Let Them Eat Dog Article Analysis Essay Example

Novelist, Jonathan Safran Foer, in his article, “Let Them Eat Dog”, theorizes why the taboo against eating dogs in American society exists. Foer’s purpose is to address and expose the hypocrisy that exists surrounding the consumption of dogs when economically speaking, dogs could exist as a sustainable food source for the entire human race. He carries a sarcastic, yet informative tone throughout the course of the article in order to shock readers into questioning their own morals and beliefs. 

Foer begins his article with the blatant statement that dogs are no more intellectually or experientially capable than other animals: such as chickens, cows, and pigs. By doing so, Foer bases the entirety of his essay in logos, making thought-provoking claims such as, “Don’t eat companion animals. But dogs aren’t kept as companions in all of the places they are eaten. And what about our petless neighbors? Would we have any right to object if they had dog for dinner?” (Foer). This statement by Foer is a logical one, and it was made in order to establish the fact that just because some see animals as pets, not all do. This calls the reader's' own morals into question and makes them re-think all previous beliefs they could have already established. However, Foer doesn’t always use thought-provoking logical statements to get his point across, his use of short statements is just as effective.

Foer transforms his speech from one based on thought-provoking questions and ideas to one based on short and succinct points. While he still uses logical statements to provide and share information, his use of dashes catches the readers' attention and strengthens his argument. As Foer speaks on the annual euthanization of dogs, he states, “But eating those strays, those runaways, those not-quite-cute-enough-to-take and not-quite-well-behaved-enough-to-keep dogs would be killing a flock of birds with one stone and eating it, too” (Foer) in order to show readers that these dog's lives don't have to go to waste--- they can be turned into food and used to our advantage. This acts as a shock to most readers, as many wouldn’t think about the number of dogs that get euthanized a year, but it also serves to make the readers question where they stand in regards to the repurposing of animal meat. Throughout the course of the article, Foer consistently tries to appeal to the readers' logical brain by providing shocking and obscure ideas, however, he closes out the article by trying to bring everyone together.

In the final paragraph of Foer’s article, he acknowledges that it can be hard for someone to change their perspective so quickly. He responds to this with the use of anaphora, stating, “Food is not rational. Food is culture, habit, craving and identity” (Foer). This creates a safe space in the article, where Foer reminds the readers that it’s okay for them to feel the way that they do, but he does this in order to strengthen the essay and appeal to the personal emotions and feelings of the readers. This appeals to many of the readers, with the notion that it’s okay for them to feel the way that they do, but it also calls into question, why can't these feelings change? Foer never explicitly answers this question, he simply provides the idea that everyone’s personal beliefs are valid and he is just simply offering a new perspective.

Jonathan Safran Foer’s unique take on the food industry and the ethical consumption of dogs call for the hypocrisy and untamed morals in American society to be addressed. His effective use of logic and reasoning creates a strong argument and opens the door for many more discussions to be had surrounding the taboo.