Research Paper on:
Comparing 2 Essays on Global Warming

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dangerous to humanity as a whole and secondly, that this reality should prompt social change. Simms addresses a British readership; Gelbspan writes for an American audience, and their arguments draw  on similar assumptions. However, their writing styles and approach to the topic are quite different. Simms begins his essay with a thought provoking quote from Charles Dickens novel  David Copperfield, which associates happiness with having a positive cash flow. In other words, if you earn more than you spend, you will feel secure and therefore happy. Simms then  associates this quote with global climate change, asserting that, environmentally speaking, "were living way beyond our means" (Simms, 2005, p. 1). This opening, and also Simms use of the inclusive  pronoun "we," serves to create a sense of intimacy and inclusion with the reader. It eases the reader into the topic through the use of an interesting metaphor that pictures  the effect of human interaction with the environment as similar to overdrawing on a back account. Gelbspans beginning is much more strident and opens with an alarmist tone and declaration,  i.e. that "Climate change is not just another issue" but is, rather, an "overriding threat facing human civilization" (Gelbspan, 2004, p. 1). While Simms identifies Americans as the worst environmental  offenders later in his article, Gelbspan does so immediately by stating that "Americans...are in denial" concerning the issue of climate change (Gelbspan, 2004, p. 1). As this illustrates, Simms  approach is imaginative with his use of a creative extended metaphor. He makes logical arguments that have emotional overtones, as he appeals to his readers to be as sensible in  regards to environmental resources as they would be regarding their own financial resources. Like Gelbspan, he castigates his readers, but his tone is much more subdued as he is basically