So, yesterday, we read, "What the Bagel Man Saw". What a great story. Now, let's write about it. I want you to rhetorically analyze it. In order to help you come up with some ideas, I am posting a really good Prezi that will give you insight I might have provided in class. Remember, with a rhetorical analysis, you have to tell the reader WHAT the author is arguing and then explain HOW the author successfully achieves not only establishing that argument, but how he or she convinces the reader that the argument is right.
Prezi on What the Bagel Man Saw
PS. I am going to Adoration today at 4:00. If you have a prayer request, you can send me an email and I will take it with me and take it to Jesus. There is no prayer to big or too small. I love and miss you all.
“What the Bagel Man Saw” is an insightful analysis and comparison to selling bagels and white-collar crime. Throughout this essay, Levitt and Dubner use diction and syntax, allusions, and comparisons to prove the almost never-ending question, can humans stick to the honor code, even when given the chance to cheat it.
ReplyDeleteThe most noticeable part of this entire piece is that Levitt and Dubner wrote the entire article in the the third person form. This allowed for the two writers to walk their audience down memory lane with them, and tell of the story of Paul F., and his bagel dilemma. It’s also important to note that they begin this article with a fairy-tale-like introduction, “Once Upon A Time, Paul F. dreamed...” The words used like, “dreamed” and the beginning interrupter phrase is most certainly used to warm up the audience. It changes their state of mind from a stern, adult-talk economics article, to a friendly, nostalgic story. This helps to obviously open up the imaginative part of the readers brain, and allows them to soak up all the colorful details. Some may argue that it takes away his credibility, but it aids to help the reader relate to Paul F., knowing he is just like the rest, and is not some hot-shot who made it big and is above the rest. This claim is supported through the fact that Paul F. is a simple economics guy, who leaves a “wooden box” at offices and come back later to pick up the money; he also is an old man who sells bagels, at that. The audience knows he trustworthy because of his simplicity, he is not a greedy person, rather those who cheat him of his money are.
In order to help the audience trust Paul F.’s work, Levitt and a Dubner pose comparison details for the readers to see for themselves. In the article, they provide real-life comparisons among family run corporations and big businesses. He notes that interestingly enough, the smaller, more family-based businesses pay much better and far more honestly than those top-of-the-line corporations. They note that the logical reason for this is that, “a smaller crowd around the bagel table-providing more witnesses to make sure you drop your money in the box” (19). Another interesting comparison they use is the fact that as unemployment rate goes down, dishonesty skyrockets, which Paul F. believes means that companies have to hire a class of workers that have lower standards (19). All of these examples could be used, however all of them serve the same exact purpose; they allow the audience to trust in Paul F. more. He claimed that he could see differences in the economic bagel world, and he proves it with many of these interesting examples, which all serve to build his credibility (using logical analyses) in order to win the audience.
Finally, the use of an allusion at the end really ties everything together. Paul F. uses the example of Gyges, who finds a ring to make himself invisible, and he has to decide to use that ring for good or evil. He ends up using it for evil, so many philosophers believe without a doubt that men are evil when given the chance; however, Paul F. diss proves that because he himself acts in the same manner as Gyges, floating in and out if businesses with his bagels, and comes early before anyone is there, like an invisible man. Yet, he does not use his “powers” for evil, because he is not the one cheating the people out of anything, they are the ones who are taking.
Diction and syntax, comparisons, and an allusion set up a very good rhetorical argument; one that has needed an answer for so long. Paul F. realized that man’s actions are not exactly hidden, someone is always watching, and he proves that here. Though it is easy to do the wrong thing, Paul F. shows that evil is not the natural road humans ride in the dark.
Dubner and Levitt author a fascinating story about the honor system with, “What the Bagel Man Saw.” This story gives insight into the ideas and mentalities of those who make up the business and economical world, and shows the unexpected reality of the honesty of people. Dubner and Levitt’s use of diction, allusion, and especially comparison, work together to curate an interesting story about honesty.
