Questions to Consider
- Notice how Korn’s title is split into two. She alludes to pathos (“My Second Home”) while also references rhetoric. How does this title grab the audience’s attention? What effect does a two-part title have?
- Korn highlights the alma mater’s many appeals to pathos and webs in several quotations. Why do you think it is helpful to include quotes when analyzing this kind of cultural artifact? How do the quotes help guide you through Korn’s argument about pathos?
- In her reflection, Korn mentions that it felt “natural” to write about a topic she has “close connection to.” Where in the essay do you sense this personal connection to the song, the summer camp, and the other campers? What strategies does Korn use to highlight these personal connections?
My Second Home: The Rhetorical Ability of a Song
Summer camp isn’t just a concept that is seen in shows and movies like Camp Rock or Friday the 13th; it’s more than that, and definitely not someplace where bloodthirsty-undead murderers wearing hockey masks enact their revenge. In the heart of the Catskill Mountains, or basically the middle of nowhere in upstate New York, lies Camp Silver Lake, my second home for seven summers. It was there that I learned my true passions, made unforgettable memories, and utterly embarrassed myself in front of my peers. For myself and others, Camp Silver Lake at Chipinaw was a place where we laughed, cried, adventured, arrived as strangers, and left as family. My summers spent there were always unique: there were new exciting things to do and places to go, but at the end of the day, the same thing brought everyone together: our alma mater. Adopted from and sung to the tune of a Penn State fight song, the Nittany Lion, our alma mater is sung in moments of togetherness, remembrance, and reminiscence. This song is taught to campers and counselors the very first night upon arrival, quickly ingrained into their minds and hearts, just as it was with the alumni generations before them. The use of rhetorical appeals, like pathos and ethos, throughout the song truly reflects the meaning and history of my second home.
The camp alma mater doesn’t just bring people together; it represents our values and message as a community. It is traditionally sung during specific moments, which is where kairos, the rhetorical appeal that emphasizes timing and circumstances, comes into play. We share this song after evening events when the camp is gathered as a whole and we can enjoy each other’s company. The timing and context are extremely crucial in underlining the significance of our alma mater, which is made clear in major events. One event in particular is the last evening of the summer season that we spend together. As the sun sets on the last day of camp, we gather in front of the lake and sing our alma mater in union. I can clearly recall the sun’s sparkles that shimmer on the surface of the gross-looking lake quickly transitioning to the shine of the moon as we stand together for the final time each year. We sing arm in arm, the uncoordinated swaying comical yet ignored, and choked cries are quick to follow, dark in comparison to the usual cheers from each camper division. Although upsetting in this context, singing our alma mater acts as a goodbye that seals our forever friendships until we reunite in the future. Singing the alma mater at these timesallows people to reflect on how much they’ve grown since they’ve been at camp and what they learned that summer season, which is why it is so effective. The timeliness, routine, and role in fostering friendships are all highlighted by kairos, which also appeals to the audience by reinforcing its meaningfulness and emotional impact.
Our alma mater’s importance to the community is clear; each line is filled with pathos that emphasizes friendship and inspires generations to come. Although pathos, which uses emotions to reach the audience, is present throughout the entire song, there are more notable moments where itpathos highlights the significant themes. As an example, one of the lines in the song states, “Love will pervade us ’til time separates us. We’re friends, friends, friends.”. These words allow singers and listeners to acknowledge the love, affection, and nostalgia that have been shared during their time together as they sing the alma mater. It is a symbol of love that touches each and every person in the community, no matter how long they’ve been there. It allows us to reflect on the good and bad memories we have shared together, along with how much we’ve grown. It continues, “Whether in fair or in dark stormy weather, Camp Chipinaw will keep us together,”, sharing our undying sense of togetherness and unity that is found at a place like Silver Lake. These lyrics just go to prove to the audience that when the summer comes to an end and we have to say our goodbyes, our friendship and connection to camp are forever.
