By Aleeha Asim

In the following article, the author emphasizes on the negative impacts imposed
by deadbeat dams, discouraging the construction of new ones while encouraging
the removal of old ones. Throughout the article, the author uses various
strategies in order to keep his audience engaged while making his argument more
convincing. These include the use of powerful metaphors, effective
personification, stating of numerous facts as well as other ways in which he
manages to build a compelling argument. The use of such strategies helps to
immediately grab the attention of the readers and make them strongly empathize
with the feelings of the author.
One of the features of Chouinard’s essay is the use of effective personification
which makes his essay more impactful and helps to persuade the audience in
understanding his argument. In the second paragraph, he uses the word “choke”
to portray strong imagery in order to receive an emotional response from the
audience. The word “choke” is a very powerful word which helps to provoke
sensitivity among the audience. In reality, the watersheds are not being “choked”;
however, the word choice of the author makes the audience think about how the
watersheds are being suffocated by these ineffective dams. It generates strong
emotions among the audience, creating a negative image of these dams in their
minds while pitying the watersheds on the other hand. In this way, the author
manages to influence the readers against the use of deadbeat dams, only in the
beginning of his argument. Another example of personification is when the author
uses the word “blinded” which helps to further strengthen his argument. The
word “blinded” is referring to the audience, making them rethink and reflect upon
their decisions regarding the environment. It makes the audience feel how they
have been insensitive and ignorant towards the immense harm deadbeat dams
have caused to the ecosystem. Therefore, the author is able to compel the
audience in making the realization of how they have previously not paid attention
to the environmental damage caused by these dams.
Another prominent feature of the essay is the use of effective metaphors which
contributes in making his argument even more powerful. He uses the metaphor
“the consequences run the length of the river and beyond” to create a greater
impact on the minds of the audience of the potential harm deadbeat dams can
cause. The phrase “run the length of the river” compares the list of consequences
of deadbeat dams to the length of a river in order to effectively emphasize on the
extremely large number of drawbacks imposed by these dams. “Length of a river”
gives readers the impression of the countless consequences these dams result
into. The word “beyond” provides further force to the argument as it creates the
effect of a never ending list of consequences. This makes the audience reflect
upon the negative impacts of deadbeat dams.
Moreover, the author makes an effective play on pronouns in the article to
further persuade the audience in realizing the consequences of deadbeat dams.
He uses the pronouns such as “we”, “our” and “us” to give an impression of
solidarity to the audience. It gives the audience a sense of unity, making them
empathize with the author on the subject of discussion. They feel more included
as though they all are a part of the matter and together, they can help resolve it.
The use of these pronounce also helps the audience to connect with the author
on an emotional level because it gives the audience the feeling of how the author
is also one of them. This sense of unity will convince the audience further in
standing together with the author and siding with his argument. Therefore,
through an effective choice of pronouns, the author is able to further grab the
attention of the audience on this matter.
Chouinard incorporates several persuasive strategies throughout his essay such as
personification, metaphors, strong language to effectively make his point. The use
of these strategies helps him to strengthen his argument and convince the
audience regarding the removal of obsolete dams.