Argument Analysis

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Paul DeMarte

ENGL 2030-004

22 February 2021

Article Argument Analysis Essay

In an article called “A Simple Way to Improve a Billion Lives: Eyeglasses” from The

New York Times, Andrew Jacobs expounds on the topic of vision in third world countries.

The article begins with describing a 12-year old boy from India who has had to give up his

passions, struggles with his education, and who has dangers applied to his everyday life

simply because of his poor vision. He takes this boy’s story and connects it to the massive

groups in Africa, Bolivia, Asia, and of course, India that struggle with the same problems.

The economic issues of families not being able to afford glasses or eye care is simply one of

the barriers in providing clear vision to children and adults; countries not having enough eye

doctors or eye clinics to provide the eye care that the country needs is, too, another

contribution to the conditions people have to live with simply because of their vision.

1.) Thesis/ Purpose: While Andrew Jacobs informs the audience about the lack of

resources in third world countries to provide their people with eye care, he also

constructs his article to notify people about the solution taking place in Panipat and

how it then impacts all countries and communities if the solution travels.

2.) Andrew Jacobs writes about this article through the lens of logistical elements that

relate to a simple way to better, if not, save lives throughout the world. By doing so,

he does not contain any assumptions as he relates to raw and natural stories from

people experiencing the struggles that come with bad vision. Not to mention, Jacobs’

efforts to connect real-life situations to factual information was successful as he not

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only is able to persuade through logos, but also through pathos; the audience receives

an awakening, especially those who were reading with their glasses or contacts on, in

how many people take for granted the resources and care they are given simply

because of the country they live in or the economical status they have.

a.) Thus, Jacobs appeals to the persuasion of ethos as he implements hyperlinks

in the article so that his evidence can be presented to the audience by a simple

click. His credentials are presented through this in how he demonstrates and is

comfortable with sharing where he got his information from instead of stating

facts that have no trace back to where it originated from. He also has his own

credentials of being a reporter who works for the health and science desk for

The New York Times and he was previously working in Asia to preserve

certain architectures; this can further expand on his knowledge or abilities to

discuss eye care in other countries.

3.) In this article, the target audience is who lack the knowledge of unperceived issues

in third world countries like curing poor vision for poor families. Although there are

more health related issues that can be interpreted as more dangerous, serious, or

concerning for people around the globe, the lack of support for clear vision leads to

tragic deaths, unsafe living routines, and overall, it physically and emotionally can

take a toll on the individuals suffering from blurry vision.

4.) Tone: Jacobs’ writing is woven between three different yet corresponding tones. By

starting the article with the sentimental and heartfelt story of a 12 year old boy,

Shivam Kumar, who experiences failure, degrading comments, and separation from

normalcy in childhood, Jacobs explores the tone of benevolence. However,

throughout the article he enforces a formal and informative tone in how he presents

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his evidence, and how he balances the images and the text to demonstrate both factual

and personal demonstrations of the issue.

5.) Relevant factors/ missing material/ opposition: In this article, Jacobs informs the

overarching idea of eye care and poor vision in third world countries in which he

writes about a solution of a nonprofit group, EYElliance, raising money to solve

uncorrected vision in the world. However, the missing material that remains as a

mystery when readers finish the article would be the question of what happens to the

other countries, besides Panipat, India, who did not receive the support of eye care?

Will EYElliance be able to provide the resources as they did to Panipat’s community

to other countries?

a.) Otherwise, Jacobs considered many opposing positions in correspondence of

this topic in which he discusses how some widely known people disregarded

the issue in how they believed that there are more important things to be

resolved. This contrasts with the urgency of the organizations and victims of

poor eyesight to fix this global issue. He also covers the relevant factors that

are needed to make up this article and to fully elaborate on the topic, issue,

and resolution.