article: https://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/05/opinion/why-sand-is-disappearing.html
Today, the world’s natural sand beaches are slowly disappearing due to the rising sea levels and increased storm action, along with the continuous harm from human development. There are no substitutes for sand, and sand is necessary for the production of many everyday objects, such as toothpaste and glass. In the article, “Why Sand is Disappearing,” author John R. Gillis claims that conservation efforts must be undertaken to protect beaches and coastal sand. Gillis addresses us, the readers, to stop endangering our natural resource and to take actions to prevent sand from disappearing. Throughout his article, Gillis uses a variety of evidence and persuasive elements to convince readers to save the beaches and the sand. Gillis provides quotes to set the diction and tone of his article, includes statistics and other country’s facts to prove his credibility and have credible information, and also writes in third person to evoke change and raise awareness about what is happening to our natural resource.
Gillis begins his article with this relaxing and beautiful quote from naturalist D.W. Bennett. Bennett’s quote provides an imagery that shows what sand used to be. The tone of Bennett’s quote sets the mood to be calm and imaginative. Gillis starts the second paragraph with the quote describing the beach as a place where the “sand stops to rest for a moment before resuming its journey to somewhere else.” The somewhere else allows for readers to almost imagine the many wonders sand can do and where it can go. This also shows the reader that sand is necessary for beaches to form and that the sand’s beauty can be appreciated wherever it stops. However, after this first paragraph, Gillis breaks up the calm tone and includes a sudden violent diction. Gillis talks about the reality of what it is currently happening to beaches. For example, the trash that humans throw out “creates turbidity that kills coral beds and damages spawning grounds, which hurts inshore fisheries.” This death-like diction lets readers see what is really happening compared to what should be happening like Bennett’s quote described. This diction lets the tone for the rest of the article to be dark, but still informative. Gillis uses this diction to also show readers what our trash is doing to the beaches and the sand. The “endless lines of dump trucks” is what is causing this natural resource to disappear.
Gillis continues his article by placing statistics throughout to emphasize the damage that humans are creating to the beaches.. The number Gillis uses are extreme, which opens up the reader’s eye to the impact that we have on the world. He includes facts, such as how the Virgina Beach “alone has been restored more than 50 times” and how the “East coast barrier islands have used 23 millions loads of sand.” The fact that Virgina Beach has already been restored 50 times is an insane amount and pushes the readers to see that conservation efforts towards beeaches and sand needs to take place. The loads of sand emphasize how much sand we waste. Gillis uses this to try and get a sense of sympathy for readers and try to get them to help out. “75 to 90 percent of the world’s national sand beaches are disappearing” and if we do not take action soon, readers can infer that most beaches will be gone. Providing the statistics allow readers to draw their own conclusions. The facts Gillis provides not only help prove that he did research, but also show readers the excessive amount of effort that needs to be put in. Gillis also includes other places such as India, Sierra Leone, and the Virgina Beach. Gillis names these places to compare and contrast the different beaches. He calls out India and Sierra Leone later in the article to emphasize what they have already done to make conservation efforts. Including the statistics and the examples not only emphasize how much damage we are doing, but to also prove his credibility, or use the rhetorical device, logos. Using these facts in his article allows the reader to trust what he is saying as he is using credible information. The evidence strengthens his argument and grabs the reader’s attention to the reality.
Finally, Gillis ends the article with third person pronouns. This allows Gillis to interact directly with the readers and include their voice in the passage. Without ending with the third person, readers only take in the facts and feel as if they do not need to be involved. It also allows for his article to seem less biased as he is seemingly asking the reader to participate in what he believes in. Using third person sets a more definite and serious tone based on facts instead of just Gillis’s beliefs. It allows the author to have more of an authorative voice to claim the reader’s thoughts and also prove his credibility. Gillis tells them specifically what needs to happen and ends the paragraph with a positive note that only if they help, then the beaches will slowly start to come back to normal. He also includes one final quote from Rachel Carson that is similar to D.W. Bennett’s. The quote ends the passage in a calmer tone that separates it from the forcefulness instructions previously.
Gillis builds his argument using quotes and contrasting diction, statistics and examples to show real numbers to emphasize the need to act now, along with third person pronouns to get the reader involved. Gillis uses all these elements to convince readers that conservation efforts must be undertaken to protect the beach and the coastal sands.
ENG 206 - Chloe Lee 