' A Rhetorical Analysis Of Mary Fisher's Speech
Lexie Roundy
English 1010
7 April 2014
Rhetorical Analysis of “A Whisper of AIDS” Speech The speech titled “A Whisper of AIDS” was given by Mary Fisher on August 19th, 1992 in Houston Texas at the 1992 Republican National Convention Address. Mary Fisher is an American political activist, author, artist and daughter of a wealthy and powerful republican, Max Fisher. Mary Fisher has become an advocate on AIDS prevention and education after she contracted the disease from her second husband. In the speech “A Whisper of Aids”, Mary Fisher uses the rhetorical appeals of ethos, logos, and pathos to express her opinions about how AIDS is not something to be ashamed of. Fisher spoke in a way that demanded the audience’s attention and respect from the moment that she started speaking. She sounds stern when she states “I want your attention, not your applause” (Paragraph 1, line 3). Just being who she was gave her the credibility and the use of ethos she needed in order to make people listen. She also uses ethos in a way to make you know that she is obviously important when she states that Mr. and Mrs. Bush have showed her and her family such loving …show more content…
Using pathos, she emotionally tugged at heart strings when she talked about her family. She talks about how this disease has not broken her family, but has given them the will to fight and be supportive. She talks about her mother, and that even though she has a dying child, she is there for her in any time of need, even just to give her a smile. At the end of her speech, she speaks as though she is saying goodbye to her children due to this disease. She says “I will not hurry to leave you my children, but when I go, I pray that you will not suffer shame on my account” (Paragraph 18, line 5). She states her children’s names so that you feel like it is something that you can personally relate
English 1010
7 April 2014
Rhetorical Analysis of “A Whisper of AIDS” Speech The speech titled “A Whisper of AIDS” was given by Mary Fisher on August 19th, 1992 in Houston Texas at the 1992 Republican National Convention Address. Mary Fisher is an American political activist, author, artist and daughter of a wealthy and powerful republican, Max Fisher. Mary Fisher has become an advocate on AIDS prevention and education after she contracted the disease from her second husband. In the speech “A Whisper of Aids”, Mary Fisher uses the rhetorical appeals of ethos, logos, and pathos to express her opinions about how AIDS is not something to be ashamed of. Fisher spoke in a way that demanded the audience’s attention and respect from the moment that she started speaking. She sounds stern when she states “I want your attention, not your applause” (Paragraph 1, line 3). Just being who she was gave her the credibility and the use of ethos she needed in order to make people listen. She also uses ethos in a way to make you know that she is obviously important when she states that Mr. and Mrs. Bush have showed her and her family such loving …show more content…
Using pathos, she emotionally tugged at heart strings when she talked about her family. She talks about how this disease has not broken her family, but has given them the will to fight and be supportive. She talks about her mother, and that even though she has a dying child, she is there for her in any time of need, even just to give her a smile. At the end of her speech, she speaks as though she is saying goodbye to her children due to this disease. She says “I will not hurry to leave you my children, but when I go, I pray that you will not suffer shame on my account” (Paragraph 18, line 5). She states her children’s names so that you feel like it is something that you can personally relate