The author of this article, Eliot A. Cohen, writes with an assertive tone, expressing a common dissatisfaction with Trump's entering acts as President, but also encouraging readers to think positively, declaring that he can and will be stopped by the people who oppose him. Throughout the article, strong, loaded words are used to describe Trump and his actions--"It will probably end in calamity" (Cohen) and "There was nothing unanticipated in this first disturbing week" (Cohen). Use of the words "calamity" (Cohen) and "disturbing" (Cohen) and the phrase "abuses of power" (Cohen) highlight the a more accusatory and concerned tone, displaying a passionate dislike for Trump and his administration. The author speaks formally, but uses a vocabulary that is easy to grasp and understand, as demonstrated when he says "In the end, however, he will fail. He will fail because however shrewd his tactics are, his strategy is terrible" (Cohen) to clearly and effectively state his point and argument. Such is a productive combination of tone and diction for a news website; readers are able to comprehend the thoughts and goals of the author without much additional deep thought. Rhetorical devices such as appeals to Logos and Pathos are also present. For instance, The first three-fourths of the article list the atrocious acts of Trump and his administration under the author expressing that he is "not surprised by Donald Trump's antics this week" (Cohen). Although some prior knowledge may be required to fully understand the extent of this statement, it can be inferred that Trump has committed some morally questionable deeds before, as a list of entirely factual things he has done since his inauguration are extensively listed. Thus, the appeal to Logos is shown through the author's lack of surprise with Trump's actions, given he has done much of what he promised beforehand--a logical conclusion to draw upon being given an influx of facts that solidify Cohen's argument. Meanwhile, appeals to Pathos are detected near the end of the article when the author makes use of a tonal shift, becoming optimistic after paragraphs of dread and despair. The sentence "He will fail most of all because at the end of the day most Americans, including most of those who voted for him, are decent people" (Cohen) encompasses the author's ending note on a glimmer of hope. The use of "decent people" (Cohen) especially evokes either an emotion of confidence or guilt within the reader, depending on their personal stance. Placement of this note at the very end as opposed to the middle or beginning structurally aims to first build a reaction that is increasingly disturbed, but end with relief and optimism. Overall, the author's purpose is not only to inform but to also share an opinion of disdain along with reassurance to a distressed audience. While it is highly opinionated in nature and takes on an obvious position, it is valuable in that it provides a general outlook on the future of Trump's time as presidency and effectively summarizes his first few weeks.
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