Premium Essay

The Voice of a Feminist: Rhetorical Analysis

In:

Submitted By firecrackerkid
Words 1303
Pages 6
The Voice of a Feminist: Rhetorical Analysis of “Claiming an Education”
“All I have, is a voice.” –W.H. Auden. These are five words that could leave a thoughtful philosopher speechless. But perhaps found within the lack of “finding a better word” moments, are when revolution seeds are planted in the hearts and tongues of the passionate. And if this is a truth, then Adrienne Rich was absolutely no exception. The radical feminist and poet opened her speech, “Claiming an Education” to the girls of Douglass College, in the most straightforward way as possible. In skimming the text, only the reader can imagine what was really communicated in the zeal and urgency behind her rehearsed words that day in 1977. Therefore, in light of under complication, it would only be right to focus on the three basic themes: the use of the weight of words, shown with “indivisible” to prove the relevant effectiveness, the relationship between orator to audience, and all together, what Rich’s underlying tone communicates.
In “Claiming and Education” the orator, Adrienne Rich, with a foretelling voice, speaks to the women attending an all girls college, about the role they played to themselves and to their teachers, as students. Discussing the internal aspects, she explores the concept of not simply receiving an education, but rather claiming one, in the midst of obvious contradiction. Rich hopes for the idea that one day, the educational system will teach that ideas formulated from western, white men will be seen as important, but also limiting to all that education has to offer. She ends on the note of not easing up on the mindset that spins off an unpopular idea that women should be assertive in her ambitions. She explains that educators must match the amount of dedication that each female student has to exceed all that she thought she could be, as an individual in society, and in

Similar Documents

Premium Essay

Mary C. Terrell

...struggles of prejudices because she was a colored woman. Because she had lived a difficult life in the capital of the US, she decided it was time the world knew of her the many trajectories she continued to face along with many other African Americans. On October 10, 1906, Terrell gave a speech titled, “ What it Mean to be Colored in the Capitol of the U.S.,” to the members of the United Woman’s club in Washington, D.C. This speech was very influential and significant speech that served as a voice for other African Americans who had no voice. This speech also was a time for Terrell to explain the unnecessary hassles she and other blacks had to take on when trying to live as a citizen in the capital. Through this speech we can see an abundance of prejudice that taint the lives of African Americans in the U.S.. In the following paragraphs, I will establish the notability of this speech, analyze the historical context that sparked the discourse into existence and explore other rhetorical features that will establish my analysis’s significance. Mary Church Terrell embodies feminine style rhetoric in her argument to address the social, economic and political struggles placed against African Americans with the undertone of constitutive rhetoric, topical structure, pathos and logos to validate her point. History: Mary Church Terrell was born during the civil war on September 23,1863 to her former slave parents, who later her parents became wealthy business leaders...

Words: 2386 - Pages: 10

Premium Essay

Business Research Methods

...BRM 1. What is a research paradigm?positivism?interpretivism? A research paradigm is a philosophical framework that guides how scientific research should be conducted. Positivism is underpinned by the belief that reality is independent of us and the goal is the discovery of theories, based on empirical research (observation and experiment).positivism is associated with quantitative methods of analysis. INTERPRETIVISM Interpretivism is underpinned by the belief that social reality is not objective but highly subjective because it is shaped by our perceptions. interpretivism focuses on exploring the complexity of social phenomena with a view to gaining interpretive understanding. interpretivists adopt a range of methods that 'seek to describe, translate and otherwise come to terms with the meaning, not the frequency of certain more or less naturally occurring phenomena in the social world'. 2. What is the ontological assumption? ONTOLOGICAL ASSUMPTION The ontological assumption is concerned with the nature of reality: * Positivists believe social reality is objective and external to the researcher. There fore, there is only one reality. * Interpretivists believe that social reality is subjective because it is socially constructed. Therefore, each person has his or her own sense of reality and there are multiple realities. 3. What is the epistemological assumption? EPISTEMOLOGICAL ASSUMPTION The epistemological assumption is concerned with...

