John Ruskin's Argument Analysis

John Ruskin, an English critic of art and society, wrote a passage arguing that we should be giving precedence to the soldier rather than to the merchant or manufacturer. In today’s world many people debate about who deserves to be emphasized in society. Ruskin’s argument is invalid because of his use of generalization, false dilemma, pathos and charged language. He uses a black and white statement to show the difference between soldier and manufacturer and generalization to make it seem as though all soldiers participate for the same reason. The use of pathos and charged language really plays with the reader’s emotions. In Ruskin’s passage he argues that the soldier should be more respected and considered more important than a merchant or
manufacturer. Ruskin, directing his passage to the general society, says a soldier would “put him in a fortress breach, with all the pleasures of the world behind him, and only death and his duty in front of him.” This statement, very generalized, uses the logical fallacy of generalization. In this statement John Ruskin describes all the soldiers together as one, instead of individually. Just because all soldiers participate in war, does not mean they all are in favor of death, or dying for their country. For example a man could have joined war and become a soldier because he didn’t have any skills or simply because he enjoys the act of killing, not because he wants to fight for his country. Ruskin, using pathos, says that soldiers give up “pleasures of the world” and put their “duty in front.” In this quote Ruskin uses charged words to emotionally involve you. Duty is a strong word that many of us take as another word for responsibility. In some perspectives duty is seen as a law; one must uphold a moral or legal obligation. Putting death before pleasure makes the reader feel obligated to respond with sympathy.
Not only does John Ruskin play on our emotions and guilt us into making soldiers seem more important, he makes a black and white statement about soldiers and merchants/manufacturers.
John Ruskin makes a black and white statement by saying soldiers are different from merchants and manufactures because “men associated for purposes of violence and for purposes of manufacture; in that the former appear capable of self sacrifice.” John Ruskin says that the general public should perceive that merchants/manufacturers are nothing if they don’t have the willingness to sacrifice themselves as soldiers do. The readers don’t realize that the soldiers would be nothing without the merchants and manufacturers. The soldiers are provided in war, weapons, materials and food…but by whom? The manufacturers sacrificed time, materials, and food to support the soldiers. Ruskin is very heavy in using pathos, and once again tries play with the reader’s emotions. Using very well wording to emphasize emotions and change our view and perspectives, Ruskin draws out pathos. In the first sentence Ruskin says “that the former appear capable of self sacrifice.” The word “capable” portrays as a very strong and demeaning word. It makes readers see the merchants and manufacturers as weak, pathetic and selfish to not have the courage to die for ones country. Ruskin uses pathos, making the readers feel not only guilty and sympathetic, but also proud that they have men willing to fight for their
country. John Ruskin’s statement’s about soldiers deserving more precedence is invalid due to the use of logical fallacies. Generalizing people can turn out invalid because all people, whether they do the same things or not, have different interpretations of things. The motivations of the soldiers joining war are unknown and can vary depending on the person. Making a black and white statement can also turnout invalid because there may be shades of gray in between. The merchants and manufacturers may seem small compared to the soldiers, but in actuality they are doing something just as important as the soldier. Ruskin’s argument is flawed with charged and specific selection of language that plays on the reader’s emotions, causing logic to be unsound. Ruskin’s use of language creates an impression of sympathy for the soldiers. In society, status will always be judged and argued by everyone through different understandings.