Starcher 1
Reagan Starcher Mrs. Parkinson
English III
5 April 2016
On Dumpster Diving
The author of this piece thoughtfully presents the information in way that causes the reader to have empathy for, and a new opinion of, homeless individuals. Stereotypes of the homeless are broken by the introduction which details Eighner's employment and previous job experience. By tracking the transition from employment to a homeless man, the reader is able to connect with the author and understand how life for some can take a drastic turn for the worst. Throughout the publishing, the use of elevated diction allows readers to understand that homeless people are often times intelligent. Pathos is used throughout the piece to aid Eighner with his goal of pulling on reader's heart strings. When disusing how he no longer has sentimental objects, he states, "many times in our travels I have lost everything..."(Eighner 66). The inclusion of this phrase highlights the point that he has no set home. Word choice contributes through the effect of pathos throughout the text as well. In the line, "living in a shack"(Eighner 5) Eighner chooses the word shack for its negative connotation. In addition to these examples of pathos the author utilizes surprising statements to get the readers attention. The declaration, "all my clothes came from dumpsters,"(Eighner 5) shocks some individuals by causing them to think about what it would be like to obtain a wardrobe from the garbage. These purposeful techniques allow Eighner to help people understand the hardships homeless people face and the evolution of how one ends up on the street.
