Sharon Grigsby Rhetorical Strategies

Until recently I was an uninformed individual who did not take the time out to delve into reading articles from news columnists. That was until I was given the task to select a columnist and carefully analyze their rhetorical strategy methods used to convey their column’s central argument. As a result of this, my task began of pragmatically analyzing six consecutive articles written by, The Dallas Morning News (DMN) Columnist, Sharon Grigsby began. Grigsby is well-known among the DMN circuit as the journalist dubbed “dog reporter,” and as the director of the “Bridging Dallas” and “North-South Gap” projects- which she earned of Pulitzer Prize for in 2010 for her selection of work. Since the start of her career at the DMN Grigsby has devoted
her time and effort to actively advocating for rights of stray dogs that litter of the towns and suburbs of Dallas, and on behalf of the southern half of Dallas seeking to narrow the opportunity gaps between it and the north. Grigsby is a trailblazer in her own right among her community, and the columns that she produces are a testament as to how she is an effective persuasive journalist.
Solicitous and empathic, these are the two words that I would use to describe, Sharon Grigsby from reading her columns. Grigsby conveys so much of her own passion into what she writes, the very essence of the values that she adheres to transcends across the literary stage embracing you in her passionate literary assertions. At a glance, you can say that Grigsby’s general focus in her columns is morality and humanity. Grigsby tugs on your emotions with her effective wordplay; Grigsby wants you to acknowledge the struggles and injustices that other living beings in this world have to face and challenges you to do better. From Grigsby’s dozens of passionate articles promoting the narrative about helping the stray dogs that plague the streets of Dallas, to her opinionated ardent written pieces where she condemned those who fed into the ignorance about the notion of racial superiority. Grigsby is an opinion based columnist who passionately and effectively argues her point, she is someone who seeks to educate and reform your way of thinking.
There are several key rhetorical strategies that Grigsby regularly uses to efficaciously convey her column’s central arguments.
Since much of Grigsby’s work is filled with opinionated fervor for the topics that she discusses, she regularly relies on the rhetorical appeal pathos to signify the tone and theme used in her columns. Furthermore, Grigsby also employs the use of adequate diction to aid the central focus of her columns, and she also sufficiently acknowledges the opposition’s counter argument and rebuffs their claim. With the use of these rhetorical strategies, Grigsby presents a strong unyielding reason as to why she stands firm by the assertions she makes in her
columns.
The rhetorical appeal pathos is most heavily used throughout Grigsby’s writing.
In the column, “University of Oklahoma Frat Boys and Girls Need to Own Up to Their Racist Behavior,” Grigsby calls out the Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE) members that were caught on camera reciting a racist chant against black people. Grigsby described it as soul-crushing verbal abuse, and she likened the singing of the chant on the party bus to Ku Klux Klan (KKK) gatherings that were held to plan horrific wrongdoings against blacks. Grigsby used pathos by playing on our morals and emotions to explain why what those frat boys was wrong; she used history to back up her claim, and she mentioned the KKK to evoke a feeling of disgust and outrage over what transpired on the SAE party bus. The use of pathos throughout Grigsby’s columns aided her in conveying the tone and theme she intended for the reader to have. Grigsby elicits your moral conscience and calls upon you to acknowledge that what occurred was
wrong.
Grigsby’s use of appropriate diction in her columns provided support in focusing a lens on the central focal point on the subjects that she wrote about. Her word use aided in accurately analyzing what she felt on the matters of which she was describing. In the column, “Policing the Disgusting Comments out of OU Racist Frat Chant,” Grigsby uses the words, “toxic,” “vile,” and “sinister,” to describe offensive comments that people leave on social media platforms. Grigsby uses these words to invoke a vivid reaction from within you, and to support her central argument about why comments on the internet relating to sensitive topics of any kind should be closely monitored. Although Grigsby’s columns are heavily opinionated, she always keeps her central focus at the forefront of the discussion.
Acknowledgment of the opposition and rebuttal, two things that Grigsby displays that she is notably efficient in when writing her columns. To form a strong and solid argument you must have support to back up your claim, and your support must be concrete and persuasive enough to refute the opposition. Grigsby is an opinion based columnist, so it is essential that she soundly presents an argument that will hold against constant hammering of opposing sides. In her column, “Texas Cheats Its Students with STAAR ‘Work Around’ for High School Seniors,” Grigsby addresses how the Senate Education Committee wants to appoint a small committee for students that cannot pass their required five End-Of-Course Exams (EOC) to determine whether or not the student can graduate high school despite their insufficient test scores. Grigsby conceded to the fact that a solution like this would benefit students and the committee short termly; Grigsby even went as far to acknowledge that in the past she would have approved of the bill, however, she quickly then asserts how she came to realize in her eleven years of working at the DMN that a bill of this sort would not benefit students. Grigsby used the reasoning that students should be required to take five EOC’s to demonstrate that they have mastered basic skills in core subjects before being given their diploma. Furthermore, Grigsby, highlighted on the fact that only sixteen percent of students were college ready upon entering college. Grigsby proficiently acknowledged the opposition of her claims and then stated reasonable opinion supported facts as to why students need to take EOC’s.
With her vehement and big-hearted columns, Sharon Grigsby effectively argues her opinion based writings. Grigsby fills the literary world with impassioned articles that call on you to reevaluate your morals and ideologies as a person. Grigsby inspires you with the use of pathos, smart word-play, and by acknowledging the opposition of the articles focal point and developing a sound argument against it. Grigsby’s employment of these rhetorical strategies successfully aids in the building of her assertion’s foundations.