Words: 1438 - Pages: 6

Free Essay

Rhetorical Theory

...Strategies are guidelines consisting of planned actions and program components. Public relations practitioners have to analyze situations and conceptualize appropriate strategies to better the organization’s public relations position in the eyes of its stakeholders. In order to identify the appropriate strategy to use, public relations practitioners fall back on the four key theories of public relations – discourse, rhetorical, ethical and critical. These theories help in defining the public relations plan and strategy by assisting in evaluating, examining, planning and performing public relations activities such as gaining publicity, providing entertainment, disseminating information and developing national public information campaigns. Depending on the outcome the organization hopes to achieve and its current circumstances, professionals would seek to apply the most appropriate theory applicable to their situation. Rhetorical theory Rhetoric is defined as the art of effective or persuasive speaking or writing. (Online Oxford Dictionaries, 2012) Rhetorical theory, examines the various methods in which language, signs or symbols are carefully selected and organized by the practitioner to produce persuasive and meaningful messages in order to better the organization’s position in the eyes of its publics. (Toth, 1992) The practitioner uses persuasion to soften hostile opinions during crisis management; reinforce latent opinions and positive attitudes and behaviors as well as...

Words: 1897 - Pages: 8

Free Essay

Rhetorical Analysis

...Rhetorical Analysis Revised Name Institute Professor EN1320: Composition I_V2.0 Rhetorical Analysis Feminism is defined as the theory of the political, economic, and social equality of the sexes (Merriam-Webster, n.d.). This definition is a good description of Crystal Eastman’s view- points. She was a socialist feminist in the 1920’s. Eastman was a pioneer in her day, pushing for the equal rights of women in the United States. The end of World War l, the unequal treatment towards women, including the lack of voting rights, were a couple of driving forces for Eastman’s speech “Now We Can Begin: What’s Next?”. But maybe there was another, more personal reason Eastman believed women were equal and deserved to be treated as such. In 1889, Eastman’s mother was one of the first women to be ordained as a minister. Eastman recalled, "when my mother preached we hated to miss it. There was never a moment of anxiety or concern; she had that secret of perfect platform ease which takes all strain out of the audience. Her voice was music; she spoke simply, without effort, almost without gestures, standing very still. And what she said seemed to come straight from her heart to yours. Her sermons grew out of her own moral and spiritual struggles. For she had a stormy, troubled soul, capable of black cruelty and then again of the deepest generosities. She was humble, honest, striving, always beginning again to try to be good." (Eastman, 1889) With her mother paving the way...

Words: 1061 - Pages: 5

Free Essay

Feminism

...In Search of Her: A Postcolonial/ Feminist Enquiry into the Identity of Indian Woman Kochurani Abraham “The home was the principal site for expressing the spiritual quality of the nation’s culture and women must take the main responsibility of protecting and nurturing this quality. No matter what the changes in the external conditions of life for women, they must not lose their essentially spiritual (ie feminine) virtues; they must not, in other words, become essentially westernized.” - Partha Chatterjee, “The Nationalist Resolution of the Women’s Question”* “What was gradually and carefully constituted, brick by brick, in the interaction between colonialism and nationalism is now so deeply embedded in the consciousness of the middle classes that ideas about the past have assumed the status of revealed truths…It has led to a narrow and limiting circle in which the image of Indian womanhood has become, both a shackle and a rhetorical device that nevertheless functions as a historical truth.” - Uma Chakravarti “Whatever happened to the Vedic Dasi?: Orientalism, Nationalism and a Script for the Past.”* Who/where is the Indian woman? Since this conference focuses on the theme “Identity, Difference and...

