Topic > Analysis of Foster Wallace's Argument in Consider The Lobster

Most people don't think about the process that some animals go through before becoming their meal. The purpose of “Consider the Lobster” was to shed light on the unethical practices that are carried out towards animals, more specifically, the treatment of lobsters during the aforementioned festival. In 2003, Foster Wallace attended the Maine Lobster Festival and wrote this piece for a magazine called Gourmet that published his work the following year. The intended audience is people who love food, those who are interested in topics like this and probably chefs who use living ingredients in their dishes. Foster Wallace gets the audience to think about other aspects of the Main Lobster Festival instead of being one-dimensional with only consumer pleasure in mind. His writings have been successful in showcasing controversial practices through the use of rhetoric and sharing information from his extensive research. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original EssayWhen Foster Wallace begins his article, he describes the festivities and their attraction to tourists. At first it seemed like a very standard review of what happens at the festival stating, "Tourism and lobstering are the Central Coast region's two major industries, and the Maine Lobster Festival represents less of an intersection of the industries than a deliberate collision, joyful and profitable and loud.” As he progresses, Foster Wallace speaks on behalf of the lobsters, presenting another frame of reference. He then shifts gears to express how these lobsters are treated during their final moments we would have turned a blind eye and it is something that should be more recognized even though it is an uncomfortable topic to discuss. Nobody wants to consider the welfare of these animals as they will eventually just become food and would rather enjoy what they are consuming without that thought in the back of the mind. their minds. Foster Wallace does not insist that people should stop eating the foods they love just because lobsters and animals in general would suffer immense pain. Inform that there are other cooking methods that would be less painful and that they should simply be more aware of their perspective. The tone of the article helps Foster Wallace project his feelings and thoughts onto the topic of his writing. It asks questions about future generations comparing how we choose to consume our foods and how we negatively view Aztec sacrifices in ancient history. That to his response “My immediate reaction is that such a comparison is hysterical, extreme – and yet the reason it seems extreme to me seems to be that I believe animals are morally less important than human beings.” His attitude towards this topic is annoying and he feels the need to be brutally honest with his audience. The tone is achieved by Foster Wallace adding his own opinion where deemed necessary to advance his argument. Whether or not people want to know about unethical practices being performed on animals, it is important to at least acknowledge this element. Reading his entire article, Foster Wallace presents a rhetorical appeal, an ethos derived from a great deal of previously conducted research. the actual writing began. Everyone knows the basics of a lobster, but Wallace takes it a step further by delving into how lobsters are classified among other species in the world and where its name originates. Not manypeople would have this kind of knowledge about something as simple as a lobster. The fact that Wallace spends his time researching this information demonstrates his intelligence and that the content of his piece is reliable. This shows that Foster Wallace is personally concerned with the unethical practices adopted at certain events and wants the audience to be able to see things from a different perspective. He has a lot to say about the Maine Lobster Festival, but also provides real facts to back up his claims throughout the article. By sharing intricate details of lobsters that would otherwise be difficult for ordinary people to understand, he provides the knowledge that the public would need to draw their own conclusions as well as using logos providing factual information to further demonstrate his credibility. There is also data on the number of ways a lobster can be cooked along with the research done which helps bolster the credibility of Foster Wallace. Deal with different cooking times that will bring different levels of pain to the lobsters. For example, baking would be more painful because it would require the lobster to be under heat for a longer period of time. While microwave cooking requires a shorter cooking time, but the pain that the lobsters would feel decreases dramatically. He describes the issue in simplistic terms so that the reader can easily follow his findings, which leads to an understanding of Foster Wallace's argument. Providing specific details about lobsters provides more information about how they operate, but also helps reinforce Foster Wallace's point that they have the ability to feel pain. By building background information about lobsters, he shows his reliability in explaining precise information. It gives these lobsters human-like characteristics that many people are able to understand and apply to themselves. Wallace shares how lobsters are boiled alive, but gives them feelings that people are able to relate to by stating that "it's hard not to sense that they are unhappy or scared, even if it's a rudimentary version of these feelings." The physical suffering of the lobsters allowed Foster Wallace to use pathos to persuade the audience to better understand what they feel moments before death, while at the same time strengthening his credibility. Pain is something that people can easily identify with and it makes the public think about how lobsters are treated in certain types of situations such as festivals. There is emotion involved, that is, the use of pathos, allowing readers to perhaps feel the same discomfort and vulnerability that these lobsters were experiencing. When readers start to realize this different point of view and start asking questions like: Is it right to treat lobsters this way? Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get Custom Essay In Foster According to Wallace, it is not okay to treat these animals as if they are inferior to humans. Every detail that has been written is intended to leave the audience with this thought that will hopefully remain in people's minds as they enjoy their next meal. That said, it does not discourage the consumption of these animals, but simply for people to become aware of these practices. Providing a considerable amount of research and the use of ethos, pathos, and logos that have established his credibility, Foster Wallace presents a compelling argument that some compassion is needed for these animals before eating them. Works Cited Bekoff, M. (2021) . Animal exploitation is morally wrong. Psychology today..