Characteristics

To have a better view of Vittwia Mickelson’s text, “Oregon Journal”, and her experience as a traveler after the Oregon Trail in the 1800s, we recommend you look at the way in which she has chosen to construct her text.

Open argumentation

By “open argumentation”, we refer to the author transmitting his/her thoughts and feelings directly, without the need of further interpretation on the part of the readers. Hidden argumentation, on the other hand, is indirect: the author’s true intentions are not directly stated and readers have to make out the meaning of the author’s message by themselves.

As you have seen, Vittwia Mickelson makes use of direct (open) argumentation and clearly presents her thoughts and feelings in the first-person,...

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Rhetorical devices

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Forms of appeal

First, ethos is employed throughout the text, when Vittwia establishes herself as a credible and authoritative speaker. She establishes her identity as a traveler across the US, particularly during and after the Oregon Trail. She has experienced historical events first-hand (the Civil War, the farm life in the West, incidents on the Oregon Trail, etc.), so this makes her a convincing voice for the readers.

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Choice of words and language

As you have seen, the language employed in the text is simple and easy to understand. Vittwia’s purpose was to offer readers an account of her life, so the choice of words reflects her experiences.

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Composition

As we have previously mentioned, the text is structured chronologically, which makes it easier for readers to follow Vittwia’s experiences throughout the years.

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