Exercise 43, Equality rules the day, (Dr Fiona Smither) p. 59
For analysis of argument/key word choice and purpose, see this link.
1. The author: who is the author? What is her background and how does this influence her views? State Ms Smither’s main contention and one supporting reason.
Dr Smither is a recruitment officer and has an interest in employment matters, and, in particular in helping women gain employment. She maintains that women should be able to participate in combat roles and should be entitled to be treated the same as men especially if they satisfy the recruitment criteria.
2. The tone: What is the author’s tone? Give an example. How does it support her views?
The author adopts an assertive and adamant tone to support her views about equality. She states, “I can’t believe the amount of fuss” which signals a practical and sensible tone. Specifically, her rhetorical question, “why should a woman’s death”, reveals a provocative and judgemental tone.
The words: Underline two phrases that reveal Ms Smither’s attitude (or bias). What type of words are they and how do they add to her views? What emotions do they arouse?
- “Emotional outpouring and soul-searching”: The author uses emotive language to highlight the fact that all deaths in the course of one’s duty are tragic and she implies that to prioritise a woman’s over a man’s death smacks of sexism. She seeks to arouse sympathy for all those people who die in war.
- “equally shocking, equally honourable and equally tragic”: The repetition of “equally” reinforces this author’s views that women and men should be treated equally. Dr Smither seeks to shame and exclude those who appear to be guilty of sexist attitudes.
- “man-made obstacles”: Dr Smither implies that men are providing impediments to women’s access to the armed forces that only further their own agenda and are not in the best interests of the women. Likewise, she shames those who are deliberately obstructing such equality.
Appeals: Identify two appeals/techniques and state their purpose.
- Appeal to patriotism: women should also have the right to die for their country.
- Appeal to justice and equality: Dr Smither believes that women and men should be treated equally and if women qualify for combat roles then they should be allowed to fight.
- Appeal to emotion and common sense: All deaths are “equally tragic”.
- Appeal to common sense: Logically, she implies that the criteria should determine whether or not people are fit to fight in war time. The author seeks to reassure members of the public that the criteria are very specific and restrictive so this should determine women’s fitness.
- The appeals focus on equality and exclude those who seek to obstruct women’s choices.
Other points to include:
Argument analysis:
Frame; or set up of argument: Dr Smithers begins her argument with a reference to the “amount of fuss” people create about women “going off to war”. This positions opponents (to immediately think that they are being too emotional) and they will be a cautious in judging her. This also prepares her readership, primarily policy makers, defence personnel and male members of the audience to recognise that this is a matter of gender equality as all deaths are “equally shocking, equally honourable and equally tragic”. The emphasis on “equally” challenges those who intuitively make a difference and seeks to shame those who distinguish between a man’s and a woman’s death.
Her second key idea builds upon this point and reminds her audience that not all women, just as not all men, will qualify to able to take part in combat positions. She reminds the same audience that “only a very small proportion of men satisfy the criteria for combat”.
Stern and resolute tone: “if that includes the right to die for your country then so be it”
Write your paragraph
As a representative of a women’s recruitment agency, Dr Smithers endorses women’s right to fight in armed combat if they satisfy the same criteria as their male counterparts. Seeking to gain the trust of her fair-minded audience, she approaches the issue of women at war from her own professional standpoint and promotes gender equality, or, as she states, the rights of women to have “the same opportunities as men”. Accordingly, readers are immediately alerted to the fact that it is unfair to discriminate against women who show the same capabilities as men. Typically, her emotive reference to words such as “fuss” imply that opposition is illogical and irrational and her logical assumptions relating to women’s rights encourage readers to avoid being swayed by emotional arguments about women’s deaths. (shaming those who discriminate) Dr Smithers also repeats the emotive words (tripling) “equally shocking” and “equally tragic” to reinforce the point that anyone’s death while serving their country is difficult. Finally, her clichéd and emotive reference to the “man-made obstacles” also has negative connotations and implies that the men in authority are creating unnecessary hurdles (exploiting their authority: hence anger).
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