Unmarried with Children Essay Example

this subject and that they are not targeting one single ethnic group unfairly. They are investigating not only minority groups, but Caucasian women as well. Their focus is not race, but women who are of low socio-economic background. This can further build upon their credentials and earn a reader’s trust because it shows that they are not singling out one specific racial group.

Kathryn Edin and Maria Kefalas state multiple statistics in their article about the many people they have interviewed over the years about being unmarried with children. Statistics are the mathematics of the collection, organization, and interpretation of numerical data. This technique immediately shows the reader that they have taken the time and done the research before beginning to write this article. “In 1959, when Jen’s grandmother came of age, only 1 in 20 American children were born to an unmarried mother.

Today, that rate is 1 in 3 – and that are usually born to those least likely to be able to support a child on their own” (Edin, 388). This statistic is confirmation that as time passes, the values and women’s respect for themselves is rapidly decreasing. Also this particular statistic is used to grasp the readers’ attention, yet give some background information that leads to the authors point in the following paragraph. Edin and Kefalas also use external sources in their article. External sources are quotes or experiences from experts or other people that are educated on information about the specific topic.

Jen, a single mother that had her son Collin at age fifteen says, “I know I could have waited [to have a child], but in

a way I think Collin’s the best thing that could have happened to me…so I think I had my son for a purpose because I think Collin changed by life” (Edin, 392). Through interviewing Jen, this enlightens the readers to see how Jen feels about being a single mother, and also how her thoughts counteract with the authors. The authors state that women who have children out of wedlock suffer from a low self-respect, but in her interview, Jen appears to have no regrets in the way her life has transpired because of her son.

She clearly states that her son is the best thing that has ever happened to her, thereby insinuating that she has a high level of self-respect. She respected herself enough to take responsibility for her actions, stop doing the things that are wrong and taking care of her baby. In addition to all the rhetorical devices that have already been explained that authors also uses cause and effect in their article. An author may use cause and effect in a hypothetical situation to show how different the outcome in those situations. Jen states, “if I never had a baby or anything…I would still be doing the things I was doing.

I would probably still be doing drugs. I’d probably still be drinking” (Edin, 390). Before having a baby out of wedlock all that Jen was involved in was drugs and drinking, leading her farther down the wrong path. When she first found out she was pregnant she became angry and bitter because she did not want to have to give up the lifestyle she had been enjoying for

many years now. She had no desire to spend her money on anything other than herself and her chosen existence. After some time, she came to the realization that having a baby could be a positive thing and it could be the push she needed to get her life on the right track. Now I have my son to take care of. I have him to go home for…I don’t have to go buy weed or drugs with my money. I could go by my son stuff with my money! …I have something to look up to now” (Edin, 390). By her son, Collin, being born it had a positive effect on Jen and how she began living her life. The authors use cause and effect in this article to appeal to the readers’ reasoning. Jen’s pregnancy causes her to stop her self-destructive lifestyle so that she can be a fit mother and take care of her responsibilities.

The two women employ different techniques in order to convey their research in this specific area. Edin and Kefalas hook the audience by first introducing themselves and their personal credentials followed by laying out their research in such a way that the audience understands that they have spent time delving into the subject of unmarried women with children. They consult outside, primary sources in interviewing single women with children, as well as simple cause and effect to make the point that they have set out to make.