What Does the World Want from America AOW #15

This week I read a section from my IRB “What Does the World Want from America?” by Alexander T.J. Lennon.  The book, actually, was only edited by Lennon, the main parts of the book were written by many people from varying countries giving their outlook on America.  In the section, writers from China, Japan, India, and Singapore gave their countries views on America.  China’s representative, Wu Xinbo, writes about how the United States changes their views on China frequently, from “Rosy to Grimy Glasses.”  He also says that Americans look at the growth of China to see how it would benefit or hurt them, but never stop to think what is best for the Chinese people.  Similarly, Akio Watanabe, from Japan shares that it is all a matter of perspective when it comes to views on America.  If one is from a smaller country that is not heard very much at the international level, and when they are not given any attention from the United States to try to help them with their issues they do not give them America a positive outlook.  This book was written in a time when Americans view themselves as the great mediators and have a responsibility to help other countries as the sole superpower of the world.  But this is not what people from other countries believe.  This book was written to give Americans the views on themselves from other countries.  Some of the rhetorical elements used in this piece were allusion, and an appeal to ethos.  An appeal to ethos is made just by the entire setup of the book.  After reading the footnotes, it is noticeable that all of the writers are well educated and know what they are talking about.  The fact that this book has many of these writers shows that it is a credible source.  Allusion was used by Akio Watanabe.  He compares the difference in perspectives to “Gulliver’s Travels,” a series of books written by Jonathan Swift that depict a man who travels and gives his own views on the people and from the way the people act, the peoples views on him are inferred.  So far, the authors are able to accomplish their purpose through these rhetorical elements.