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  • Essay / Emma Watson's Speech on Gender Equality: Neo-Aristotelian Critique

    Table of ContentsIntroductionAnalysis of Emma Watson's Speech on Gender EqualityDescription of the ArtifactSituationSpeakerInventionOrganizationDeliveryConclusionReferencesIntroductionThe United Nations has been the leader in driving to eliminate gender inequalities and stereotypes. UN Women is an organization that fights to end gender inequality and give women the global empowerment they deserve (Watson, 2014). The launch of the HeForShe campaign was led by UN Women, which brings men and women together to try to resolve gender inequalities. To achieve gender equality, men and women must come together and forget about stereotypes and expectations of masculinity (Watson, 2014). On September 20, 2014, Emma Watson, a British actress, launched the HeForShe campaign by giving her official speech to mark its debut. Watson was the United Nations Global Goodwill Ambassador for UN-Women. In her speech, she set the mood of the campaign, urging people for change. She has been talking about feminism and fighting for women's rights for some time now. Its objective is therefore to put an end to inequalities between the sexes. While defending feminism and its invention of the program, she invited men and boys to accompany women and girls to end gender inequalities. This essay will apply neo-Aristotelian criticism using the five canons of rhetoric to interpret the power of Emma Watson's speech on gender equality. In doing so, I will argue that Watson's speech had the desired effect with the predetermined audience that will join the HeForShe campaign. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get the original essayAnalysis of Emma Watson's Speech on Gender EqualityDescription of the ArtifactThe Neo-Aristotelian method of criticism was designed to analyze discourses (Foss, 2018, p. 24). This method includes three steps: (1) recreating the context in which the artifact was located; (2) the five cannons of the artifact; and (3) estimate the impact of the artifact on the audience (Foss, 2018, p. 24). The centrality of the audience is the fundamental principle of rhetorical criticism. In reconstructing the context, it is important to focus on the motivating forces of the rhetor, why he chose the topic, and what he wanted to accomplish in producing his speech. Furthermore, Neo-Aristotelian criticism is considered one of the most beneficial methods for people intrigued by communication techniques. To apply Watson's speech to the neo-Aristotelian method, this article will summarize the situation of the speech, analyze its debate using the five canons of rhetoric, and then cover the effects on the intended audience. Aristotle's five canons of rhetoric are: invention, organization, style, delivery, and memory. (Foss, 2018, p. 25) In the invention section of this article, it will cover a part about logos, ethos and pathos that were used in Watson's speech. After interpreting Watson's argument according to the neo-Aristotelian method, the remainder of the article will analyze whether she has chosen the best way to persuade the intended audience of the changes she wishes to make. Application SituationThe launch of Watson's HeForShe campaign began in New York in front of UN officials from around the world (Watson, 2014). She began her speech asking for help and wanting everyone to be involved in her HeForShe campaign to end gender inequality. Watson added that shehas been questioning gender inequality since the age of eight (Watson, 2014). She also said that women avoid the word "feminism" because they think it applies to hatred towards men. In Watson's speech, she made it clear that women should have the same rights as men and the beliefs she has on the word feminism. So, Watson put together this speech in accordance with applicable information to defend the HeForShe campaign. During his speech, the audience seemed engaged and had a positive attitude toward his campaign. Not only did she receive support from women, but she also received support from thousands of men for her involvement in the HeForShe campaign (Watson, 2014).SpeakerWatson is a British actor who was appointed as a goodwill ambassador for UN Women in 2014. a few months later, she launched her HeForShe campaign. Watson is a strong woman who is not afraid to stand up for her beliefs on women's rights. She is a feminist who does not fear being seen as anti-men, unprofessional and too strong. She said that no country in the world can expect gender inequality to change unless there is a fight (Watson, 2014). If Watson did not make this issue a priority, any changes to women's rights would be removed. Text The next part of this essay will analyze Watson's speech using the five canons of rhetoric. Invention Watson began his speech by defining feminism. She then began by talking about how she was wary of gender issues when she was just eight years old. When she was 15, her friends quit the sport because they didn't want to appear muscular. Additionally, when she was 18, her male friends did not feel comfortable expressing their feelings (Watson, 2014). Watson uses ethos to achieve credibility with the audience. For example, she recounts her own experiences of gender inequality when she was a girl. She expresses that she could have contributed more to equal rights for women (Watson, 2014). Watson uses pathos in his speech by engaging with the emotions of the audience. It covers the stereotypes of men by calling them feminine if they express their feelings (Watson, 2014). In Watson's speech, she highlights the suffering men face due to mental illness, due to their fear of being "too weak" and "not man enough." That being said, she makes sure to make it clear that her message is not only for women and girls, but also for men and boys. Watson finds it hard to believe that she is a good candidate for the role of ambassador. She asks the audience, “If not me, who?” If not now, when? (Watson, 2014) His intentions in asking these two questions were to inspire the audience to take action to bring about change. She hopes both men and women will participate in her HeForShe campaign, because it will take both sexes to end gender inequality. In his speech, Watson provides numerous examples and facts that support the purpose of the HeForShe campaign. She used logos to describe some examples of hatred that men received during their childhood, implying that gender inequality is not just about women (Watson, 2014). Women have tried many times to win their rights, but without much success. She concluded that it is time to involve men and boys in her approach (Watson, 2014). Organization Watson shows signs of organization in processing his thoughts and controversies to energize the HeForShe campaign. She begins by discussing her personal experiences regarding inequality between,