Rapp 1 Katherine Rapp Assignment 2A Rhetorical Reflection Section HA McGough October 4, 2013 Leave Your Name at the Border

r Leave Your Name at the Border, by Manuel Muoz, is a personal essay that first appeared in the New York Times in 2007. In this essay, Muoz examines the nature of having a Hispanic name in the United States. By using ethos, logos, and pathos, he writes a narrative that must have made quite an impact upon the readers of the New York Times six years ago. Although the message and context of the piece is still relevant to society today, its audience and purpose has been altered due to its republishing in Convergences: Themes, Texts, and Images for Composition. When Muoz wrote this essay, he effectively used logos, pathos, and ethos to make a big impact on the readers. His actually being a Hispanic American immediately utilizes ethos: he is speaking from personal experience and therefore is credible and has authority. His personal experience allows him to also base his argument strongly upon pathos. He tells stories about how he was personally affected by the issue of people American-izing Hispanic names. Finally, he weaves in examples of Latinos who gave their children American names due to societal pressure to fit in; these examples are supporting his claims and are providing his essay with logos. These three elements worked together to touch the people who read this essay. The emotion in Muozs work also give the reader an idea of the context of when it was written. After experiencing this type of life himself, he could write a powerful piece about an issue relevant to society at the time. The essays topic was closely connected with many current issues at the time: immigration, the rise of Latinos in the United States, and the negative stereotypes of Mexicans. Today, these issues are still prevalent in society, if not more prevalent. The tension about Hispanic Americans has spread to all areas of life: social, economic, and political. Even six years later, this emotional story can be read in the same context in which it was written. Although the context has remained the same six years later, the purpose has completely changed. The authors original purpose was to write an essay that would impact those reading it. His words would speak to those who had suffered the same thing as he did; his words would call out to those who hadnt experienced it, prompting them to try to understand. This article attempted to raise awareness and to possibly solve a problem. After being republished in an English textbook, the purpose was altered. Its purpose is to provide to college students an example of a personal essay to be analyzed, reflected upon, a critiqued.

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Similarly to purpose, the audience is also now very different than the original. In 2007, this article was originally published in the New York Times. Thus, the audience of the article was the readers of the newspaper. Specifically, the audience was anyone who picked up the news and could read. After its republishing, the essays audience is comprised of college students taking an English class. Instead of being written for the entire news-reading society, it is now strictly for those in academia who have access to this textbook. This change in audience causes the message of the essay to be less impactful and less likely to inspire change or rising of awareness of current issues. The audience is more likely to read it for use of writing a rhetorical reflection than to be inspired to make a change. For both the original version and the republished appearance, the essay was effective. The use of logos, pathos, and ethos by the author created a work in context with the racial tensions of 2007 and of today. The strength of the piece as a whole accomplished allowed it to succeed in its purpose of raising awareness and inspiring change in the audience of the readers of the New York Times. The work also was successful in conveying a new purpose (being used for literature analysis) to a new audience (college English students) after it was republished. The essay by Manuel Muoz is successful because it is effective about being in context, conveying its purpose, and reaching the audience in both circumstances.

Work Cited Atwan, Robert. Convergences: Themes, Texts, and Images for Composition. Boston: Bedford/St. Martins, 2007. 112-117. Print.