In the modern world, parenting is a popular debated topic in the United States. Each person has a different opinion on how children should be raised and disciplined. Different families, households and cultures require different skills and standards. Chinese parents believe that the way they raise their children is the way they will grow up, especially that the most effective person in children is the mother. This argument is supported by Amy Chua in the article “Why Chinese Mothers Are Superior.” Amy Chua is a professor at Yale Law School, in her article; explains Chinese parenting and how it has affected her life. He claims that by breaking down a child and pushing him to his maximum potential, the child, in turn, will be confident and incredibly successful. Throughout the article, Chua successfully expresses all three rhetorical styles such as ethos, logos, and pathos. He also balances each part of the rhetorical triangle in a very effective and thoughtful essay. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay First, use ethics in your paper. From the beginning of the story, she describes herself as a very harsh and strict mother with unusual ways of raising her children like Sophia and Louisa. The reader recognizes a sense of confidence in Chua as he repeatedly contrasts Western parenting ideals with Chinese ones. As for her credibility as an author, it's questionable. He writes: “Chinese parents believe their children owe them everything. The reason for this is unclear…” This statement suggests that she herself does not know why she is parenting in that way. It also presents a perfect opportunity for opposing people to argue against Chua's parenting style. Another instance where Chua's credibility becomes uncertain is when she writes that she imitated her husband when he intervenes in a dispute between her and their daughter. It shows that she is not willing to listen to the other side of her argument and has this “my way or the highway” complex, which is not necessarily an attractive perspective to have. It seems that an author who is open to considering both sides of an argument is a more respectable author. Chua's use of pathos is particularly callous. He uses it more to bash Western culture than to appeal to both sides. Repeatedly Chua invents these hypothetical scenarios and discusses what Western parents would do and then what Chinese parents would do. His idea of how Western parents react is apparently accurate, but there is a sarcastic tone about it. What's really interesting about her emotional appeal is that she quotes her husband as objecting to one aspect of her argument. He says, “Children do not choose their parents… so it is the parents' responsibility to provide for them,” which is an appeal to Western parents. She immediately silences his argument but fails to explain why it is “a terrible deal for the Western parent.” This only weakens his statement because, once again, he is not open-minded. In the end, Chua makes a very general appeal, saying, “All good parents want to do what's best for their children.” It's confusing because this statement somehow qualifies his statement. First he refutes Western parenting, then he goes back to saying that Western and Chinese parents are all the same in the way they care for their children. Chua's motives are unclear. Regardless of Chua's strong opinions, he uses statistics and facts in his argument. The statistics at the beginning of the article describe the percentages of Western and Chinese mothers who agree on this fact.
tags