Words: 4288 - Pages: 18

Free Essay

Khjkh

...Symbolic convergence theory From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia   (Redirected from Symbolic Convergence Theory) Jump to: navigation, search Symbolic convergence theory (SCT) is a general communication theory that offers an explanation for the appearance of a groups cohesiveness, consisting of shared emotions, motives, and meanings. Symbolic convergence theory provides a description of the dynamic tendencies within systems of social interaction that cause communicative practices and forms to evolve. This theory allows theorists and practitioners to anticipate or predict what will happen and explain what did happen. One thing SCT does not do is allow for prediction and control of human communication.[1] To foster this cohesiveness, dramatizing or using fantasy stories are significant types of communication involved in SCT. SCT explains that meanings, emotions, values, and the motives for action are in the communication contexts by people trying to make sense out of a common experience.[2] It explores the human tendency of trying to understand events in terms of the people involved, who have certain personality traits and motivations, and have agency over how the events unfold.[3] SCT was first proposed by Ernest Bormann in the Quarterly Journal of Speech in 1972.[4] Symbolic convergence is related to attribution theory in that it deals with the human tendency to attribute meaning to signs and objects in order to make sense of them.[5] The process of symbolic convergence...

Words: 3416 - Pages: 14

Premium Essay

Communication Theory as a Field

...reconstructs communication theory as a dialogical-dialectical field according to two principles: the constitutive model of communication as a metamodel and theory as metadiscursive practice. The essay argues that all communication theories are mutually relevant when addressed to a practical lifeworld in which “communication” is already a richly meaningful term. Each tradition of communication theory derives from and appeals rhetorically to certain commonplace beliefs about communication while challenging other beliefs. The complementarities and tensions among traditions generate a theoretical metadiscourse that intersects with and potentially informs the ongoing practical metadiscourse in society. In a tentative scheme of the field, rhetorical, semiotic, phenomenological, cybernetic, sociopsychological, sociocultural, and critical traditions of communication theory are distinguished by characteristic ways of defining communication and problems of communication, metadiscursive vocabularies, and metadiscursive commonplaces that they appeal to and challenge. Topoi for argumentation across traditions are suggested and implications for theoretical work and disciplinary practice in the field are considered. Communication theory is enormously rich in the range of ideas that fall within its nominal scope, and new theoretical work on communication has recently been flourishing.’ Nevertheless, despite the ancient roots and growing profusion of theories about communication, I argue...

Words: 19908 - Pages: 80

Free Essay

Literary Theory

...Literary Theory: A Very Short Introduction ‘Jonathan Culler has always been about the best person around at explaining literary theory without oversimplifying it or treating it with polemical bias. Literary Theory: A Very Short Introduction is an exemplary work in this genre.’ J. Hillis Miller, University of California, Irvine ‘An impressive and engaging feat of condensation . . . the avoidance of the usual plod through schools and approaches allows the reader to get straight to the heart of the crucial issue for many students, which is: why are they studying literary theory in the first place? . . . an engaging and lively book.’ Patricia Waugh, University of Durham Very Short Introductions are for anyone wanting a stimulating and accessible way in to a new subject. They are written by experts, and have been published in 15 languages worldwide. Very Short Introductions available from Oxford Paperbacks: ANCIENT PHILOSOPHY Julia Annas THE ANGLO-SAXON AGE John Blair ARCHAEOLOGY Paul Bahn ARISTOTLE Jonathan Barnes Augustine Henry Chadwick THE BIBLE John Riches Buddha Michael Carrithers BUDDHISM Damien Keown CLASSICS Mary Beard and John Henderson Continental Philosophy Simon Critchley Darwin Jonathan Howard DESCARTES Tom Sorell EIGHTEENTH-CENTURY BRITAIN Paul Langford The European Union John Pinder Freud Anthony Storr Galileo Stillman Drake Gandhi Bhikhu Parekh HEIDEGGER Michael Inwood HINDUISM Kim Knott HISTORY John H. Arnold HUME A. J...

