Frederick Starr

Starr uses many rhetorical moves in his "Rediscovering Asia" essay in Best American Essays but his most influencial one is his use of the passive voice. Instead of directly naming his subject in his assertions of Asia and the ones who need to rediscover it, he stands back from the issue. He knows that if he says who needs to change, he will offend many people; especially if the ones he is offending is us, the "stupid" Americans. Starr is writing to us after all and many great authors know that offending the reader is not the best strategy to being praised for his work.