Excuse me...

 Rhetorical Analysis 

Tamara Rusk -Kurt Vonnegut -Liberty University ​​-Course Number:​ ENG 101 

Charity Givens -Aug 24th, 2023   

I Am Very Real 

Kurt Vonnegut responds to the school board after 32 copies of his novel, slaughterhouse five, are burned. He is upset and wanting to communicate to Charles Mccarthy (the head of the school board) that he is, in fact “very real” and a “good citizen”  

claims were made that the book had “obscene language” and was the first of many books to be removed from campus. 

 

He begins by appealing to the Pathos side of Mr Mc Carthy stating that he is not wishing to sell more books, alert the press of his written communication or demand that his books be placed back in the schools. Mr Vonnegut wishes only to prove his character and make his defense known for his work. I believe he makes very good arguments for who he is as a person as well as a fellow educator. He states, 

 

 “I am so much trusted with young people and by young people that I have served on the faculties of the University of Iowa, Harvard, and the City College of New York. Every year I receive at least a dozen invitations to be commencement speaker at colleges and high schools. My books are probably more widely used in schools than those of any other living American fiction writer.”  

This also appeals to the logos as he is proving his books to be fit for schools and not inappropriate. However, I think his statement would have held more weight had he included a statistic or facts on how widely used his books are rather than using the word “probably” 

 

He does not deny that some coarse language is used but defends it by saying: 

“It is true that some of the characters speak coarsely. That is because people speak coarsely  

in real life. Especially soldiers and hardworking men speak coarsely, and even our most sheltered children know that. And we all know, too, that those words really don’t damage children much.” 

He repeats a few times, in different words that he is not an evil person and does not write books seeking to defile the minds of youth. He can speak with authority on coarse language, as he tells us he has served in World War II and holds a purple heart. He has also been raised on a farm and has worked hard for everything he has. This appeals to the Ethos, stating authority in the subject. He makes the argument that coarse language does not harm children. 

I also find it pertinent that he himself has six children so he would have experience on what damages children, what is appropriate for them as well as what children can understand. 

 

The context is made clear to us, he is upset as a result of his books being burned, as well as feeling that he is being ignored and overlooked by Mr McCarthy. He also makes the accusation that his books have not been read by the very man who removed them  

“If you were to bother to read my books, to behave as educated persons would, you would learn that they are not sexy, and do not argue in favor of wildness of any kind. They beg that people be kinder and more responsible than they often are.” 

 

He appeals to both the reader and its intended recipient, begging for a more open-minded approach. 

“If you and your board are now determined to show that you in fact have wisdom and maturity when you exercise your powers over the education of your young, then you should acknowledge that it was a rotten lesson you taught young people in a free society when you denounced and then burned books–books you hadn’t even read. You should also resolve to expose your children to all sorts of opinions and information, in order that they will be better equipped to make decisions and to survive.” 

 

He challenges them to let students experience the world and make their own decisions, choose their own paths. He argues that if a child is sheltered too much they will not have the skills necessary to make decisions for themselves or decide. 

 

He shows us his emotion and lets it get the best of him in this part: 

“After I have said all this, I am sure you are still ready to respond, in effect, “Yes, yes–but it still remains our right and our responsibility to decide what books our children are going to be made to read in our community.” This is surely so. But it is also true that if you exercise that right and fulfill that responsibility in an ignorant, harsh, un-American manner, then people are entitled to call you bad citizens and fools. Even your own children are entitled to call you that.” 

It’s obvious he is angry and clear who this anger is directed towards. I believe he took it too far with the name calling and bringing his family into the matter. I can’t help but wander if he may have received a response from Mr McCarthy had he handled some wordage more carefully. People are more inclined to respond and communicate when they don’t feel threatened. 

 

He also explains the impact this has made on more than just himself; he shows the community involvement as well. 

“I read in the newspaper that your community is mystified by the outcry from all over the country about what you have done. Well, you have discovered that Drake is a part of American civilization, and your fellow Americans can’t stand it that you have behaved in such an uncivilized way. Perhaps you will learn from this that books are sacred to free men for very good reasons, and that wars have been fought against nations which hate books and burn them. If you are an American, you must allow all ideas to circulate freely in your community, not merely your own.” 

This is an appeal for both logos and pathos as he is emphasizing the feelings of more than just himself and the reputation Mr McCarthy is giving the school. 

Overall, with the exception of Kurt Vonnegut getting a little too harsh, I believe he did a good job conveying his point, appealing to multiple sides of the reader and also giving background on himself. He pleads for his voice to be heard and seen as a real person, not just a name on the book cover. 

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​​References​ 

Kurt Vonnegut “I am very real” November 16th 1973