- The effect of Lars Eighner’s attention to language in the first five paragraphs provides the audience with a captivating introduction to how he began dumpster diving. The opening paragraphs provide an appeal to pathos, as the audience is given an introduction to the emotions that Eighner is attempting to portray.

- Eighner explains that he is a graduate from such a prestigious university of which the anecdotal lead the audience to comprehend that he would not be expected to write about being homeless, where he is gathering materials and eating from dumpsters. In addition, the opening appeal is pathos because Eighner states that his journey is just him and his dog.

- The opening appeal of pathos can lead the audience to associate the journey as being unique because people are usually only worried about themselves, whereas, Eighner has also brought his dog along illustrating the impression of the amount of care that he gives to his dog, going to the extent of which he brings his dog along with him, and refuses to neglect his dog.

- In contrast, it can be associated with most people that would have left their dog behind if they would have been in the position of being homeless.

- The audience would not expect such writing, as in the first five paragraphs, Eigner defines each word clearly, and gives the reader a precise perspective of dumpster diving. The word choice establishes credibility, as there is a utilization of higher-level vocabulary. Paragraphs one through five demonstrate that Eighner is morally superior to the average adult, as most people that become scavengers are uneducated for which Eighner is an educated person that went to the University of Austin.

- Therefore, Eighner appeals more towards the rhetorical strategy of ethos, using himself as credibility, as he has done dumpster diving and gives a first-person perspective.

- The effectiveness of Lars Eighner's attention to language in the first five paragraphs has an opening appeal more towards both ethos and pathos as he establishes credibility while simultaneously appealing to the emotions of the audience.

- Note the technical and clinical nature of much of the first part (paras. 1–37) of the essay.

- The effect of such scientific language and information provides the audience with background knowledge. This illustrates the impression that the audience can be well-informed to scientific information, which shows that Eighner is well educated and is informative within the context of the behavior of pathogens.

- The contrast of scientific terms can be utilized when dumpster diving, as Eighner is able to explain the science language to his audience.

-  the behavior of pathogens can be associated with the concept of dumpster diving because Eigner associates the food he finds in the dumpster with behavioral pathogens that are on a poor diet.

-  According to the text of “dumpster diving,” it states, “I like the frankness of the word "scavenging," which I can hardly think of without picturing a big black snail on an aquarium wall. I live from the refuse of others. I am a scavenger.”

- This shows that Eigner emphasizes a graphic description of his word choice, to explain to the reader that the word choice utilized is intentional and carefully employed.