Rhetorical Analysis Of The Northwest London Blues

In “The Northwest London Blues,” Zadie Smith conveys a strong stance against the closing of libraries. She believes libraries are more important than just the books read and implores the reader to defend their libraries. To bolster her argument, Smith deftly employs acknowledgement of counterarguments, word choice, and rhetorical questions to sway her readers.
Smith effectively uses counterarguments to persuade her audience that libraries really do have a purpose. She concedes that she “would even agree with those who say it’s not especially logical.” By recognizing the other side, Smith acknowledges that keeping libraries may not seem important to some. She goes on to explain that logic is not the only deciding factor in society. In fact, she later claims that emotional value is equally important. Smith uses a counterargument to disprove the other side’s view that libraries do not have a purpose. She further recognizes the other side when she says, “We get that money
She begins her argument by asking, “What kind of a problem is a library?” By asking the reader this question, they are more likely to ponder it for themselves. It causes them to think about what the purpose is of a library and why some would not be in favor of them. Using a rhetorical question in her introduction opens to audience’s minds so they begin contemplating her argument. Smith concludes her article with another question. She writes, “Pleading, like children. Is that really where we are?” This question causes the reader to realize the importance of actually doing something about the issue of libraries. She believes people need to do more than just complain and plead to keep their library. They need to talk about the importance and what they can do to help keep the library open. Smith’s uses of rhetorical questions benefits her argument because it causes the reader to ponder and further understand the issue at