Olivia Gabriel

Mrs. Weathersbee
AP Language and Composition
21 May 2015
Argument against Debtors Prisons
To portray his position on debtors prisons, Samuel Johnson uses rhetorical strategies.
The rhetoric he uses enhances the meaning and adds effects to his ideas. He uses lengthy
sentences, rhetorical questions, pathos and logos to do this.
Throughout the excerpt, Johnson uses many long and involved sentences. He states, A
debtor is dragged to prison, pitiedforgottento wonder and abhor? This sentence contains

Olivia Gabriel 5/26/15 1:01 PM

Comment [1]: Samuel Johnson is clearly
against debtors prisons in the ways he
portrays their cruelty and unfairness.
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Comment [2]: To make his points stronger
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Comment [3]: Change the devices

many dependent clauses to form a sequence of events. This is significant because the reader gets
caught up in all that will happen in prison. He uses a rhetorical question, Who can forbear to
pity and lament, to wonder and abhor? at the end of the sentence. After getting the readers
mind running, the rhetorical question turns it back on the reader and makes them think about
how they will feel. Johnson does this to make the other view seem harsh and miserable.
Johnson employs the use of pathos by using strong diction. He states, Thus perish
yearly five thousand men, overborne with sorrow, consumed by famine, or putrified by filth
This harsh and unhappy sounding word choice makes the reader feel sorry for the prisoners.
They have emotions of pity toward the prisoners because of the strong word choice. This is
significant because if the reader feels sorry for the prisoner, they wont take the other side.
Lastly, Johnson uses logos when he says,one in thirty dies yearlyevery English
generation a hundred and fifty thousand perish in our gaols! By putting facts into the story, it
shows the reader his thinking is logical. The reader will be hurt that such a large amount of the

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Comment [4]: Delete
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Comment [5]: Johnsons strong diction
employs a sympathetic pathos among the
audience.
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Comment [6]: These
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Comment [7]: words
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Comment [8]: so they will be more likely to
join Johnsons side in the argument against
debtors prisons.
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Comment [9]: Of the argument
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Comment [10]: And, therefore, can be
trusted.

population dies. This is significant because the use of facts will make the reader think logically.
Johnsons use of rhetorical strategies in his piece is beneficial in receiving support for his
views. The rhetoric helps to portray exactly what the author thinks. Images are created in the
readers mind that will persuade them to agree with Johnson.

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Comment [11]: In this unjust environment.

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Comment [12]: Against them
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Comment [13]: Throughout this piece
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Comment [14]: And helps him show it in a
way to gain the audiences opinions.
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Comment [15]: Using imagery, diction, and
logos