In The Great Influenza, John M. Barry describes scientific research as a field that requires courage and creativity to succeed. Scientists must find entirely new methods that no one in the world has ever tried before. There are many obstacles at first, but as more information is gathered, the details become clearer. Barry uses various rhetorical strategies throughout the passage to convey this message. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay At the beginning of the passage, Barry discusses the characteristics a scientist should have. Barry contrasts certainty and uncertainty, saying that certainty gives “something to learn about,” while uncertainty makes one “hesitant, even fearful.” He is not talking about the certainty that comes from successful experience; he really means that scientists must be sure of themselves. The contrast between certainty and uncertainty is used to show the difference between an unsuccessful scientist and a successful scientist. He lists the qualities of “passion, patience, creativity, self-reliance, and courage,” all of which are important for a successful scientist. By using enumeration, Barry shows that scientific researchers are much braver than they seem. Their courage allows them to “accept uncertainty” and eliminate their own doubt. Barry continues the passage by showing the difficulties of the scientific procedure. He uses the metaphor of venturing into a wilderness where scientists know “almost nothing, where the very techniques needed to…. . . there is no such thing as putting it in order. His metaphor shows that even if scientists know what they want to accomplish, they don't always have the tools to do it. This example reinforces the idea that research is much more difficult than scientists are given credit for. Barry uses contrast again, saying that a single step can either take scientists into "a world that seems completely different" or cause them to fall off a cliff. The contrast shows that although courage is the foundation of scientific inquiry, new experiments can very easily end in disaster or disappointment. Keep in mind: this is just a sample. Get a personalized article from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay Barry closes the passage by talking about the results a researcher will achieve through hard work and dedication. A scientist will undertake a difficult journey to make a discovery. Then, once their work is finished, their colleagues will pave “orderly and straight” roads on the traced path. This metaphor shows the dilemma that researchers must face. It would be easy to let others do the hard work and follow the straight and proper path. After all, Barry points out that “not all scientific researchers can easily deal with uncertainty.” However, this fact makes real researchers even more impressive. They decided to do what few others have the courage or intelligence to do themselves. And thanks to scientists, new discoveries can be made that make the scientific process easier for everyone..