What does fallacy mean in literature

However, the two are not inherently related. Begging the Claim: The conclusion that the writer should prove is validated within the claim. Arguing that coal pollutes the earth and thus should be banned would be logical. But the very conclusion that should be proved, that coal causes enough pollution to warrant banning its use, is already assumed in the claim by referring to it as "filthy and polluting. Circular Argument: This restates the argument rather than actually proving it.

In this example, the conclusion that Bush is a "good communicator" and the evidence used to prove it "he speaks effectively" are basically the same idea.

Specific evidence such as using everyday language, breaking down complex problems, or illustrating his points with humorous stories would be needed to prove either half of the sentence. In this example, the two choices are presented as the only options, yet the author ignores a range of choices in between such as developing cleaner technology, car-sharing systems for necessities and emergencies, or better community planning to discourage daily driving.

Ad hominem: This is an attack on the character of a person rather than his or her opinions or arguments. In this example, the author doesn't even name particular strategies Green Peace has suggested, much less evaluate those strategies on their merits.

Instead, the author attacks the characters of the individuals in the group. Getting on the bandwagon is one such instance of an ad populum appeal.

If you were a true American you would support the rights of people to choose whatever vehicle they want. In this example, the author equates being a "true American," a concept that people want to be associated with, particularly in a time of war, with allowing people to buy any vehicle they want even though there is no inherent connection between the two.

Red Herring: This is a diversionary tactic that avoids the key issues, often by avoiding opposing arguments rather than addressing them. The level of mercury in seafood may be unsafe, but what will fishers do to support their families? In this example, the author switches the discussion away from the safety of the food and talks instead about an economic issue, the livelihood of those catching fish.

Permitting people to marry their dogs? So, the bird in my cage is a crow. Literary critics find the weaknesses of literary pieces by searching for fallacies within them. Because of this, there is a tendency for critics to distort the intentions of the writer. Fallacy Definition A fallacy is an erroneous argument dependent upon an unsound or illogical contention. It has to do with the presentation of ideas in clear, persuasive language. Rhetoric has had a long career in ancient and modern schools.

The founder of rhetoric is believed to have been Corax of Syracuse, who in the fifth century B. You can find dozens of examples of fallacious reasoning in newspapers, advertisements, and other sources. Second, it is sometimes hard to evaluate whether an argument is fallacious. An argument might be very weak, somewhat weak, somewhat strong, or very strong. An argument that has several stages or parts might have some strong sections and some weak ones. Weak Analogy An analogy is a comparison of two things, alike in certain aspects; particularly a method used in exposition and description by which something unfamiliar is explained by being compared to something more familiar.

A Handbook to Literature. William Harmon. Peter Barry. Stephen Eric Bronner.