2. RHETORICAL ANALYSIS 2
Similarly to magic, it’s hard to believe everything you see, especially on the
Internet. Nowadays, we know better than that and question things a little more than
past generations would. As I was doing my routinely Facebook news feed scroll, I
came across a website called “The Huffington Post” that had blog entries anywhere
from politics to healthy living to comedy. With the credibility in mind, I clicked on a
blog entry titled “Don’t Marry Your Soul Mate” because I was immediately intrigued.
It’s difficult to tell whether a website is credible or not based on the title alone, so I
went in and did some research.
While visiting multiple pages and scrolling through numerous sites, I came
across a website by Brooke Hampton, the author of the article “Don’t Marry Your
Soul Mate.” Brooke Hampton is a huge nature woman with a lot of ambition to share
her stories and opinions with the world. She seemed to have a very clear stance on
the issue in her Huffington Post article. There are many people that write entries for
this website and as of today Brooke has made two public on her profile page. “Don’t
Marry Your Soul Mate” has quite a bit of a response from readers. She has 288
comments and it’s only been available since October 20th 2014. Brooke makes a
clear statement on her profile as well as her blog post that her mission is to hack life
and “re-write parenting, love, learning, relationships and work” so that she can
create a life unique to her.
The first step she takes to re-writing her life is getting her work published
and read by as many people as possible. She’s a writer, business-woman, and a full
time mom, but despite her extremely rushed schedule she enjoys every bit of the life
she has. She’s in LOVE with her plants, walking barefoot on Earth, her children’s
3. RHETORICAL ANALYSIS 3
amazing laugh, reading, the sound of the ocean and much more. Barefootfive.com is
a website owned by her that has a lot of original work and information about her life
and family and “how to find magic in an ordinary day.”
She starts off her article with, “I’m not a big fan of marriage” and goes on to
say that she believes marriage takes “really talented dreamers and creative beings.”
She made all her statements very direct and to the point. Brooke has a 15-year
serious union with a man named Billy, but that’s all it will ever be. She does not
believe in the institution of marriage and both are content with the way their
relationship works.
Marriage is a widely accepted institution that allows a couple to make their
partnership official on paper (not just Facebook.) Brooke goes on to say that “One of
the greatest deceptions we can fall victim to is the lie that we should need someone
else in our life in order to be complete,” and that we cannot truly be happy or start
living life until that person comes along. She challenges that first hand with her
partner, Billy, “We don’t need or cling to each other and are able to stand alone even
though we’d prefer to stand together.”
I found a lot of what she was saying to be very applicable and
understandable. The intended audience for this according to her is everyone and
that’s how I see blog entries to be. Writers want to get their words and opinions out
to everyone in hope that they will stick with some people. She has a very clear
understanding that marriage is a very common thing but she tries to show that her
partnership with Billy has been an even bigger success. She relates this by saying,
“How many happy couples do you know? Okay. How many do you know that have
4. RHETORICAL ANALYSIS 4
been together longer than a few years and have kids? Not just comfortable, but truly
happy. It makes you wonder if we all have it wrong.” She has first hand experience
on the issue of long-lasting partnerships but the question that arose from this article
was, is that enough to convince me not to marry someone? This is one person’s
opinion and even though it has been a success to her, she has no proof that it would
be a success to other people as well.
Brooke Hampton has a very enthusiastic attitude towards her idea of long-
lasting unions as opposed to marriages where the idea of owning one another comes
along from the words “I do.” Although this may not be a concept people will agree to
giving in to, it needs to be recognized that this works for her and could potentially
work for more people as well. As mention previously, being found on The Huffington
Post, assures that it is an opinion piece so does not necessarily apply to everyone
and is not accurate in everyone’s book despite that slight possibility.
Although this article may not be accurate, it’s still valid. Brooke goes in to
defining what a “soul mate” is and where we find one. She has some excellent points
as she goes in to how soul mates come to push you, challenge you, and “mirror your
shit” to push you forward. People get so caught up in the idea of marriage that they
try to perfect it while losing track of what they really have the person for,
encouragement and motivation. We all have different versions of what a soul mate is
to us but Brookes version, all in all, “it’s the idea that one person is supposed to meet
all of our needs that sets us up for heartache and disappointment.”
One person’s opinion cannot change everyone else’s. Brooke does an
excellent job of getting her opinions out there but that’s exactly what they are,
5. RHETORICAL ANALYSIS 5
opinions. Similarly to short hair, partnerships work for some people just as easily as
they don’t for others.
It’s difficult to prove that something is credible. Brooke Hampton has had a
positive experience with her theory so far. I support her ideas and her way of
thinking but I do not however, think that her ideas are enough to stop me from
marrying someone who I would consider my “soul mate.” She makes a consistent
reference to creating magic and how it should be done alone. This is an idea that I
have shared with numerous people when they come to me for love advice as well
(not that I’m of any help.) Before looking for a partner, people should be able to live
contently on their own. This is an idea that matches hers on many levels, “two
beautiful souls who are spinning separately, but in perfect harmony.”
6. RHETORICAL ANALYSIS 6
References
Barefoot Five. (2014, October 20). Retrieved October 26, 2014, from
http://www.barefootfive.com
Hampton, B. (2014, October 20). Don't Marry Your Soul Mate. Retrieved October 24,
2014, from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/brooke-hampton/dont-marry-
your-soul-mate_b_6004132.html
