Beverly Gross' Essay, "Bitch"

Paper Summary:

This paper examines how, in her essay "Bitch," Beverly Gross writes about the word "bitch" and how she does not like it, because she feels that is only used in a negative way for women. The paper discusses how, on first reading it is a persuasive article tending to make people think twice about using the word "bitch," when describing a woman and how, upon closer reading, however, the critical reader sees that Gross is only using the word "bitch" as an example of the way that women are treated differently than men. The review is based on an analysis of the rhetorical aspects of the essay.

From the Paper:

"Gross uses the rhetorical appeals of ethos, pathos and logos to make her argument. Ethos is when the writer tries to persuade the reader by using his or her reputation or experience as a reason. The author tells the reader what it means to him or her. There is a lot of ethos in this essay. Gross makes it very clear that she does not like the word. For example, she says, "The meaning of bitch has changed over the centuries but it remains the word that comes immediately to the tongue, still 'the most offensive appellation' the English language provides to hurl at a woman" and "Something has become someone. The ball-buster is not a disagreeable thing but a disagreeable (disagreeing?) person. A female person.""

Sample of Sources Used:

• Gross, Beverly. "Bitch." Salmagundi 103 (1994): 146-50.

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