Kalnes 1

Ella Kalnes
Mr. Hackney
Rhetoric 101
8 October 2014

Most Americans would be shocked if they heard of people eating rabbits for dinner, but
in some countries rabbit is a delicacy. Rabbits are plentiful, humane to raise, and have little
effect on the environment compared to cows and pigs. The only downside to eating rabbit is
figuring out how to cook it. Since there is little fat on a rabbit, it needs to be cooked slowly and
in a particular way or it will dry out. In Vogues October 2014 issue Tamar Adlers article Hop
to It uses logos and pathos to prove that although rabbits are usually seen as pets, they can be
used efficiently for food as well.
Adler utilizes logos when she mentions the ecological benefits of eating rabbit and that
despite public opinion, utilizing rabbits can improve our food industry and reduce its impact on
the environment. Adler points out that rabbits feast on low cost foods such as wildflowers, twigs,
bark, and garden scraps. In addition, rabbits do not produce enough waste to poison the water or
air and they are inexpensive. In fact, Adler states, Rabbits are so inexpensive to raise that
organizations such as USAID and Heifer International have funded tiny rabbitries in Haiti as a
way of alleviating the many burdens of poverty. These benefits make food accessible to larger
amounts of people without any lasting effects on the world around them.
Adler continues to use logos when she discusses the surplus of rabbits and how efficient
they are compared to traditional livestock. [Their] gestation is 30 days, and every litter has one
to twelve babies. So there would rarely be a shortage of game. In addition, raising rabbits would
be easier and more ethical compared to raising other animals. For example, Chickens suffer from

Kalnes 2

being in cages, as do cows and pigs. But put a rabbit in a field and he will naturally find himself
a dark cramped place. To clarify, rabbits are more efficient to use than most animals in the meat
industry.
Pathos, such as when Adler talks about her original opinion of using rabbits for food,
gives the audience the feeling that they are discovering the use of rabbits with Adler. Throughout
the article, Adler talks about how she used to be uneasy with hunting rabbits until she found out
more about the practice. She uses phrases like, I didnt grow up thinking of rabbits as food to
show how her original opinion has developed. This gives the reader the feeling that her opinion
is not biased, but simply changed through logic. The phrase also makes the author seem innocent
and relatable which can also draw readers to her side.
Adler also demonstrates pathos when she uses humor throughout her piece. She uses
humor to loosen the readers up and make them more open to her opinion. The most significant
phrase she uses is rotisserie du Thumper. It immediately lightens up the piece and
demonstrates to her readers that although the idea may seem ridiculous, there are some merits
behind it. Her willingness to make fun of herself also makes her more likable in the eyes of the
reader.
In Hop To It Adler successfully uses pathos and logos to show readers a brand new use
for rabbits. She discusses the advantages and disadvantages of using rabbits for food, while
remaining fair-minded to the readers. Overall, the article successfully persuades the reader to
consider other uses for rabbit, no matter how strange they seem.
Works Cited
Adler, Tamar. Hop to it. Vogue n.p. 10 October 2014 Print. n.d.