Chesterfield Rhetorical Analysis

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Lord Chesterfield Rhetorical Analysis In a letter to his son, who is traveling and studying abroad, Lord Chesterfield attempts to advise his son. Chesterfield attempts to tell his son not to squander his opportunity and to learn from his father’s mistakes. Throughout Chesterfield’s letter, he reveals his own aristocratic values by exploiting stylistic devices. In regards to revealing his values, Chesterfield uses irony in his letter. Chesterfield’s application of irony is drawn from statements trying to evoke reactions of guilt and emotion from his son. Chesterfield achieves his desired result by stating that “those who want it most, like it and follow it least.” The nucleus of Chesterfield’s statement is an attempt to continue to push his son by coaxing him into heading his advice and trying to convince his son that he knows what’s best for him. Chesterfield’s utilization of irony as an attempt to get his son to contemplate his advice gives a subtle view of Chesterfield’s value of taking the advice of your elders. In conjunction with his use of irony, Chesterfield employs the rhetorical device of understatement in his letter. Chesterfield exercises understatement to disguise his true intentions concerning how he plans to advise his son. Chesterfield assures his son that “I only mean to advise as a friend” and that he does not “mean to check your pleasures” and “only desires to be a guide, not the censor.” Chesterfield’s slate of understated remarks is an attempt to emphasize to his son that he has no intention to take control of his situation and dictate his decisions, he “only means to guide as a friend.” This in combination with his use of irony is his effort to try and

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