Rhetorical Analysis of "A Call for National Service" by E.J. Dionne Jr

Introduction

Although most citizens rarely think about engaging in national service, it is important for any patriotic citizen to take part in the service as a way to strengthen their right to liberty. This is something E.J. Dionne Jr highlights and insists on in his article "A call for national service". He believes that young Americans could join the military or take part in voluntary public health education initiatives. Dionne Jr, a Washington Post Columnist, uses different writing styles to reach out to his audience preferably those between 18 and 28 years to engage in national service. This paper will analyze how the author uses pathos and repetition to emphasize his message of committing to national service.

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E.J. Dionne Jr. begins his article by quoting an important line from the Declaration of Independence that "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness" (Dionne Jr.). The author quotes the often forgotten line to make the readers get to remember their responsibilities and obligations as US citizens. Dionne Jr notes that citizens have to devote themselves to the nation to enable them to protect their unalienable rights including liberty, life, and the pursuit of happiness (Dionne Jr.). Essentially, the author persuades the reader through his reference to important theory. In further emphasis, the author quotes from a famous retired four-star general so that the reader would understand the depth and seriousness of the matter. The retired general McChrystal stated, "Universal service will change how we think about America and how we think about ourselves" (Dionne Jr.). After thinking about the general's statement, the author hopes that the readers would become more curious about national service and decide to engage themselves in it.

As mentioned earlier, the author uses pathos to strengthen his position on the importance of national service. The repeated use of the pronoun "we" is meant to appeal to the emotions of the readers. Moreover, it creates a sense of collective responsibility. The author uses a friendly tone to convince his readers and therefore, the readers feel trustworthy. The statement "working with the least advantaged among us, and conserving our environment" (Dionne Jr.), will increase the chances of unity among the readers since there is a common benefit gained after engaging in national service.

The author stirs rational thinking among his readers by stating that the issue could be debated upon in a way that disregards poisonous assumption. The statement enables the readers to think through and abandon their old beliefs before accepting the new ideology, which involves taking part in certain unavoidable responsibilities for the sole purpose of protecting one's unalienable rights. Therefore, the appeal to emotion effectively draws the readers' attention to national service by convincing them on the importance of being active participants.

The author's repeated use of the phrase "we owe" creates a greater sense of collective responsibility. Moreover, the phrase makes it a mandatory call for everyone to participate in national service. This locks out any room for excuses or lazy talk. The statement "we owe an enormous debt to those who have done tour after tour (Dionne Jr.)" is compelling and forces the readers to realize that national service is not for a select few. National service is a noble activity that everyone should be proud of. The author hopes that the readers would emulate the courage and dedication of those who took part in the war in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Apart from the motivation offered by the few volunteer service men and women, the author believes that the readers would realize how much they neglected their national duty and left it only to a few men and women. It is in the public domain that some volunteer service men and women come back home from war, having amputated limbs, which is traumatizing and a sign of heroism at the same time. This supports the reason why the author insists that fellow Americans owe an enormous debt to those who volunteered in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the author has laid out his emphasis on the claim that national service is an important obligation to every American citizen. He has employed the appeal to pathos, quotations from a national figure, repetition, and the appeal to emotion to win the readers' hearts. It is common knowledge that most people rarely think about national service or if they do, they believe that it is a duty for a select few. However, the repetition of the phrase "we owe" makes the readers understand that time for taking a back seat on the matter is long overdue.

The author persuades his readers by using the words from the independence declaration stating that protection from certain unalienable rights requires citizens to take part in unavoidable responsibilities. In raising the sympathy and feeling of guilt, the author states that the readers owe an enormous debt to those who volunteered in Iraq and Afghanistan. Overall, Dionne Jr. irons out his concerns and hope that all American citizens will heed his call to join the national service.

Work Cited

Dionne Jr, E.J. "E.J. Dionne Jr.: A Call For National Service". The Washington Post, 2013, https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/ej-dionne-jr-a-call-for-national-service/2013/07/03/a65bce5a-e402-11e2-a11e-c2ea876a8f30_story.html. Accessed 14 Feb 2019.