Rhetorical Analysis of The Partly Cloudy Patriot Essay Example

In the emotionally honest excerpt from her book, “The Partly Cloudy Patriot,” actress as well as writer, Sarah Vowell, writes in hopes to challenge readers to ponder the true meaning of patriotism in modern day America, by providing an essay composed of her own experiences that commissioned her to question her own American patriotism, written with a balance of complex and simplistic sentences, that are filled with allusions, sarcastic comments, as well as ripe language in order to express how she feels within the composition of the words alone. 

To open the essay, Vowell creates an allusion out of the movie, “The Patriot,” starring Mel Gibson, and explains how she doesn’t understand how one can feel patriotic when in the movie, the character Gibson is portraying is fighting in the Revolutionary war, which was a war fought in order to grant freedom to the people of the United States. Vowell questions why his character fought in a war that represented the freedom of individuals, when within the next one hundred years, it’s likely that his character’s son would be a slave owner. Beginning with a movie that many people are aware of is a great way to open the excerpt because it’s a great lead way to what she wants to discuss throughout the rest of the book. 

Next, when reading the book, it’s written in a way that’s fairly easy to understand. Vowell’s book is composed of sentences that are either written with depth and complexity, or they just barely skim the surface and are only a few words. Vowell chooses to write in this way most likely because she wants the general reader to be able to comprehend what she’s trying to say, so people of all ages and backgrounds can take in the meaning of the book. Along with a different composition of sentences, Vowell also provides the readers with quite a few anecdotes, some that include swearing, along with commentary on those anecdotes which help the reader to understand why Vowell considers herself a “partly cloudy patriot.” Although many might not enjoy the use of swear words in the excerpt, the words allow the readers to actually feel and understand how Vowell genuinely felt during the time these anecdotes took place. Vowell lists the “national events that have made the deepest impressions' ' on her to provide the reader with historical context to show the time period that she is writing about. The allusions she makes connects with this by referencing “The Patriot”, which she viewed in 2000, and references Britney Spears stopping her show to comment on how “proud she is of our nation right now,” following the tragic events of September 11th, 2001. 

Not only is the book easier to read than most others due to sentence composition, but it’s easy to hear the sarcastic tone, and slightly satirical comments Vowell includes throughout most of the book. She does this to not only lighten the mood, but to also contrast how unimportant certain events are, by making them seem as though they had major significance. For example she writes, “I’m keenly aware of all the ways my life is easier and lighter, how lucky I am to have the time and energy to contemplate the truly important things---Bill Murray in Groundhog Day, the Baked Alaska at Sardi’s, the Dean Martin Christmas record, my growing collection of souvenir snow globes.” This sarcastic comment is meant to show how easy Vowell, along with many others have it, compared to her grandmother who was “picking cotton with her bleeding fingers.” Vowell’s inclusion of this statement not only makes the story more personal, but it allows the readers to connect with the excerpt more because like Vowell, many people nowadays spend their time worrying about unimportant things. 

Lastly, Vowell explains how after tragic events happen in the United States, people tend to lean towards God, and turn to him in times of need. With Vowell being an atheist, she expresses how after these horrific events, like 9/11, atheists and people of other denominations tend to feel excluded in the rebuilding of a broken nation. Vowell explains how being in New York City is comforting to her and other people who aren’t the classic, christain, patriotic American because even though she is alone in the city, she’s surrounded by streets bustling with people who feel the same way as her. By sharing her personal beliefs, it allows some readers of the same beliefs to relate to her, and those with different beliefs to examine the contrasting viewpoint of someone different. The excerpt then ends with Vowell explaining how even though the country seems divided despite most people’s overwhelming “patriotism,” it’s the little things like seeing a sign on the subway that says “If you are sick, you will not be left alone,” that allow her to believe the epitome of a nation is compassion, kindness, and banding together when terror strikes.

In conclusion, Vowell’s rhetorical devices presented in the excerpt from her book, “The Partly Cloudy Patriot,” help to explain her stance on being an American who feels as though she cannot be a full patriot due to the internal issues that take place in America. The composition of words, including a balance of complexity as well as simplicity allow readers of all different ages and backgrounds to read the thought-provoking excerpt from the book, and force readers to ponder whether or not someone can be a full patriot in a place where major issues still occur. Although Vowell expresses her belief that there are many ways America can grow and improve as a nation, her thoughtfully written book expresses how she still believes that at the heart of the nation, are people filled with compassion and kindness.