Another line that uses pathos to evoke emotions in the audience is “Our camp forever, molder of men. Fight for our honor, fight and victory again.”. The audience in this case is each other; we sing this alma mater together as a community to family, both new and old campers. Instead of focusing on the everlasting friendships and the love shared all over camp, this line emphasizes our pride and determination toward the audience. It shows how singing our alma mater isn’t just to bring people together; it is also a way to show how proud we are to belong to a close-knit community that we can call our second home. These lyrics inspire a sense of loyalty and belonging that develops during our time at camp and cannot be found anywhere else. In addition, they highlight how much camp has transformed and influenced our lives. As a “molder of men” (humankindmankind), Camp Silver Lake has helped us become the people we are today and explore our true selves through connections and challenges. Because of this, a large number of people return to camp each summer and even end up becoming counselors because of how important Silver Lake at Chipinaw is to them.
Ethos, or the use of credibility and knowledge, is also communicated through the alma mater. This song has been a symbol of family in our community since its initiation and is memorized by every single attendee of Silver Lake Camp for almost 100 years, in 2026. Counselors, seasoned campers, and alumni are tasked with teaching the alma mater to the younger generations, who usually have a hard time picking it up. When reminiscing about my first time hearing the alma mater, I can easily recall admiring those who sang it with no hesitation. My friends and I were absolutely mesmerized and eager to perfect it ourselves, which we eventually accomplished. Singing in union with the rest of the camp truly made us feel as if we belonged and that we were home. Through patience and practice each summer, the new campers learn the song from their seniors, who show off their ethos. Knowing the alma mater by heart communicates experience and knowledge, making them important figures in the community who are looked up to and celebrated. Every summer camp out there has its identifiers like colors, cheers, and songs; our alma mater belongs to us. Ethos successfully connects the honor of elder campers and counselors to the significance of the song and accentuates the underlying theme of friendship and love. The transmission of the alma mater will continue to foster trust and connections, creating a more vibrant and cohesive community.
Upon first glance, this alma mater may seem like some cheesy ballad that is ripped off from another arrangement; however, the impact it has on its specific community is priceless. The underlying theme of everlasting friendship and connections to a place that many people consider their second home is evident, especially with the support of rhetorical appeals throughout the song. This very alma mater brings me back to some of the best memories of my entire life, which I am more than grateful to have experienced. It comes to show that a simple song like this does more than get stuck in your head; it brings a community together through its message and ritual, as it will do for generations to come.
Writer’s Reflection
Dear Reader,
I’ll be honest: writing this rhetorical analysis essay was not a simple process. Initially, I had no clear direction, and I was worried that there was nothing interesting for me to analyze. When I finally decided upon my summer camp’s alma mater, I noticed how natural it was to write about something I had a strong connection to. My previous experience with writing other rhetorical analyses assisted me in completing this project, but I still faced some challenges. It was difficult to isolate rhetorical strategies from the song because I had never looked at it through a rhetorical lens. I was afraid that I would relay the wrong message through my writing and improperly emphasize the alma mater’s significance. Only after taking apart each lyric and thinking outside the box was I able to identify the underlying rhetorical appeals and feel confident about my choice. Some important things that I included in my essay were a personalized, appealing tone and an in-depth description of the context surrounding my artifact. I made sure to write my analysis in a way that I would be proud to read it and share it with others. The feedback I received from my peers on my first draft really helped me recognize what I needed to expand upon in order to make my analysis more thorough. I made sure to implement more specific details when discussing the rhetorical devices, which I initially had trouble with, and check the clarity of my work by constantly reading over it. My knowledge of rhetoric was rudimentary at first, and I had never applied it to such a specific artifact in a community that I belonged to. After analyzing this song, I can confidently say that my comprehension of and ability to recognize rhetoric in everyday life have grown a great deal. I feel even more connected to my community at Silver Lake than I ever have been, and I hope that one day I can return to sing our alma mater once again, especially with the understanding I have of it now.