Summary Of Rhetorical Analysis Of Is A Hard Life Inherited

The Non-existent American Fantasy
What is the “American Dream”? Work hard, climb the ladders of society, and achieve economic prosperity for oneself and family. However, what of those who fail to do so and drown to the bottom of disparity? They are generally looked down upon and mostly ignored. In “Is a Hard Life Inherited?” the author Nicholas Kristof discusses how the working class is suffering and are not getting the desired exposure. He explains the situation using the anecdote of his friend Rick Goff, a tone that is somewhat biased, and concrete description portraying the sufferings of the working-class Americans.
Nicholas Kristof has been associated with The New York Times since 2001. He has studied in both Harvard and Oxford and has

He states, “…he grew up in a ramshackle home in a mire of disadvantage, and when he was 5 years old, his mom choked on a piece of bacon, staggered out to the yard and dropped dead” (par. 6). The audience, those who have faced a similar situation, might be able to remember how it felt back then. In this context, Goff is already in a very dysfunctional neighborhood, and the account of his mother’s death paints a painful picture in the minds of the audience. The author goes further into giving the audience yet another glimpse of Goff’s other misfortunes. He states, “Rick survives on disability (his hand was mashed in an accident) and odd jobs (some for my family). His health is frail, for he has had heart problems and kidney cancer that almost killed him two years ago” (par. 17). The audience might know someone who has faced the same or lesser amount of hardships. If not, they can still picture Goff’s life. Reading the article, the audience can see how the odds are stacked against Goff and still he is living his life, while being completely ignored by the ever-progressing world. Kristof effectively utilizes pathos to paint a mental image into the minds of his