Running head: RHETORICALLY ANALAYZING AN ARGUMENT 1

Sara DavisRhetorically Analyzing an ArgumentBaker College

The essay No Human Being is Illegal by Mae M. Ngai was published in the rhetorical context of immigration being one of the top subjects and arguments broadcasted in the media. The authors motivation behind this essay came after she wrote an op-ed in a newspaper in 2006 about how in the past the United States government legalized tens of thousands of European Immigrants. Ngai received very negative and hostile comments and post cards about her article. Immigration was a popular subject while Bush was in office but due to the events that took place on 9/11, immigration concerns were put to the side and have now once again become an issue. After doing some research on Ngai I discovered that Mae. M. Ngai is an American historian who focuses on citizenship, race, and ethnicity offering knowledge and credibility regarding the essay. Ngais parents were Chinese immigrants and has her own personal experience on immigration in America and uses ethos to persuade her audience. The author has also wrote articles for well-known and respected papers such as Washington Post, New York Times, and Los Angeles Times. My ideas on the issues of immigration have been changed due to Mae M. Ngais essay. Ngai used logos to logically appeal to me as the reader. Ngai used reasoning to persuade me that citizens of America are quick to blame the immigrants in America for our misfortunes. Casting immigrants as bearers of the work ethic, family values, and consensual citizenship renews the tired citizens faith-liberal capitalism. But when the immigrants disappoint or when conditions change, they become easy scapegoats (Ngai, 2012 p.870). She also uses logic in her title No Human Being Is Illegal to appeal to all readers. Mae M. Ngai used pathos to get her readers to use their imagination. She describes what it would be like to be and immigrant. She explains the lengths many of the immigrants go to just to be in America, this made me feel bad for immigrants and lucky to be born where I was. Increasing numbers of women from the global south are leaving their families behind as they migrate to the affluent countries to work as caretakers for other peoples children, as hotel-room cleaners, or as indentured sex-workers (Ngai, 2012 p.872). All of these rhetoric styles and strategies the author used have persuaded me to re-consider immigration in ways I have not before.

References:Baker College composition: A custom approach (Rev. ed.). (2012). Boston, MA: Pearson Learning Solutions.