In "The Lawyer and the Ghost" by Charles Dickens and "There Was Once" by Margaret Atwood, the dialogue between the two main characters in each story is argumentative. By the end of each passage, the opposing character in the story had changed his/her mind about the matter at hand. These short stories combined attest to the main idea that argumentation is not something that you can simply do and win. Rather, argumentation is a sophisticated and artful approach and when used correctly, can correctly backup your view point and easily persuade an opposing side. Both authors use refutation, a counter of argument with evidence, and concession, the realization and acceptance of a point made. These literary devices used between characters in the stories show that while conducting an argument you must have a concrete view point and effective presentation as well as reasoning in order to properly persuade an opposing side during an argument. 

As someone who is conducting an argument, you must first have view point on the topic at hand. The whole debate revolves around the stance you take, making it vital for the person to really consider how and what they are vouching for. This stance taken is the foundation for both your point and influencing the opposing side and changing their way of thinking. The Lawyer in "The Lawyer and the Ghost" shows this position taken in his discussion and uses refutation with an aggravated spirit. The Lawyer only asks one thing from the ghost, saying "it 

does appear to me somewhat inconsistent, that when you have an opportunity of visiting the fairest spots on earth... you should always return exactly to the very places where you have been most miserable" (Dickens 307). The lawyers position was clearly addressed and refuted the initial ideas of the spirit to make the tenant leave. In most typical horror stories, a spirit or ghost will overwhelm the victim and make them leave or cause distress. However the Lawyer formulates a stance and addresses his argument towards the spirit, which he later concretely backs up. 

In "There Was Once" two females who are writing a fairy tale story together have a difference in thought. One character assumed the classic beginning that all fairy tales described their characters with statements like "poor" or "wicked stepmother" (Atwood 305). However the other character, continued to stop and correct the other. She counters her partners idea by saying, "Poor is relative. She lived in a house, didn't she? 'Yes.' Then socio-economically speaking, she was not poor." (Atwood 305). This point made by the woman in the story suggests that she is countering the original idea given to her. The first character argues their case and mentions how the girl in the story sleeps by the fireplace, but using logical thought, the other speaker responds by saying, "They had a fireplace! With poor, let me tell you, there's no fireplace... come down to where they sleep in cardboard boxes, and I'll show you poor" (Atwood 305). This statement by the speaker suggests that the use of the word poor was incorrect in the terms of the story. This is because the idea of poor was not one with fireplaces or any sort of comfort. Proving this point made the argument of the speakers much more understandable and reasonable, giving their argument much more strength and validity. Again, the speaker countering the 

first character's opinion with her own as well as backing it up with logistical and reasonable thoughts. The refutation shown by the girl ended up countering the main idea of the first character. Suggesting that refutation is a tool in argumentation in order to counter the opposing characters and their ideas in the story.

Argumentation is all about how you present your information and what you can prove from it. An article called "Thinking and Reasoning" discusses the main points and forms of argumentation. Once a position is taken, an argument needs to have solid, concrete evidence in order for people to have a "complete understanding of human (debaters) reasoning and cognition" (Hornikx and Hahn Vol. 18). Proving that one's stance is logical and reasonable makes the argument much stronger. "The Lawyer and the Ghost" displays affective reasoning with concession through the lawyer's conversation with the ghost. While describing the ghosts old room, the lawyer mentions, "this is a very uncomfortable room. From the appearance of that press I should be disposed to say that it is not wholly free from bugs" (Dickens 309) and how the ghosts would be "much more comfortable elsewhere" (Dickens 309). The lawyer used logical reasoning to prove his point to prove to the ghost that there was no point in him coming to the lawyers apartment when he could be spending time elsewhere. At the end of the story the ghost says "You are very right, sir...it had never struck me till now; I'll try a change of air directly" (Dickens 309). The ghost admits that he is wrong, suggesting that the lawyer had made a reasonable point. Furthermore, the ghost "began to vanish as he spoke" (Dickens 309). This action by the ghost proves that the lawyer changed the ghosts rationale, making him think that there were better places for ghosts to be than the lawyers apartment. Yasuma Tanaka, author of "Psychological Factors In International Persuasion" wrote 

about how persuasion was more than just a sense of convincing somebody, but a form of communication. Therefore the lawyers argument was so valid and well thought out, the speaker was able to "influence the thought and behavior of  the receiver" (Tanaka 53) during their conversations. An argument is successful when one can present logical reasoning and make the other side acknowledge their point and change their rationale of thinking. The utilization of concession helped the lawyer make his point and gain common ground with ghost in order to convince him to leave his apartment.

The ability to argue requires more than just an idea or raw opinion. This ability to persuade in both passages drastically changed the outcome of the story. The utilization of refutation and concession in the literary texts suggest that argumentation is an art that requires a good stance taken and logistical reasoning that can persuade one side to acknowledge a point and even change someones reasoning. This ability to persuade in both passages drastically changed the outcome of the story as a whole.
