Silko’s Strategy in “The Border Patrol State”

It was interesting to see how in-depth the book went in analyzing Silko’s essay on the injustices in her hometown. Most of the time, when I’m reading a well-constructed argument, I don’t always notice the different types of appeals that the author is using, but I know that they are effective because they influence my thoughts about the subject. It’s clear that Silko put a lot of thought into her essay, making sure to argue through all three appeals. It was helpful to be reminded that while most of us would like to think that we’re fair and detatched when analyzing an argument, appeals to pathos are the strongest, and most often the appeals we remember most clearly.

-Matt S.