The Great Influenza John Barry Analysis

Scientific Research and the Unknown Scientific research can be defined using a number of different methods. John M. Barry writes about the scientific process in The Great Influenza, and he uses several different tactics in characterizing it. Barry uses metaphors and unusual syntax in order to characterize scientific research as uncertain and unknown. Barry compares scientific research to venturing into the wilderness in order to characterize it as a journey into the unknown. He begins this comparison by explaining that the best scientists “move deep into a wilderness region where they know almost nothing, where the very tools and techniques needed to clear the wilderness, to bring order to it, do not exist” (Barry 26-29).

In a passage from The Great Influenza, author John M. Barry writes about what it is like to be a scientist. He describes scientists as pioneers and uses that to get across his idea. The author states that being a scientist is brave and uses metaphor, the motif of an explorer, and logos to prove his point.

In the passage from The Great Influenza, John M. Barry uses rhetorical strategies like: antithetical ideas, extended metaphors, and diction to characterize scientific research. In the first paragraph, Barry uses a parallel sentence structure of an antithetical idea when discussing Certainty versus Uncertainty, he uses Certainty versus Uncertainty to intensify the words in the next paragraph. " Certainty creates strength. Certainty gives one something upon which to lean.

This would be important because it describes how scientist are needed to be open minded and positive. He then utilizes certain word choice such as lack, rarely, and yield, in order to make the audience more interested in Barry's

Barry’s use of syntax to effectively state his argument, his use of diction to allow the reader to comprehend the meaning of a phrase, and the allegories to add further emphasis to his main points all are important rhetorical strategies. These strategies don’t just emphasize the important of certainty and how it can benefit the field of science, but they also describe how uncertainty can also impact discoveries and how it can prohibit discoveries from being

From the passage taken from, The Great Influenza, by John M. Barry, Barry frequently uses the appeal to logic and the appeal to credibility to characterize the scientific research as courageous and “moving deep into the wilderness”. With the line “Confidence and strength deeper than physical courage.” Barry uses this line to characterize how going into scientific research requires “Strength” and “confidence” to even go into such a topic. With it he give realization to the reader that it take more than your “physical” strength but mental strength and courage to be able to take on the work take comes with scientific research. The author give credit on work much scientists give and are put through just for their work.

He makes the text more relatable by characterizing the typical American mindset. He successfully explains to the reader that the persecution of intellectuals is something our country should not be doing. Leonid Friedman compares and contrasts athletic versus academic success throughout the passage. He has direct comparisons using an

Many people already see scientists as intelligent, but it is not as common to hear that scientists have “passion, patience, creativity, self-sufficiency, and courage.” Popular culture may promote scientists as automaton-like and lacking sentiment, or perhaps as the classic mad scientist, but Barry’s description of scientists shows that they are indeed real people whose work requires a great determination and confidence and extends beyond the realm of pure intellectualism. Using simple, but positive language allows Barry to create empathy in the reader for the scientist, but perhaps more importantly, to convey his message to a broad

In John M. Barry’s “The Great Influenza” scientific research is made out to be a process based off gaining knowledge in fields that have little base knowledge and then cooperating with other researchers in order to either further develop from that point or to further validate the current idea. Barry supports this ideal through his extended metaphor, parallelism, and the exemplification. Throughout the piece, Barry describes scientific research as a step into the unknown through his extended metaphor. Barry relates all scientists together onto the same playing field stating, “All real scientists exist on the frontier. Even the less ambitious among them…”

These three devices work in tandem, aiding the reader while they learn about the scientific process. The first rhetorical device used in the excerpt is anaphora, the repetition of the word certainty and uncertainty is used to initiate each of the first four sentences. Barry uses this repetition to implant the idea that science is full of self-doubt and overcoming this allows one to become successful. In the first four sentences he says “Certainty creates strength. Certainty gives one something….Uncertainty

At any time, a scientist's research can be torn apart by a new finding or experiment. In line 21 Barry says that "uncertainty requires a confidence

First, Barry employs scientific diction to describe the work of scientists and how they function. Scientists often use different tools to do their job and to find answers. Barry states, “There a single step can take them through the looking glass into a world that seems entirely different.” The use of the word looking glass refers to old technology that was commonly used by the scientists giving light to the way scientists function by mentioning their instruments.

It is often stated that people relate to emotions and not facts, and it seems Goodman understands just that. She clearly states the concepts and fundamentals behind the triumphs and struggles of modern day science while presenting them in a way that is filled with emotion. From jealously, delight and frustration, Goodman captures it all. Goodman writes, “Over and over he looked, and each time he made the discovery again: his virus worked on cancer cells. He had never seen anything more beautiful or more important than that mouse before him on the table,” (Goodman, 75).

Describe a problem you 've solved or a problem you 'd like to solve. It can be an intellectual challenge, a research query, an ethical dilemma-anything that is of personal importance, no matter the scale. Explain its significance to you and what steps you took or could be taken to identify a solution.

The rays of light were bent as they passed close to the sun” (Ireland 42). This shows that Albert Einstein is intelligent because he had figured out a flaw in an incredible scientist’s law about science. This is important because it shows how he was intelligent enough to disregard that everyone thought something was right, and still be able to prove them wrong. This shows how intelligent Albert Einstein was and how it lead him to be incredibly