ReplyDeleteDubner and Levitt begin their story like they’re telling directly to someone, almost like a recalled memory or important piece of history. They introduce Paul and his idea of having a dream of ending world hunger. They continue describing what he does and what he plans to do in the future, building up his ethos right away. Paul F. is painted as a trustworthy man right from the start, which helps lot when comparison is brought up later in the story. Paul leaves his job to begin his bagel business, however and importantly, he begins his new business without any preconceived notions about how people will pay back his kind gesture. It is even described in the story that the bagels began as a kind gesture, but demand grew and he complied. Dubner and Levitt are able to describe the evolution of Paul’s company in a way that shows that Paul is someone to be respected. He is not watching like a hawk to make sure everyone pays, he has enough trust to simply leave out a box to collect the money. He quickly realizes that people are dishonest and find ways to take the money so he crafts a wooden one.
Dubner and Levitt strategically compare the “crime” of not paying for the bagels to street crime and white-collar crime. The bagel crime is related to street crime and that it is more prevalent in densely populated areas. Paul finds there to be a higher percentage of bagel stealing in offices with hundreds of employees, as opposed to offices with only a few dozen. The offices that are more populated allow for more people to slip through the cracks and not pay. Dubner and Levitt’s discussion of this realization helps to explain Paul’s statistical analysis of the losses of his company. Dubner and Levitt even include Paul witnessing someone take a doughnut without paying and Paul speaks out for the first time. This secures Paul’s belief in people’s dishonesty when the man says he left his wallet in his car.
Finally, Dubner and Levitt allude to the Ring of Gyges story, which closely mimics Paul’s experiences with his bagel business. In the story within a story, Gyges finds a ring and is able to do immoral things with it, he is faced with the choice of whether or not to do the right thing, yet he chooses the wrong. Gyges represents those people, in Paul’s case, that do not pay for the bagels and doughnuts, whether that decision be a conscious one or not.
Dubner and Levitts economics based piece “What the Bagel Man Saw” is a story about truth and honesty from an inventive mans perspective. Dubner and Levitt use diction, allusion and storytelling to create an ingenious work about human instinct and economics.
ReplyDeleteThroughout the entire story Dubner and Levitts wording is very creative. It sets the story in third person so the audience knows both what Peter F is saying as well as what’s going on around him. This insight allows for a sort of personal connection between Peter and the audience. In doing so Dubner and Levitt allow for a sort of relaxed, story-like tone. It is conversational and humorous. Criticizing Peters fast driving and forgetting his hearing aids shows that although he is a smart guy he’s not all business. Again creating a sense of relatability. It is not all fun and games, however, as they are sure to mention lots about economics and it’s principles. Yet, they tie it into Peters case directly. His goal is to continue his bagel business while finding truths about white collar crime. Using both their knowledge and Peters they discuss the business side of Peters bagel service.
Literary allusions are also a big part of Dubner and Levitts style. At the closing they draw a comparison to the Rings of Gyges, to teach a lesson about human dishonesty and compare it to humans dishonesty in Peters case.
Storytelling is a very important piece of Dubner and Levitts story. Similar to the tone and diction, their storytelling aspect creates the casual, humorous, and conversational tone as previously mentioned. Using transitions such as “Once upon a time...” it takes on the obvious story-like style. They also use time stamps as transitions and marking points in the story to delve into Peters life. Giving a backstory and describing his personal situation shows that it is not only a piece on economics but also a story about a man with a true passion for people.
Dubner and Levitt use their literary skills such as diction, allusion and simple story telling to tell a tale of a man and his bagel business and how he discovered how some humans are hardwired with honesty or without.
This piece by Stephen J. Dubner and Steven D. Levitt relays very interesting intel regarding the reality of white collar crime, but in a quite unexpected manner. They relay the story of Paul F., and how through careful observation of his bagel business, he learned a great deal about people and their behavior. By establishing a strong ethos, carefully choosing the tone, and being particular with the diction and syntax, Dubner and Levitt are successful in making an argument that humans are innately good.
