A good meal is much more than consuming a well-seasoned, aesthetically pleasing dish.
With the industrialization of food production and the copious amount of prepackaged food
readily available for today's 'on the go' society, many individuals have forgotten or never even
considered the important role they play in the agricultural circle of life. In his essay, 'The
Pleasures of Eating,' Wendell Berry reminds us that 'eating is an agricultural act' (Berry 124).
He is able to immediately reel in the audience and keep them fully engaged throughout the essay
by presenting a soundly structured argument. He appeals to the emotions of the audience by
using rhetorical reasoning and premises relatable to a broad spectrum of individuals. His writing
style invokes emotion in the audience and urges readers to take action and make a change. By
creatively and intelligently weaving the rhetorical tools of pathos, logos, and ethos together,
Berry is able to present a successful argument that persuades his audience to eat responsibly and
to eat with pleasure.

As an older man and a known farmer with great knowledge and vast experience in
agriculture, Berry has a strong situated ethos. However, he does not draw on this. Instead he uses
invented ethos throughout his essay and is able to gain the trust of the audience, allowing the
goodwill of his argument to shine through. One method Berry uses to do this is the way in which
he presents the issue at hand. He presents his argument by addressing the concerns of an ordinary
food consumer, not that of a farmer. He draws on the concerns and desires of the audience,
making the issue of the disappearance of localized farming pertain to them. For example, one of
Berry's premises is that in the food industry the overriding concerns are not quality and health,
but quantity and price, and the consumer must be kept from discovering this (126). By making
the issue relate to how the majority of the audience is affected, and not to himself as a farmer,
Berry is able to gain the trust of his audience. This statement not only gains the trust of the
audience but invokes an emotional response, making the reader feel anger towards an industry
that is pulling the wool over their eyes. Using this writing style Berry has intertwined the
rhetorical techniques of ethos and pathos, forming a strong connection with the audience and
making his argument persuasive.

Also, throughout his essay Berry speaks to the audience by continuously using pronouns
such as you, we, and our. These are inclusive pronouns and act to bring the audience into the
argument. Berry uses this writing style to connect to the audience, and in doing so demonstrates
that he has their best interest at heart. For example, in the conclusion of the essay when speaking
to the pleasure of eating, Berry states, 'Eating with the fullest pleasure '  pleasure, that is, that
does not depend on ignorance '  is perhaps the profoundest enactment of our connection to the
world. In this pleasure we experience and celebrate our dependence and our gratitude, for we are
living from mystery, from creatures we did not make and powers we cannot comprehend' (128).
This writing style allows the goodwill of Berry's argument to be completely transparent. The
audience is able to see they have as much to gain, if not more, by taking a more active role in
eating responsibly. In addition, the use of these pronouns causes the reader to internalize the
issues associated with the industrialization of food, and feel a sense of longing and desire for
such a deep connection to eating that Berry possesses. Again, this marriage of ethos and pathos
proves to be very effective. It serves to connect with the audience, bringing them into the
argument, and at the same time induces an emotional response full of longing and desire, thus
enrapturing readers in the pleasure that they could experience from eating responsibly.

Berry's argument urging people to eat responsibly and to eat with pleasure is presented
both inductively and deductively. In the opening of the essay Berry immediately introduces his
argument to the audience. He then relates his argument to larger ideas, such as, 'eating is an
agricultural act' (124), the development of mere consumerism, and 'eating responsibly is eating
free' (125). After elaborating on these concepts he again narrows his focus, restating his
argument, and provides the audience with a specific list of actions they can take in order to eat
responsibly. He then goes on to tie how eating responsibly ultimately results in eating with true
pleasure. This method of structure is rhetorically effective and keeps the audience fully engaged.
It immediately makes the audience aware of what the argument is and allows them to realize
there are implications of not understanding how eating is connected with agriculture and
constantly reminds them that they are not exempt from these implications. By then presenting the
audience with direct actions to take they are not left wondering what they can do to make a
change. In addition, this structure reiterates to the audience the important role that they each play
as eaters in the connection to agriculture, and the true pleasure that can be gained in life by
understanding and appreciating the circle of food.

