I Am A Cripple By Nancy Mairs

“I am a cripple.” Nancy Mairs chooses to call herself this throughout the passage. The reason she decides to go by this name is portrayed when she uses pathos, a strong word choice, and a determined choice of tone. The significance of Mairs calling herself a cripple is determined through her diction. She states how words like “underdeveloped” have molded to “developing” when comparing transformed countries to that of “disabled” people. She states, “Some realities do not obey the dictates of language.” Using words like “developing” to describe countries that are suffering aren’t portraying what’s really going on, just how words like “handicapped” don’t capture the truth and reality of a person who is “handicapped.” This is why she chooses
to call herself a cripple; she wants to distinguish herself with a word that can portray herself. Mairs also shows why she decides to call herself a “cripple” by using pathos. She calls herself a cripple mainly to show that she’s strong. She states, “...I want them to see me as a tough customer… As a cripple, I swagger.” With this being said, she wants to show that she’s brave and not scared to show who she really is. This makes readers empathize and want to support her because they know she has determined characteristics. Finally, Mairs describes why she chooses to call herself a cripple through her tone.