Words: 45107 - Pages: 181

Free Essay

Literature

...Literary Theory: A Very Short Introduction ‘Jonathan Culler has always been about the best person around at explaining literary theory without oversimplifying it or treating it with polemical bias. Literary Theory: A Very Short Introduction is an exemplary work in this genre.’ J. Hillis Miller, University of California, Irvine ‘An impressive and engaging feat of condensation . . . the avoidance of the usual plod through schools and approaches allows the reader to get straight to the heart of the crucial issue for many students, which is: why are they studying literary theory in the first place? . . . an engaging and lively book.’ Patricia Waugh, University of Durham Jonathan Culler LITERARY THEORY A Very Short Introduction 1 Great Clarendon Street, Oxford o x2 6 d p Oxford University Press is a department of the University of Oxford. It furthers the University’s objective of excellence in research, scholarship, and education by publishing worldwide in Oxford New York Athens Auckland Bangkok Bogotá Buenos Aires Calcutta Cape Town Chennai Dar es Salaam Delhi Florence Hong Kong Istanbul Karachi Kuala Lumpur Madrid Melbourne Mexico City Mumbai Nairobi Paris São Paulo Shanghai Singapore Taipei Tokyo Toronto Warsaw with associated companies in Berlin Ibadan Oxford is a registered trade mark of Oxford University Press in the UK and in certain other countries Published in the United States by Oxford University Press Inc., New York © Jonathan Culler 1997 The moral rights...

Words: 44695 - Pages: 179

Premium Essay

Will Do Next Time

...Instructor’s Manual and Test Bank to accompany A First Look at Communication Theory Sixth Edition Em Griffin Wheaton College prepared by Glen McClish San Diego State University and Emily J. Langan Wheaton College Published by McGraw­Hill, an imprint of The McGraw­Hill Companies, Inc., 1221 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020. Copyright Ó 2006,  2003, 2000, 1997, 1994, 1991 by The McGraw­Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. The contents, or parts thereof, may be reproduced in print form  solely for classroom use with A First Look At Communication Theory provided such reproductions bear copyright notice, but may not be reproduced in  any other form or for any other purpose without the prior written consent of The McGraw­Hill Companies, Inc., including, but not limited to, in any  network or other electronic storage or transmission, or broadcast for distance learning. PREFACE Rationale We agreed to produce the instructor’s manual for the sixth edition of A First Look at Communication Theory because it’s a first-rate book and because we enjoy talking and writing about pedagogy. Yet when we recall the discussions we’ve had with colleagues about instructor’s manuals over the years, two unnerving comments stick with us: “I don’t find them much help”; and (even worse) “I never look at them.” And, if the truth be told, we were often the people making such points! With these statements in mind, we have done some serious soul-searching about the texts that so many teachers—ourselves...

Words: 159106 - Pages: 637

Premium Essay

Literary Theory

...Literary Theory and Schools of Criticism Introduction A very basic way of thinking about literary theory is that these ideas act as different lenses critics use to view and talk about art, literature, and even culture. These different lenses allow critics to consider works of art based on certain assumptions within that school of theory. The different lenses also allow critics to focus on particular aspects of a work they consider important. For example, if a critic is working with certain Marxist theories, s/he might focus on how the characters in a story interact based on their economic situation. If a critic is working with post-colonial theories, s/he might consider the same story but look at how characters from colonial powers (Britain, France, and even America) treat characters from, say, Africa or the Caribbean. Hopefully, after reading through and working with the resources in this area of the OWL, literary theory will become a little easier to understand and use. Disclaimer Please note that the schools of literary criticism and their explanations included here are by no means the only ways of distinguishing these separate areas of theory. Indeed, many critics use tools from two or more schools in their work. Some would define differently or greatly expand the (very) general statements given here. Our explanations are meant only as starting places for your own investigation into literary theory. We encourage you to use the list of scholars and works provided for each...

Words: 11786 - Pages: 48

Premium Essay

Situating the Entrepreneur and Gender

...Treanor Royal Veterinary College, University of London, London, UK Abstract Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to offer a perspective to further the understanding of gender entrepreneurship. This paper considers the situatedness of the gendered entrepreneur within diverse international contexts marked by different constitutions of gender identities and networks of power, both within the context of contributions within this special issue but also more broadly within the field of gender and entrepreneurship research. Design/methodology/approach – The authors adopt a feminist perspective and analyse the different framings of identity within gender and entrepreneurship literature and their contributions to our understandings of the concepts of both power and gendered identities. Findings – The paper finds that power and identity are configured in different contexts in ways that open arenas for future analysis. Originality/value – The paper highlights the importance of considering masculinities within gender and entrepreneurship research offering support for further analyses of entrepreneurial masculinities by examining two studies that expose entrepreneurial masculinities as shifting subjectivities influenced by men’s social power, but also by interactions between men and women and broader cultural contexts and transitions. In so doing, it contributes to the research agenda in relation to gender and entrepreneurship in different contexts. Keywords Gender, Entrepreneurialism, Women...