ReplyDeleteRight off the bat, the audience becomes aware of Paul F.’s history in statistics. He accomplished some truly remarkable things. These can be seen in the first paragraph of the work. This introduction lets the readers know that the bagel man’s opinion is not one to brush off, he knows what he is talking about. At the same time, he is not made out to be some “know it all”, ignorant, stuck up brainiac. He is described as knowledgeable, yet kind and laid back. The guy that brings bagels to the office to brighten someone’s day. This combination of personality and knowledge in Paul makes him the perfect subject to help relay the authors’ argument.
Building off this idea, the tone reflects the same qualities the authors associate with the main character. It is mostly conversational, which makes the audience feel more willing to take part in the argument. It makes the analytical pieces less daunting, and the whole essay seem more reachable to the average person in general. However, there are more intellectual sentences mixed in throughout, which is a huge help for the argument. The facts are presented as they should be, but warmed up to be received better by more casual text surrounding them. The authors make bold points regarding white collar crime, economics, and the honesty of people without making them too controversial. There were aspects of humor that helped a lot with this aspect as well. This keeps the argument rolling without stirring up shame or anger in the audience.
Finally, the diction and syntax helped win over the readers in a few sneaky ways. Firstly, the work starts with “Once upon a time...” the same as a fairytale. This immediately changes the way the audience will receive the rest of the text, whether they realize it or not. It lays a foundation of hope and victory for the good guys. By involving this aspect, the audience begins to adopt the right mindset to agree with Dubner and Levitt’s claim. The fact that the whole piece is in third person follows up on this, turning Paul F. into an icon, a hero almost, in the story. The way the piece flows and the casual tone in word choice makes the audience feel good about what they are reading. The authors want to make readers feel this same sense of excitement and hope regarding the truth of their argument.
Through a strong ethos, tone, and diction/syntax, Dubner and Levitt use the story of the bagel man to make a convincing case for the goodness of the human race. Their work can really make a reader think, and links in to everyone’s humanity to connect with the audience. Humans are good, sometimes it just takes a little help to remember that.
Dubner and Levitt wrote an excellent piece known as “what the bagel man saw” to explain the ideas of white collar crime and how economic analysis can show honesty levels. The piece uses tone, story telling, and allusions to help prove their argument to readers.
ReplyDeleteThe piece begins by saying “Once Upon A Time” which immediately gives a relaxed and relatable way to begin a story. By proving this argument through a story, the authors helped simply the concept for the readers. The piece begins by telling about the bagel mans life, and giving a basic breakdown of how he got to selling bagels. Through showing the man was intelligent and held a high intelligence job, it helps establish his ethos. He is not a random man off the streets studying how people pay for bagels, but actually an economic scholar studying an honor system by doing something he loves.
The tone makes the logical facts presented in the story seem simple and easy to understand. The story follows a pattern of following each statistical fact with a “let down” per say. The authors add a fact about the mans life, or a relatable joke to simplify how many stats are being presented to the readers. For example, after the story talks about the percentages of people who pay for bagels, it begins to talk about the bagel mans friends. This strategy helps make the tone relaxed while still proving the idea that all people, even in white collar jobs, are not free of crime.
Finally, the story uses allusions to further give readers a sense of relatability and understanding of the complex economic concepts. For example, the authors used common ideas of the time such as Clinton and the 9/11 attack. Many people understood how the 9/11 attacks changed economy for them, so it’s an easy way to show how it affected the economy of bagel sales. After the 9/11 attack, people wanted to be kinder and more cautious, so the crime of bagel theft went down at that point. This allusion helps reference the time period of the story, and also helps a readers understanding.
The authors use of allusions, story telling, and tone helped this story give a breakdown of economic concepts and the average persons honor system. Each section of this story was relatable and easily understood because of the strategies used, which was important for this concept. Economics can be a difficult concept for many people, but it’s influence on society needs to be understood, which is why this piece is important.
