Exploring Rhetoric

Montoure 1
Emilie Montoure
Mrs. Lundbergh
Honors Advanced Composition
18 May 2021
Exploring Rhetoric
Pg. 539 Graphic Organizer (Soapstone)
Q. What metacognitive markers did you use?

a. I put an asterisk next to paragraph 4 when the author explains Roja’s experience in her
workplace because it’s the stories like this that more people need to know about and bring
awareness to. This is an extremely important topic and the more people who know that
this is happening everyday everywhere, the better. I put an exclamation point next to
paragraph 5 when the author states that the factory administration told Roja, “‘This is
normal practice and you need to adjust.’” (Kashyap par 5). This really shocked me
because we live in a world where it’s become normal for men bosses to harass women
employees, and it’s sickening. Additionally, I put an exclamation point next to paragraph
Montoure 2
8 when the author reveals “The factory’s management exploited this fear. The women say
supervisors had threatened them…” (Kashyap par 8). This shocked me as well because
not only are bosses harassing their employees, but they’re also using fear tactics to get
them to keep quiet about the horrible working conditions and abuse they are receiving.
It’s disgusting how men will use their power in any way they can to get women to do
what they want, but it’s even more disgusting how this issue still exists today.
Pg. 51 Returning to the Text

1. What are three actions that Kashyap argues brands should take to improve conditions for
their workers?
a. Kashyap argues brands should first publish information about the factories that
supply their products; this will make it easier to know who to contact when issues
arise. Secondly, brands should understand and implement the limits of social and
labor compliance. They should have monitors that document evidence and
organize complaints they get from workers before these issues are reported.
Thirdly, brands should include “well-trained, independent and gender-sensitive
committees” who can look into complaints (Kashyap par 14). Having these
workers will give brand companies some sort of credibility.
2. What is the most likely reason that Kashyap included the story of Roja R? How does this
example affect her argument?
a. Kashyap included Roja’s story to bring light to the situation and inform the world
that this is the sickening reality women face everyday in the workplace. This story
appeals to emotion and can create sympathy within the reader as well as the
government agencies and brand companies Kashyap is writing to, helping her
argument.
3. How does Kashyap’s language affect your perception of her argument? Is her use of
language appropriate for her topic and audience?
a. Kashyap’s language is extremely formal and informative; she lays out all of the
facts and data clearly and straight to the point. This helps the reader to understand
plainly what the situation is and what the data behind it means. Kashyap’s formal
and firm tone is highly appropriate for her topic and audience because she is
presenting an argument to government officials and brand companies; she needs
to be professional while being firm at the same time.
4. In paragraph 10, what is the counterclaim that Kashyap addresses and how does she
respond to it? Why do you think she advises against this solution?
a. Kashyap recognizes that a brand should be able to cut ties with a factory who
“shows zero willingness to put in place legal protections” for women and who
refuses to “abide by international human rights standards.” (Kashyap par 10).
Kashyap then goes on to say that before taking this step of cutting ties, companies
need to educate factories and help them improve to ensure that workers can safely
Montoure 3
report their issues. She advises against cutting off partnerships with factories
immediately because factories who are constant offenders will never learn unless
someone guides them. If no one advises them in the right direction, they will
continue to oppress women and exploit their fears in the workplace.
5. How is the text structured? What purpose does this structure achieve?
a. The structure is made up of short paragraphs to keep the reader’s attention and
help them comprehend and retain what they’re reading. Kashyap also lays out
what the basic issue is, and then presents her argument through data and real-life
examples. She then concludes with steps brands should take to resolve this
problem. This order of information clearly maps out the author’s point and her
perspective on the topic.
6. Explain how Kashyap builds her argument. Find specific evidence in the text where she
appeals to reader’s emotions (pathos), reader’s sense of logic (logos), and other areas that
show the writer’s credibility/trustworthiness (ethos).
a. Kashyap first uses logos to set up for the situation that she will be addressing. The
very first line states, “In a recent survey of experts, countries were ranked
according to how safe they are for women.” (Kashyap par 1). This gives the
reader a broad idea of what she will be talking about. Kashyap then gets more
specific to her topic and states that one area in which women all over the world
face discrimination, inequality, and harassment, is in the workplace. After setting
up her topic, Kashyap tells a story about Roja R, a married woman who worked in
the Indian city of Mysore making clothing for international brands. Kashyap
explains, “She told me the cutting section supervisor had been stalking
her...calling her after work hours to harass her.” (Kashyap par 4). The supervisor
bribed her and “promised that if she submitted to his demands, he would give her
a more manageable workload.” (Kashyap par 4). Unfortunately, when Roja
resisted and reported the issue to factory administration, no one took the steps
Indian law required to stop harassment. Kashyap incorporates this story to make
her audience, the government officials and brand companies, sympathetic for Roja
and other women, helping her argument. Kashyap appeals to ethos and shows her
credibility by traveling the world to India and personally meeting with and talking
to women factory workers. She not only talked to Roja, but “Another of her
co-workers also told [her] she was harassed in a different part of the same
factory.” (Kashyap par 6). She’s being educated in person, “hands on”, therefore,
making herself credible to discuss the topic. Kashyap’s use of logos, appeal to
emotion, and credibility allow her to present her argument clearly and well.
7. Using Reader-Response Criticism, think about how the reading situation, the text, and
you as the reader take meaning from this article. How do your beliefs, experiences and
values influence the likelihood that you might be persuaded by Kashyap's argument.
(Please provide a well thought out response, in more than one sentence.)
Montoure 4
a. My feminist beliefs make it extremely likely that I would be persuaded by

Kashyap’s argument. I am a huge believer in the protection of women because, as
Kashyap’s argument has proven, there are a lot of sick companies out there run by
men who think it’s perfectly normal and okay to take advantage of women who
work for them. As much as society has improved and women are given a ton of
the same opportunities and rights as men now, there are unfortunately still people
who view women as lesser. These strong beliefs of mine allow me to agree with
Kashyap; there needs to be a change. Additionally, hearing all of these awful
stories of women being harassed, blackmailed, or abused, scares me as a woman
myself. I am frightened to grow up in this world with these disgusting men and
that’s not okay. Being a woman allows me to easily side with Kashyap.

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What are three actions that Kashyap argues brands should take to improve conditions for their workers?

What is the most likely reason that Kashyap included the story of Roja R? How does this example affect her argument?

Montoure 1

Q. What metacognitive markers did you use?

Pg. 51 Returning to the Text

a. My feminist beliefs make it extremely likely that I would be persuaded by

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