think that the author could have made her point more persuasive by changing some supporting evidence.
Main body
In order to persuade her audience, Callwood uses an appropriate organizational mode by structuring her article according to the cause and effect pattern. Her main argument is stated in the last paragraph of the article. She writes that although forgiveness is challenging, “The reward for giving up scalding thoughts of reprisal is peace of mind. It is worth the candle” (Callwood, 2007, para. 18). To support this argument, Callwood builds a cause and effect chain. The initial cause is specific harm done to one’s body or soul. This harm results in two possible options: an insulted person can either hold grudges or forgive his or her offender. The first option leads people to feel “emotionally crippled by anger and grief” (Callwood, 2007, para. 14). If they fail to cope with their negative emotions, their “personal growth stops cold” (Callwood, 2007, para. 15). The second option makes people find peace, and this is the option that Callwood wants her readers to choose. By using this organizational pattern, Callwood allows the audience to explore the existing alternatives and make sure that her argument is feasible.
Callwood further persuades readers by effectively using two types of appeal: ethos and pathos. In the beginning, the author captures readers’ attention by narrating two anecdotes that find a strong emotional response in the audience. The first story is about a boy whose father beat him to wounds, and the second story is about a woman in a biracial marriage whose mother showed her disgust when seeing her newborn child (Callwood, 2007). The final part of the paper also contains anecdotes, in which people managed to forgive the unforgivable, such as the murder of their loved ones. Using such emotionally charged stories helps Callwood engage the audience in reading and serves as a powerful tool of persuasion. In addition to pathos, Callwood uses the appeal to authority by citing experts and demonstrating that she has conducted research into the question. For example, she proves the importance of forgiveness by referring to religion: “The ability to forgive is a central tenet of every major religion in the world—Christian, Judaic, Hindu, Buddhist, and Islamic” (Callwood, 2007, para. 4). Citing medical research and therapists help her convince readers of her credibility.
Callwood brings forward numerous arguments to support her thesis, but not all of them serve her purpose of persuasion. The reference to religion, opinions of therapists and psychologies, and anecdotes effectively back up her main argument. Yet, some arguments seem to make readers doubt the point that the author makes. For example, there is a good citation of medical research: “Unforgiving people, some studies show, are three times more likely to have heart disease as people who don’t carry grudges” (Callwood, 2007, para. 10). Although it is supportive of Callwood’s thesis about the benefit of forgiveness, she weakens it by the rest of the paragraph, where she states, “These findings raise the suspicion that the researchers may have the cart before the horse” (Callwood, 2007, para. 10). Apart from that, Callwood (2007) mentions opinions against forgiveness, like Herbert Marcuse’s point that “forgiveness condones the crime,” but she does not provide clear arguments against them (para. 6). As a result, it is difficult for some readers to become utterly persuaded in Callwood’s thesis when she leaves such controversial points unresolved.
Generally, I agree with Callwood’s argument that forgiveness is essential for people because holding grudges poisons one’s life and prevents one from feeling happy and at peace. However, I assume that forgiveness is achievable when one’s offender gets the punishment. If the offender receives no punishment, the insulted person will resent the injustice, and it can be impossible for him or her to forgive. My opinion did not change as I read the article because, although Callwood explained the benefit of forgiveness, she also raised the question of the offender’s unaccountability but did not resolve it. I think that the article could be have been better if the author had approached the topic differently. To improve the article and make it more persuasive, I would either exclude the parts concerning enemies’ not taking responsibility for their wrongdoings or offer feasible counterarguments to them. Furthermore, I would not discredit medical research findings concerning the health benefits of forgiveness.
Conclusion
To sum up, Callwood’s article aims at persuading the audience that forgiveness is necessary for people to feel at peace. Callwood utilizes many effective strategies of persuasion, such as the cause and effect organizational pattern and appeals to emotions and authority. Although I generally agree with her point, I believe that the article could be improved by removing unresolved questions and strengthening the supportive evidence.
Reference
Callwood, J. (2007). Forgiveness Story. The Walrus. Web.