The logos presented throughout this essay consists of rhetorical and false reasoning. In
one instance of using rhetorical reasoning Berry describes how the majority of society has
evolved into individuals who eat with hardly any realization that they are participants in
agriculture. He classifies these individuals as 'mere consumers' and defines this class as being
'passive, uncritical, and dependent' patrons of the food industry (125). This definition of mere
consumers is directed at the audience, and implies that they have become passive individuals
who do as they are guided and directed, without thinking on their own and making informed
decisions. This technique is extremely effective because it indirectly implies ignorance and
angers the reader. While it may be offensive, the reader is not turned off from Berry's argument.
As the audience internalizes this message and applies it to their eating habits they realize the
truth in Berry's implication, and their anger can only be directed internally and towards the food
industry. Along with anger Berry causes the audience to feel guilty and ashamed. They realize
they belong to the class of mere consumers defined by Berry and have become victims of an
industry which promises convenience but in doing so robs people of the pleasure that could be
gained from eating.

Berry also uses false reasoning when he presents the propaganda promoted by the food
industry. The food industry has us believing that fast, premade food makes life easier and more
convenient, thus improving our quality of living. He vividly describes today's way of life where
we hurry through one thing just so we can hurry through the next, and asks 'for what? To eat the
billionth hamburger at some fast-food joint hellbent on increasing the 'quality' of our life?'
(126) There is no quality in this way of life, and there is no pleasure to be gained from eating
premade food from which there is no connection. Berry goes on to later say, 'A significant part
of the pleasure of eating is in one's accurate consciousness of the lives and the world from which
food comes' (128). This reasoning truly speaks to every reader who can relate to the feeling of
rushing through life. He makes the audience feel a sense of guilt for living a life without true
appreciation of simple pleasures.

Using rhetorical reasoning, Berry presents the concept of food politics, 'We still
(sometimes) remember that we cannot be free if our minds and voices are controlled by someone
else. But we have neglected to understand that we cannot be free if our food and its sources are
controlled by someone else' (125). We as Americans are infuriated when there is any small
chance that our liberties or freedoms are being restrained, but Berry points out that we haven't
had this same thought process when it comes to what we are eating. As Berry brings the audience
to this realization, he inspires a sense of outrage. He concludes this premise by stating, 'One
reason to eat responsibly is to eat free' (125). This statement leaves a lasting feeling with the
audience that we are not free as long as we are consuming what the food industry wants us to
consume. This point plays an important role in inspiring readers who might otherwise have an
apathetic attitude about eating processed food. While some may not care about the quality of
food they eat, they will want the freedom to make that choice.

Not only does Berry use pathos in concert with ethos and each premise he presents, but
he also takes a moment in his essay where he specifically uses pathos to persuade the audience.
He paints the horrific picture of what industrialized farming looks like for animals when he
states, 'the hamburger she is eating came from a steer who spent much of his life standing deep
in his own excrement in a feedlot, or that a calf that yielded the veal cutlet on her plate spent its
life in a box in which it did not have room to turn around' (126). This passage brings out many
emotions in the reader; feelings of sadness for the animals, and disgust and anger for the people
who treat animals in this manner. Maybe even guilt that their food habits make this sort of
farming thrive. Berry goes on to say, 'vegetables grown in huge monocultures are dependent on
toxic chemicals ' just as animals in close confinements are dependent on antibiotics and other
drugs' (126). This statement uses the concept of enargeia to target members of the audience who
might not care about the living conditions of animals that are destined to be slaughtered. While
they may not care about the animals, they should care about the quality of food going in their
body; the way in which animals and plants are raised transmits into the quality of food eaten by
consumers of these products.

Berry's orchestration of ethos, logos, and pathos was extremely effective. His language
spoke to the audience, included them in the argument, and each he idea presented sparked an
emotional response. The methodical structure of his essay kept the audience fully engaged, and
continuously reinforced his argument. He caused the readers to internalize his argument and
consider their own ignorance in connection with eating. Berry truly inspired readers to eat
responsibly and discover the pleasure there is to be gained from doing so. Through the use of
these tools he was even able to have an effect on those who may have initially had an apathetic
attitude towards this issue.

