Jay Zussman

Style Analysis
Mr. Weinstein Pd. 1
I Know One Thing: That I Know Nothing - Socrates
Weeks of tireless measuring, counting, and planning have finally culminated
in this last, definitive experiment. I switch on the microscope and peer cautiously
into a petri dish that cultures the future of my scientific career. As I analyze the
results, anxiety and skepticism take hold, two mischievous imps taunting as they
drag me further into the wilderness of uncertainty. John M. Barry further
articulates the woes and triumphs of the scientific researcher in his passage from
The Great Influenza. Barry utilizes a wide variety of rhetorical devices to thoroughly
acquaint the reader with the doubt and uncertainty of the scientific process to
portray the magnitude of both the struggles and rewards involved.
Throughout the passage, Barry emphasizes the difficulties of science
research, using literary devices to paint a vivid picture of the struggles of a
researcher in the field. The passage begins with two sentences demonstrating
anaphora of the word certainty followed by two sentences demonstrating
anaphora of the word uncertainty. These examples of anaphora juxtapose each
other, solidifying the meanings and repercussions of both certainty and uncertainty
while also identifying science researchs key deviation from the realm of the known.
The author reinforces this deviation with figurative language. A scientists job is
uniquely tough because his or her work, even beliefs, may break apart upon the
sharp edge of a single laboratory finding. Here, scientific data is equated with a
cruel knife capable of revolutionizing the entirety of the current body of knowledge.
Science research is so fragile an occupation that a scientist can only truly put his or
her faith in the presence of constant uncertainty and the process of inquiry.
Jay Zussman
Style Analysis
Mr. Weinstein Pd. 1
Moreover, much of a scientists experimental inquiry is tedious, lengthy, and
difficult. Barry again uses figurative language to illustrate his point, using shovel
and pick as allegories for the tools of the science laboratory as well as the tools of
the scientists mind. Interrogative sentences hammer home the importance of doubt
in science research. A good researcher must constantly aim to ask the right
questions to unravel the mysteries of the unknown.
John M. Barry demonstrates the rewarding side of science research as well:
he utilizes rhetorical devices to highlight the gravity of successful, novel scientific
discoveries. Perhaps the most obvious of these is a stark shift from diction of
cautious uncertainty to that of captivation and discovery. Though the chaotic
wilderness is intimidating, a single step in the right direction can provide great
clarity and forward progress. This diction shift is enhanced by an allusion to Lewis
Carrolls Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There; the transition
from difficulty and toil to success and optimism is mirrored by Alices literal travel
from realm to realm. In addition, Barry utilizes a powerful simile to compare
investigative experiments to a crystal to precipitate an order out of chaos, to create
form, structure, and direction. This reaffirms a scientists potential to illuminate
the truth even from an atmosphere of haze, bewilderment, and conjecture. In order
to further assert the transition from hardship to achievement, Barry later extends
the aforementioned allegory comparing the tools of science research with the
physical tools of an outdoor excavation. According to Barry, if a researcher is
successful, the tools he/she used to push apart the veil of mystery and uncover the
truth will open doors for the next wave of researchers. Instead of having to find the
Jay Zussman
Style Analysis
Mr. Weinstein Pd. 1
perfect tool themselves, they will now be able to build upon the monumental
findings of the pioneer and pave roads over the path laid. Breakthroughs in
scientific research are important not only for the knowledge they unlock, but also
for the opportunities they create for other researchers.
John M. Barry accurately depicts the doubt-ridden, complex world of
scientific research through his strong utilization of rhetorical devices. These
rhetorical devices help emphasize the importance of doubt in nearly all aspects of
science research while bringing to light both the hardships and rewards of life as a
science researcher. The passage thoroughly acquaints the reader with key aspects of
the science world so that he/she can develop a well-developed interpretation of
science research as a profession and lifetime pursuit. This way, the reader can fully
grasp the courage involved in working on the frontier the very interface between
certainty and uncertainty. In the words of my own science research teacher, Dr.
James Truglio, we do not know anything until we do science, and we cannot do
science unless we accept that we do not know anything. The acceptance of this bold
assertion and the hard work with which it is associated is the first step toward
the next great scientific discovery.