Analysis of Hillary Clintons Speech The speech by Hillary Clinton on September 5, 1995 at the U. N. 4th WorldConference on women plenary session contained rhetoric’s and issues of speech bias and presentation. She covered issues affecting women and fight for freedom and rights. The focus of the speech was on every single country, and the challenge they faced in relations to women freedoms (Keyton 52). In fact, she addressed issues associated with women in the world. The analysis of the speech indicates that Clinton addressed several issues effectively while also depicting several challenges in the process. There are several issues associated with the speech.
Consequently, analysis of the agent, agency, and overall purpose of the act indicates strengths and weakness and strengths of speech and covers all the issues in speech presentation. The agent Hillary Clinton at the time of the presentation was the first lady, the wife of serving president of America. The analysis of her personality indicates that she was outspoken, and in the speech she presented her beliefs and issues that she wanted addressed (Keyton). By use of facial appearance and voice intonation, she was able to impact the audience positively. She focused on areas that needed change and that could be addressed to achieve women freedom by enlisting the challenges faced by women in different countries. However, in the speech she indicated only the challenges faced by women and not the achievement already obtained in the process. Through limiting coverage of the successes achieved, she created a fallacy that women are totally oppressed. This notion is not true because women have achieved success in some issues.
For instance, the women liberation movement of 1900 was able to ensure that women obtain the right to vote and own property. Therefore, despite the existing oppression of women, the freedom to vote and own property was achieved. Then, the fallacy of generalization exhibited in the speech creates a wrong picture of the whole situation (Kampf 112). The presentation of the arguments followed a specified plot, which includes the creation of awareness by illustrating the current situation and developing the objectives and visions in the process. The counter arguments were not presented fully but highlighted as, by the way, issues rather than issues to be pondered. The development of then problem was concise by following an emotive plan which was effective because it captured the attention of the audience. The focus on the issues ensured that the audience was with the presented on the status of women liberation and the need for activism.
The speaker’s argument was effective because it ensured the audience contributed significantly to the issue by being attentive and asking questions (Metcalfe). Facial expression of the speaker was superb, and she was able to relate to the various situations emphatically which was replicated by the audience. She could switch from happiness, sadness, horror and concern with ease illustrating the challenges of women passionately. The asking of rhetoric questions in the speech created a balance between listening and contributing by the audience. The rhetoric questions helped to build upon the plot set at the beginning of the speech (Metcalfe). The speech as a pro-women biased speech which downplayed the role of men in women freedom. In conclusion, the speech by Hillary Clinton was quite effective but with the fallacy of generalizations and personal bias.
Works Cited
Kampf, Robert. Analysis of Speech Acts in Movie Dialogues on the Example of Ridley Scotts Bladerunner. Berlin: GRIN Verlag, 2010. Print
Keyton, Joann. Communication research: Asking questions, finding answers. 3rd. New York : McGraw Hill, 2010. Print.
Metcalfe, Sheldon. Building a Speech. 8th . New York: Cengage Learning, 2011. Print.
