Analyze “Lovely Hula Hands”

Analyze Haunani-Kay Trasks text Lovely Hula Hands, focusing in particular on Trasks use of the rhetorical appeals ethos, logos, pathos in making her case. Point out the articles audience and purpose, and identify the writers main claims and the evidence she provides for each one, detailing whether or not she relies on ethos, pathos, or logos (or a combination) to support her points. You should provide relevant information on the article author, title, date and place of publication in your introduction. Remember that for this assignment, you are analyzing somebody elses argument, not making your own, so do not state your own opinion on the issue(s) Trask examines. However, you may give your opinion on how Trask presents her argument. Likewise, feel free to comment on any logical fallacies she employs (and a good place for such commentary is in the conclusion). Your essay should be a minimum of four (4) pages in length but no longer than five (5). 

Purpose: 

Trasks essay examines the construction of the islands through the corporate tourism industry. So far, if you are up-to-date with your reading and you have watched the relevant videos in Laulima, you have learned how rhetorical appeals are inherent to any argument and how a writer can use these appeals to achieve his or her purpose and effectively address the audience. This knowledge will help you to compose your own argument later on in the course, as you will be able to consciously employ rhetorical strategies in your writing. 

Some Questions to Consider:
What is Trasks thesis/main claim(s)?
How does the writer support her claims?
How does Trask position herself in relation to her topic? Does she give her reader reason to trust or believe her? If so, how? If not, how?
How does Trask establish her ethos and employ logos and pathos for her argument?
Who is the articles audience? How can you tell? How does Trask appeal to these readers?
What is the articles purpose? Is Trask trying to convince her reader to act or think a certain way? How do you know? How does Trask achieve this purpose? 

Audience: 

Assume that your audience for this essay is from Hawaii and is familiar with tourism in the islands. The audience you are writing for, however, has not read Trasks article, and you will therefore need to briefly summarize her argument. (Hint the summary should be one paragraph and be placed after the introduction.) 

Grading: 

In grading this assignment, I shall focus primarily on whether or not you show a thorough understanding of the rhetorical appeals and are able to identify them in an argument. I shall also consider your identification of Trasks main claims and evidence. Finally, I shall take into consideration the mechanics of your essay. 

How to Analyze: 

Your introduction should flow from the broad to the specific, with your thesis your most specific sentence at the end. Your thesis should also contain the name of the author, the title of the text, and the publication information. Additionally, because this assignment asks you to focus on Trasks use of ethos, pathos, and logos, your thesis should reflect this requirement. For example: In Haunani-Kay Trasks article, Lovely Hula Hands (drafted in From A Native Daughter by the University of Hawaii Press, 1998), the author employs ethos, logos, and pathos to. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Your second paragraph needs to summarize the text. For example: Trask argues against corporate tourism in Hawaii and claims that such companies act as pimps who prostitute the Hawaiian culture to tourists. Her rhetoric is strong and divisive; she alludes to the ails of colonialism and draws connections with other indigenous people who have also suffered the effects of mass tourism. She ends her essay by urging people not to visit the islands. 

All subsequent paragraphs need to discuss Trasks use of ethos, logos, and pathos. Remember to begin each paragraph with Trask followed by an active verb. Always use present tense, active voice. For example: Trask claims . . . or Trask argues . . . or Trask explains . . . etc. 

Remember: this assignment requires you to comment on how Trask constructs her argument, not say whether or not you agree with her views on tourism. Additionally, make it clear which rhetorical appeal you are discussing. For example: Trask uses pathos to . . . or Trasks use of logos is . . . or Task demonstrates her ethos by . . . 

You will also need to research Trask so you can comment on her ethos. For example: the essay is taken from her book, From a Native Daughter. Native means born and raised in a certain place. 

As research shows, Trask was born in California and did not move to the islands until she was eight years old. This begs the question how can she claim nativity to Hawaii if she was born somewhere else? Thus, when reading her essay, think about how she raises her ethos in Lovely Hula Hands. 

Ethos, Logos, and Pathos 

Ethos focusses on the credibility and the authority someone has to write about a specific subject. Do you think someone who was born and raised in England has more authority to write about Hawaii than, say, someone who was born and raised in the islands? Why? Why not? Likewise, what do you think an English major knows about astrophysics, as opposed to a NASA astronaut? Who did you think has the authority to write about astrophysics? Whom do you think the audience would believe the most? 

Logos asks us to comment on the logic of the argument. Does it make sense? Are the main ideas logical? When you are asked to discuss the logos of a text, say why you think it makes sense or not. Some articles you will agree with, some you will think are insane you need to say why you agree with or disagree with them. You also need to say whether or not the text is organized in a logical manner. Do the paragraphs flow smoothly, or are they scattered and disjointed? In other words, you give your opinion on how the article has been written. 

Pathos is the emotional appeal an author makes to the reader look at the vocabulary and the tone of voice. When you read Trasks text, does she sound happy or sad? Tolerant or angry? Choose specific words from the text and offer suggestions as to why the author chose them. Explain how the vocabulary makes you feel, and why. Trask uses words like prostitute and pimp how do these words affect the way you read her article? What images spring to mind when you hear them? Give your opinion on why you think Trask chooses to use such language and tone. 

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