Paul F., an economist turned salesmen, is the main character of this narrative. “What the Bagel Man Saw” is truly a story of what the bagel man didn’t see, yet calculated and predicted. The story begins with the background of Paul F. This gives him credit and authority, and makes it clear he is qualified for the ‘job’. He started as a business man in economics, therefore knowing money and how money and people work. Through his work, he proposes the question, “Will humans cheat if they believe they can get away with it?” He makes many comparisons, such as good weather versus bad weather, executives versus service and administrative employees, and many more of the sort. With extensive data, over many many years of calculating the numbers his work had provided, he discovers not all people are inclined to cheat. A great deal of logic is used in this story, as numbers and statistics are placed everywhere throughout. Typically this can be confusing to readers, but the authors placed it well through the narrative, making the numbers easily match with characters and ideas that make it simple to understand.
ReplyDeleteBy using events such as 9/11 and the D. C. Sniper attacks that is well known to almost every reader, it appeals to emotions. It makes it easier for the audience to relate the simple bagel statistics to real life issues. It makes it easier to see how big world problems affect small businesses and ‘insignificant’ people. To answer his question, “Will humans cheat if they believe they can get away with it?” his statistics say no. Around 90% of people honor his system of the wooden box, and pay for fifty cents or one dollar for the donut or bagel. The short story proves that small acts of unkindness or disobedience make an effect on people, even if we can’t put a face to it.
“What The Bagel Man Saw” is an excellent true story that approaches the idea of white collar crime in a fascinating way. Paul F. is the main character of this story. He is an economist who found more joy in selling bagels and donuts than his cubicle job, and made a business from selling the goods at office buildings. The piece uses excellent tactics of storytelling along with straight facts found through the business to support the argument surrounding white collar crime.
ReplyDelete“What The Bagel Man Saw” is written in a relaxed tone, and the reader is better able to relate to the story. The authors go right into the story of Paul F. and give a background on him and his bagel seeking business. Ethos is then established because Paul F. is seen as a smart and relatable man. He held a high status in his old job and, being he was an economist, is good with money and certainly more than qualified to be doing his job. The story also gives straightforward facts surrounding the examples of white collar crime seen through the story. The facts are presented in a way that the reader can understand, and the read can make connections from the story to there own lives. Using a relaxed tone to present data is a good strategy to present information to the audience. By making reference to certain events, such as 9/11, he connects with the emotions of the reader, as this event is extremely well known, and being able to relate the bagel business statistics to something reader are already familiar with creates a connection between reader and authors. The ideas of white collar crime and economics presented through this piece can sometimes be difficult for people to grasp, but this story does an excellent job at making connections to the subjects through real life
What the Bagel Man Saw is a very interesting piece that explains a different side to economics using great detail and numerical data. Paul F. is a man with a background in economics who quits his job to sell bagels. By using a good conversational tone and a strong ethos, the authors show the effects of white collar crimes and what they could mean about people.
ReplyDeleteThe story starts with a detailed explanation of Paul’s background in economics. The entire first paragraph is full of the details of his education of the careers that he has tried to fulfill himself with. The rhetoric that is used to introduce the character builds a strong ethos because of the detailed evidence of Paul’s background in the field of economics. Also there is a little bit of humor used when describing how he moved between jobs because they were not enough for him. The man is extremely intelligent and has great math skills but when he talks to people the first thing that they remember about him is the bagels that he brings. This detail makes Paul seem like a nice person who does not act like he is better than others because of his skills.
After Paul is introduced, the story starts to explain how bagels became his new source of income. He would bring them in as a nice gesture but once it became more popular Paul started to bring in fifteen dozen a week. To repay himself, he set out a basket and received a 95% collection rate. This piece of information starts to explain the author's purpose of showing that people can be honest. When Paul’s job came under new management he decided to leave and start selling bagels. The author uses this event to explain who Paul was selling the bagels and how he could tell how honest the people were by analyzing his profits. He did not mean to create an experiment but with his new source of income he could learn about the white collar crimes that were happening.
Another main piece of rhetoric used in the story is the relaxed tone and diction of the author. Details of Paul’s life and business are written in a way that makes it very easy to read. The topics that are talked about can be very serious and confusing but the structure of the story relaxes the tone. A serious point such as Paul quitting his job will be followed by a conversation with his friends and how they think his idea is crazy. Throughout the writing the authors were able to tell a story full of statistics and economics in a way that readers could follow and enjoy. The tone and humor made the topic of economics, which can be difficult to understand, have a light and fun side.
