Simonson 1 Megan Simonson AP Lang/ CE 1010 Mrs. Jana Richards December 3, 2013 People lie everyday.

In her essay The Ways We Lie Stephanie Ericsson discusses various types of lying and the effects of such lies. The historical examples, everyday examples, tone, and rhetorical questions found in the essay appeal to the logos, pathos, and ethos of the reader and demonstrate Ericssons view that lies can never be justified because they result in negative consequences. Ericsson uses historical example to further explain her feeling toward lying. In the section of her essay titled Ignoring the Plain Fact Ericsson uses the example of Father James Porter and the Catholic church. When the church discovered that Father James Porter was molesting little children, instead of relieving him of his duties the church simply moved him from one parish to another. The church officials lied on James Porters behalf which allowed more children to be exposed to sexual harassment. Ericsson begins this section of the essay with a quotation from a Massachusetts priest commenting on the Porter situation: Well, you must understand that Father Porter is only human. Because the readers can easily see how the churches lies led to the molestation of more innocent children, they begin to react emotionally to the idea of lying and the essay itself. In the section titled Groupthink Ericsson uses another example from history. Ericsson uses the example of the attack on Pearl Harbor. The Navy Command, despite several warnings, thought that Japan werent stupid enough to attack Pearl Harbor and assumed that Pearl

Simonson 2 Harbor was invulnerable. Thousands died in the attack on Pearl Harbor because of a group decision to ignore many warnings. The detail such as the Japanese werent smart enough to invent a torpedo effective in less than 60 feet of water helps appeal to the logos of the readers and helps make Ericsson more credible. Delusion is a section of the essay used to explain the lie to oneself. Alcoholics who believe that the problems in their lives are legitimate reasons for drinking, rather than results of the drinking offer the classical example of deluded thinking. The example of alcoholism is appeals to the pathos of Ericssons audience because most can relate to this everyday example. Alcoholics lie to themselves; they tell themselves that their drinking is either not as bad as it is or that their drinking is acceptable because of their crappy life. They delude themselves into thinking they dont need help and end up with a wasted life and poor health. The examples of the Catholic church, Father James Porter, and alcoholism show the negative consequences that accompany lies. Appealing to pathos, Ericsson discusses Omission and Lilith another goddess in the Garden of Eden. Lilith was in the Garden of Eden before Eve was in the Garden of Eden. Ericsson believes that Lilith was left out of the Bible so that women would remain inferior to men. In phrase like it felt like spiritual robbery and I felt like Id just found out my mother was really my stepmother. show Ericssons tone: angry and upset. This section stirs emotion in the readers especially in the female readers. Christian and Jewish women have been greatly affected for thousands of years because of this one omission. The angry tone of this essay is also seen in the section about James Porter: recklessly believed treatment had cured him and providing him with a fresh supply of unsuspecting families and innocent children to abuse.

Simonson 3 The children are sarcastically referred to as objects a fresh supply which appeals to the pathos of the readers. This quote makes it seem like the children were just objects to be used; anger is invoked in the readers. Ericsson makes the reader think and react emotionally when she states, The church became a co-perpetrator with Porter. In the section Faades Ericsson uses and everyday example. She talks about when a friend lied to her and never payed her back. This example is very relatable because many people borrow and lend money. The strong relatability of this example appeals to the audiences pathos. People care more about the essay and the topic because they feel a connection between them and the author; they can empathize with the author. The appeal to ethos is first found in the introductory paragraph. Ericsson discusses lies she encounters in her daily life. She lies to her bank about the check being in the mail to avoid a late fee. She tell her husband her day was fine so that she doesnt bring him more stress. She tries to spare her friends feelings when she says she is not hungry rather than tell her friend that she just doesnt feel like going to lunch. These are all common and relatable lies that her readers have probably told themselves. Her experience with lying, having been on both sides of the lie, establishes credibility. The structure of her essay also contributes to the readers understanding of her viewpoint. Her essay uses a block format which helps distinguish each lie from the others. The block formatting helps keep the organization of the essay. Readers understand which lie is being discussed and can easily flow from one lie to the next with no confusion. This format is more effective than simply making a new paragraph for each lie. The paragraphs would be long and it wouldnt hold the readers attention as well as the block format holds the readers attention.

Simonson 4 Under the title of each new section, Ericsson uses a quote from someone well-known and respected. The quote is related to the lie to which the section is devoted. In the section The White Lie is a quote by Bergen Evans: A man who wouldnt lie to a woman has very little consideration for her feelings. This rhetorical strategy establishes ethos and logos. Because Ericsson uses a reputable source, the readers are more apt to listen to what she has to say and possibly agree with her. Ericsson also makes use of rhetorical questions. But what about omission of information that could make a difference in how someone lives his or her life? The rhetorical questions make the reader stop and think which establishes pathos. Sure I lie, but it doesnt hurt anything. Or does it? Many people have justified lying by telling themselves that it doesnt hurt anything. Ericssons rhetorical question makes the reader stop and think if that is really true. Ericsson forces the reader to think deeper about everyday lies that are seen as harmless and are often justified. Ericsson understands the lying is common through out the day, but she wants the readers to look deeper into the possible consequences. She wants the reader to understand that lying shouldnt be justified. After reading this essay, the audience develops a greater understanding of the effects of lying. Using historical events appeals to logos and pathos. The horrible stories of Pearl Harbor and Father James Porter invoke emotion in the readers. The use of factual stories establishes credibility. Her own experience with lying appeals to the audiences ethos. The block structure and rhetorical questions helped keep the reader engaged and contributed to the understanding or each lie and its effects. By using logos, pathos, and ethos, Ericsson effectively makes her argument: Lying is not justifiable because it results in negative consequences that affect many.