The Great Influenza Rhetorical Analysis

Words: 252
Pages: 2

In John M. Barry’s The Great Influenza, the author utilizes allusions to build a connection with his audience and build his ethos, but more importantly to display the vital message of his claim. No science paper can be written without an allusion to Einstein because just as “Einstein refused to accept his own theories until his predictions were tested,” readers refuse to accept scientific information unless it comes from a source they find reputable. Barry’s decision to include Einstein built a connection and trust with the reader, but what about his decision to include Claude Bernard? Bernard is deemed by the prestigious Harvard University as “one of the greatest of all men of science,” but most readers have never heard his name. Although