Oluo’s Language

Oluo’s use of questions for titles in her book set a tone for the chapter, and makes readers think. She includes the questions because she knows that there are a lot of people out there that do not know how to discuss racial topics, and need answers to be able to better understand how to communicate their thoughts and feelings without coming across as racist or prejudice. It shows that she is trying to educate people and help them learn about issues regarding race, instead of judging them. Oluo knows it is a difficult topic to discuss, but she feels it is important and needs to be addressed. This may be considered logos because she uses reasoning to explain different racial topics, without trying to offend anyone in the process. She includes a lot of straightforward facts that contribute to her claims. An example of one of the facts is wage gaps that are still in place in this country; “White women still make only 82 cents for every white man’s dollar, black women only earn 65 cents for every white man’s dollar, and Hispanic women earn even less at 58 cents for every white man’s dollar” (115).

Another use of language in Oluo’s book is all of her personal experiences and struggles growing up. When she begins a chapter with a story from her past, it helps connect her to the lesson/message she is trying to convey. It helps readers trust in he more as an educator of race, because she has witnessed first hand the concepts mentioned in the chapters. It makes the author seem credible, which is why this relates to ethos. By including personal narratives, such as the story about her struggles with workplace racism and sexism, she is appealing to readers emotions while making herself seem like an expert on the racial topic at hand (considering she went through it in her past). I find Oluo’spersonal experiences very interesting because they help me better understand the theme of the chapter by providing an example.