Topic > Rhetorical Analysis of Just Walk on by by Brent Staples

IndexCause and Effect: Staples' use of structureDiction: Staples' choice of wordsImagery: Staples' use of visionIrony: Staples' use of sarcasmBrent Staples is an African American man born in 1951 who earned his first bachelor's degree in behavioral sciences from Widener University at 22 years old. Staples went on to graduate with a Master's degree in psychology from the University of Chicago and later earned a PhD in the same field (Brent Staples). Originally, this article was published in Ms. Magazine in 1986 under the name "Just Walk on By". Then, a year later, Staples revised it and titled it “Black Men and Public Space,” for publication in Harper's Magazine. At first, Staples seems like just a man talking about unfortunate experiences. Knowing more about Staples and his challenging past can help the reader understand Staples' narrative choice throughout his thesis in this essay which considers the unfair treatment he receives simply by being a black man. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Cause and Effect: Staples' Use of Structure Staples' form of structure throughout this narrative is cause and effect. He addresses multiple different occasions, in chronological order, where he encountered a reaction from someone who had no justification. Her first accident occurred during a walk on the university campus she attended and the woman feared for her life. Another incident he talks about is when he was late for work at an editor's office, so he was in a hurry to get into the building and some people confused him for someone who was coming to rob the building. Staples uses this type of structure because it allows the reader to hear his side of the story first and what he was actually doing versus what other people thought he was doing. In this way, the reader is able to better understand the feelings Staples experiences. Diction: Staples' Word Choice Within the diction outlined in this essay, Staples was meticulous in his choice of words because he wants readers to develop an emotional connection. with the character in the text. At the beginning of this story, Staples begins by writing “My first victim was a white, well-dressed woman, probably in her early twenties.” From this sentence alone it is evident that Staples chooses diction as an effective way to communicate his story to his readers. Wanting his audience to be intelligent and open-minded, Staples chooses such weighty and impactful words because many of these scenarios are memories that recount undesirable experiences in which other individuals saw him as a threat, for no justifiable reason. Staples chooses words that not only portray his professional appearance which contradicts the opinion of the characters in this story, but he is also diligent in making the decision to choose words that represent the harshness of these experiences of prejudice. Imagery: Staples' use of vision In another paragraph of In this essay, Staples calls himself "one of the good guys." By my best interpretation, he does this to support his contention that his character did not warrant these experiences occurring. Even though Staples has clearly proven otherwise, in this article he attempts to remind his audience of the common misconceptions that many Caucasians have about African Americans, sometimes thinking that they are all criminals. For this reason, Staples uses adjectives and expressive words to create a feeling of -.