Readings (And Analysis)

RR: "God, Darwin, and My College Biology Class"

The argument of this piece is that God and evolution are not comparable. The author uses multiple examples to accentuate this. Mostly, these examples focus on logic. He points out that the ideas of complexity and human uniqueness are both contrary to what biology teaches us. 

RR: "My Right to Death With Dignity at 29"

The argument of this piece is that someone terminally ill should have the opportunity to choose whether or not to die. To defend this, the author uses vivid descriptions that contrast how bad the worry of suffering would be with the peace that comes from saying goodbye on your own time. Her personal story is a convincing argument. 

AR: Martin Luther King Jr. "I Have A Dream"

This speech's argument is that America should stay true to their creed that "All men are created equal." Martin Luther King Jr uses descriptive imagery, religious language and repetition to bring his point across.

Barack Obama. National Prayer Breakfast. 

Obama's argument is that as a country and a people, we should not be so full of fear towards others of religions different to ours. Obama relates to people's morality and their Christianity in order to convince them that doing this is best. He also boosts the ethos of his argument by connecting it to past presidents such as Lincoln. With his stories, he connects to the human, everyday feelings of the audience.