Will people be dishonest if given the chance? The question is as old as mankind, and even ancient philosophers such as Socrates and Glaucon spent years of their lives debating it back in the fourth century BC. So what’s the answer? Well, Stephen J. Dubner and Steven D. Levitt step into the ring with “What the Bagel Man Saw,” a story about a man named Paul F. who leaves his economist job to sell bagels. The result? They use storytelling, diction and syntax, and inductive reasoning to make a strong argument that, for the most part, people are inherently good and will be honest if given the chance.
ReplyDeleteLike any good story, this one starts at the beginning. It tells of Paul F.’s history: his education at Cornell, his doctorate from MIT, various jobs as a top economist, his theory of predicting cancer clusters, and more. In this way, the authors use storytelling to build Paul’s ethos. After all, if he was just some guy who sells bagels, he wouldn’t be a very credible source to answer a question not even the greatest philosophers on Earth could agree on. Additionally, storytelling enhances the pathos of the argument. Readers get to know Paul, and the story moves beyond facts and statistics to something more personal, which in turn draws the readers in and makes them even more interested in the argument.
Next is diction and syntax, which helps the authors make their argument in a few different ways. One of the most notable is the way that the authors use words like theft, stealing, crime, and robbed rather than saying, “They ate bagels and didn’t pay for them.” These words carry heavier connotations that helps readers realize what’s really happening. It also strengthens the pathos of the argument because readers feel sympathy for poor old Paul, who is constantly robbed while trying to place trust in absolute strangers. The syntax is also useful in making the story very understandable, easy to read, and relatable. It describes scientific studies in a down to earth way.
Lastly, the authors use lots of logic to support their argument, specifically lots of inductive reasoning. All throughout the story, the authors tell about Paul’s specific payment rates in various circumstances. It gathers all kinds of evidence from specific situations in order to make a general claim as to whether or not people will be dishonest when given the chance. In the end, the argument is finished off with one final logical strategy: an enthymeme. Essentially, Paul says that if his payment rate using this honor system is 89%, then the large majority of the time, people will be honest if given the chance.
All throughout “What the Bagel Man Saw,” various rhetorical strategies, including storytelling, diction and syntax, and inductive reasoning, are used to support the authors’ ideas. Together, these strategies brilliantly balance ethos, pathos, and logos, creating a well-rounded argument and teaching readers the truth about human nature. That is, people can and will be honest when given the chance.
“What The Bagel Man Saw” is an intriguing analysis on a man’s bagel business and the mysterious world of white collar crime. The piece, written by Stephen Dubner and Steven Levitt, tells the story of a man who gave up a career in economics to sell bagels. However, the article doesn’t just tell a story - it makes an argument. Through the use of tone, diction, and syntax, the authors utilize the rhetorical appeals ethos and logos to make an argument for the intrinsically good nature of human beings.
ReplyDeleteEthos is an essential component to the argument made. The article is prefaced with the many accomplishments of the authors, such as Dubner’s acclamations in “The Best American Sportswriting,” and “The Best American Crimewriting,” and Levitt’s recognition with the John Bates Medal for economists and being a member of Time Magazine’s “100 People Who Shape Our World.” The supply of this information allows readers to see that the authors are qualified to be writing about this topic. Ethos is also appealed to almost immediately in the article when the audience is introduced to the subject of the narrative, Paul F. His superior education and career achievements are laid out, such as his degree in agricultural economics from Cornell, his doctoral studies at M.I.T., and his defense analysis positions in the United States government.
The way that this information is introduced is key to the influence of the argument. The tone of the opening paragraph, as well as the rest of the piece, is laid-back, approachable, and conversational. The article starts with “Once upon a time, Paul F. dreamed big dreams.” This light-hearted approach to opening the narrative is inviting and familiar to the audience. The word choice is important to how the information in the article is presented and contributes to the conversational tone of the piece. Even though the authors were writing about Paul’s lack of satisfaction with his jobs and his overall unfulfillment, they were able to frame it with his love of economics by using words with positive connotations. Additionally, humor assists the way that the readers interpret Paul’s story. This allows the audience to connect with Paul’s frustrations while still keeping an optimistic view of his story.