Words: 8127 - Pages: 33

Premium Essay

Rhetoric

...Feminist perspectives are slowly becoming the standard for deconstructing popular culture. When doing so issues of masculine hegemony, gender roles, heteronormativity, objectivity, and an abundance of other concepts that stir up controversy are brought to the surface. Popular culture allows for the challenging of problems women have faced for many years, but it some cases is adheres to these traditions. It is vital to be able to see the overall message in a pop culture text in order to understand its implications. Some texts hold messages that were not intended to be there in the first place. There will forever be controversy when it comes to pop culture, especially when it comes to television shows, as the average Canadian watches 30 hours of T.V a week. (Ryan, 2013) When being constantly exposed to these messages it is important to know what information you are being fed. Some shows are more complex than others, and consist of mixed messages when looking at them from a feminist standpoint. One example of this would be The Mindy Project, a sitcom that first aired in 2012, and has since gained an average of $2.34 million viewers per episode, (IMDb, 2012) The Mindy Project is packed full of messages that can be depicted from a feminist standpoint, but are often blurred behind the hilarity it is known for. To give a brief synopsis of the show, Mindy Lahiri, played by Mindy Kaling, also the director of the show is the main character and also the narrator. The show is about her...

Words: 4642 - Pages: 19

Free Essay

Gay Language

...identity as one key aspect of sexuality. However, recent critiques of identity-based research advocate instead a desire-centered view of sexuality. Such an approach artificially restricts the scope of the field by overlooking the close relationship between identity and desire. This connection emerges clearly in queer linguistics, an approach to language and sexuality that incorporates insights from feminist, queer, and sociolinguistic theories to analyze sexuality as a broad sociocultural phenomenon. These intellectual approaches have shown that research on identity, sexual or otherwise, is most productive when the concept is understood as the outcome of intersubjectively negotiated practices and ideologies. To this end, an analytic framework for the semiotic study of social intersubjectivity is presented. (Sexuality, feminism, identity, desire, queer linguistics.)* I N T R O D U C T I O N Within the past decade the field of language and sexuality has emerged as an important area of research within sociolinguistics, linguistic anthropology, and socially oriented discourse analysis. To be sure, research on a wide variety of sexual topics had been conducted within disparate language-centered fields for at least 30 years, but such studies tended not to engage with broader theoretical concerns about sexuality. Instead,...

Words: 25968 - Pages: 104

Free Essay

Hsc English Adv Notes Ayli & Related Texts

...Area of Study: Belonging * ‘As You Like It’ written by William Shakespeare * ‘Towelhead’ directed by Alan Ball in * ‘The Surfer’ written by Judith Wright | As You Like It | Towelhead | The Surfer | Language Form and Structure | * ‘As You Like It’ is a stage play in the form of a comedy * It also qualifies as a pastoral romance * Shakespeare wrote the lines of the play in both verse and prose | * ‘Towelhead’ is a film | * Poem * 3 stanzas * Free verse | Personal, cultural, historical and social context | * Written during the reign of Elizabeth I and ironically, both Rosalind and Celia would have been played by men * Appealing nature to both lower and higher classes * Used as a model of social critique | * Set in Houston, Texas during the 1990s * Occurred during the Gulf War * Follows the sexual awakening of Jasira (an American-Lebanese girl) | * Set in Australia | Identity One’s sense of belonging is built upon their exploration of self and the confidence they establish through their own identity. | Identity is explored most obviously with Rosalind’s disguise as Ganymede. This concealment of her true identity allows Rosalind to discover whether Orlando truly loves her. It also allows Rosalind to gain a deeper understanding of herself. This is seen through the use of dramatic irony, this enhances the audience’s connection with the characters and adds to the humour of the play. “Nay, you must call me Rosalind”. Ultimately, it...

Words: 10263 - Pages: 42