In his article, Staples describes how people are afraid of black men and how black men adjust their behaviors to reduce this fear. This article is rhetorically effective because of its skillful use of diction, pathos, and ethos. Staples uses diction to draw a vivid picture of the ominous impression he had on women. He carefully chooses words that make readers feel as if they were present at the scene. For example, such phrases as “menacingly close” and “dark shadowy intersections” convey the fear that people had when encountering the author in the street (Staples 1). Diction is also effectively used when describing the author’s encounters with police officers and other people who, based on his appearance, assumed that he was an offender.
Staples also uses pathos to appeal to his audience emotionally. He does it by first describing women’s perception of him as an ominous man and then by revealing his true nature. Depicting women’s experiences, Staples writes, “It was clear that she thought herself the quarry of a mugger, a rapist, or worse” (1). Then, to elicit an emotion of comfort, Staples describes himself as “s a softy who is scarcely able to take a knife to a raw chicken” (1). Finally, Staples uses ethos to show that he acknowledged the opposing point of view: “The danger they perceive is not a hallucination… young black males are drastically overrepresented among the perpetrators” (2). The author also mentions his credentials to establish his trustworthiness and persuade the disagreeing audience.
Work Cited
Staples, Brent. Black Men and Public Space. Web.