Early on in the article, an inquisitive and overall positive tone has been established. This is necessary for the transition into the bulk of the article: the discussion of white-collar crime, a controversial topic that is, naturally, viewed negatively. This part of the article requires a lot of statistics and informational material, yet it is included in a way that is easy to read and understand. The syntax varies significantly as the piece goes on. This keeps the information from becoming monotonous or easily overlooked. The use of Paul F.’s meticulous records and analyses provide logical support for the main claim of the argument - that people are good, or more specifically honest, in nature.
By creating a light-hearted and conversational tone through using words with positive connotations and varied sentence structure to tell Paul F.’s story, the authors of “What The Bagel Man Saw” effortlessly constructed an argument on behalf of the good nature of people. Paul’s personal life, his research, and the implications of his research are all presenting in a laid-back yet educational way that allows readers to understand the message without feeling any negative emotions. The authors took Paul’s story, which is technically about the losses his business has experienced due to dishonesty, and used literary devices to create a compelling argument in support of the honest nature of people.
For over twenty years, Paul F. delivered fresh bagels and doughnuts to various companies—large and small— and office parks around Washington, which was the city he lived in. He was an educated man; a notable degree in economics and impressive research experience tucked under his belt. Prior to selling bagels, Paul F. served as an economic analyst for the federal government for nearly thirty years. Despite reading the story of Paul F.’s career journey in Steven J. Dubner and Steven D. Levitt’s “What the Bread Man Saw”, the readers are not just being exposed to Paul F.’s success; they are also exposed to the image economics reveals about human behavior.
ReplyDeleteThe authors —Dubner and Levitt—use the third-person perspective of Paul F. to argue that man, as a species, is ultimately good. Of course there will be people who are not as good, but more often than not, people are honest and good. These are the people being affected by the economy. The authors themselves set up a reliable tale by being credible sources: Dubner and Levitt both graduated from pretentious schools and have multiple impressive accomplishments to back them up. Their third-person account of Paul F. is reliable because of the authors’ backgrounds, while Paul F. and his data on white-collared crime are also credible because of his background and continuous use of numbers throughout the text. The intelligence of text is clear to pick up, as well as the elements that make the text engaging enough for a conversation. The authors come up with conclusions and explain themselves thoroughly throughout the text to add to a tone that encourages readers to be inquisitive. For example, in the fourth paragraph on page 444, the narrator explains how “he [Paul F. had designed a beautiful experiment” when Paul F. measured the money collected against any stolen bagels. The narrator concludes the paragraph by asking questions, like “Did they [Paul F.’s customers] steal from him?”, that would keep readers on their toes. The authors offer explanations to Paul F.’s statistics left out by their article’s subject. Therefore, the authors sound more convincing in their subtle argument.
Logos is the most prominent rhetorical device present in this text. There are many specific statistics and details that support the author’s statements. The narrator simply explained how Paul F.’s, the man selling bagels, presence deterred theft in the same way a parked police car deters crime in a neighborhood (page 445). Paul F. also notes how there is a correlation of morale and size of a company with the rate of which his bagels succumb to theft. He found that “as the unemployment rate goes down, dishonesty rises,” (page 447). The idea that quantitative data can determine human behavior is enforced by Paul F.’s constants use of numbers and facts. No one can refute numbers, so the argument appears more acceptable and logical.
The small presence of pathos can be found in the personality of Paul F., the primary character of the text. If a reader is familiarized with the “main” character, then they are more likely to care about what happens in the story. There is a humorous string in the story, as well. The fate of bagels is made out to be a very serious matter, which can be interpreted as humorous. Paul F.’s interactions with his economist friends and his customers also allow readers to see his personality, and therefore, care more about his situation. It’s an effective strategy.
Paul F. is the “Bagel Man”, and he saw the participation of people in an honor-system whenever he would collect his money boxes from the offices he would sell his bagels to. He realized that people are honest and even calculated the percentage of how often they are honest: at least eighty-nine percent. This is why he can argue the good of humanity and support the purpose of the authors.