Statistics shows that the Cancer epidemic is one of the leading causes of death in the United states (“Cancer”). Today, the epidemic is evidently one of the most substantial constraints the world faces. While there are many advocates for the cancer cause, Jim Valvano is remembered by many as a top supporting warrior on the topic. Dying of cancer in 1993, Valvano, a successful college basketball coach, left a surviving legacy through his Arthur Ashe Courage Award acceptance speech at ESPN’s 1993 award ceremony. More than just a simple acceptance speech, Valvano takes dominance of his speech climax through a series of appeals made very impressive through the style and delivery he bestows.
Valvano’s speech timing added distinction when one listening recognizes this acceptance speech rewinds backwards to the early 1990s. In this time period, the nation becomes fixated on the AIDS epidemic and Cancer research. As far as the realm of sport is concerned, the early 1990s is known as the point of time when NBA legend Magic Johnson reveals his HIV positive status to the world; Johnson’s revelation happens in 1991, two years prior to Jim Valvano’s speech (Sternberg). Though Valvano does not hint a word about Johnson, he does mention the acuteness to AIDS by
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Carefully, Valvano words his speech. Considering a rhetorical constraint is essentially any barrier, tangible or intangible, which could hinder a rhetor’s goal (Bitzer). Valvano must be attentive of the opinions of those who would view his speech as disrespectful, and by explaining his comment regarding AIDS fundraising in contrast to cancer fundraising with “the amount of money pouring in for AIDS is not enough,” Valvano is looking to dodge any comments that could be harmful by donating a disclaimer. His comparison is pointing out how more attention is just as vital in cancer
In a year were so many great athletes are no longer with us, Payne Stewart, Wilt Chamberlain, Joe DiMaggio, Walter Payton, the man we thought would have passed away first is still among us, Magic Johnson. Rick Reilly does a remarkable job on this praising article on Magic. Reilly talks about how fit magic is. "He can bench 325 pounds. Weighing 245, he's about 20 pounds heavier than he was in his prime, but now he's ripped." He is still playing basketball in different celebrity appearances, and plays quite well in them although he is way older than everyone there. What really impressed me the most about Magic is influence as a black businessman. Reilly showed me, as well as America, a different side of Magic that is not seen on Sports Center. "He owns five Starbucks and has plans to open 10 more, nearly all of them in black neighborhoods, including one in Crenshaw and one in Harlem." Magic is willing to put money into the ghettos when other white investors are not. He owns many different businesses, from a TV company to a bank. What is truly amazing is he hires all black people to build and work his businesses. "Magic feels like many black athletes forget where they came from, I try not to." When I read this I was really stunned. He made a fortune taking risks that many other people won't try. He is living his life to the fullest and using his HIV experience to educate great number of people.
Although illness narratives are not novel or new, their prevalence in modern popular literature could be attributed to how these stories can be relatable, empowering, and thought-provoking. Susan Grubar is the writer for the blog “Living with Cancer”, in The New York Times, that communicates her experience with ovarian cancer (2012). In our LIBS 7001 class, Shirley Chuck, Navdeep Dha, Brynn Tomie, and I (2016) discussed various narrative elements of her more recent blog post, “Living with Cancer: A Farewell to Legs” (2016). Although the elements of narration and description (Gracias, 2016) were easily identified by all group members, the most interesting topics revolved around symbolism as well as the overall impression or mood of the post.
...o engage in destructive rhetoric are held to task, rhetoric cannot simply be attributed to some state of affairs, while the rhetorician from whose lips the rhetoric emerges is held to no ethical standard. Certainly it is conceivable that rhetoric can have destructive consequences. Rhetoric seems to have played a central role in the deterioration of people’s faith in their systems of government, or the electoral process by which they choose their representatives. A view of rhetoric in which the rhetorician is accountable for the effects of the change they inflict upon the world could lead to less destructive rhetoric and a society which operates on the solid ground of personal responsibility.
In conclusion, the video Ad Campaign for Physician-Assisted Death by Kelsey Milbourn proved to be a great example of the rhetorical situation. Throughout this video, Milbourn was able to effectively persuade her audience with the use ethos, pathos, and logos. These three forms of persuasion are important in making an argument because they provide the facts while playing with the emotions of an audience. I believe Milbourn did an excellent job of persuading her audience through using theses persuasion techniques.
Cancer is a deadly disease that millions of people die from a year. Many loved ones are killed with little to no warning affecting families across our world. My family happened to be one that was affected by this atrocious disease. This event changed the way my family members and I viewed cancer.
This award has been an outlet for male athletes to “break down the locker room walls and cry a little, or love a little, or show a sensitive side” (Collins, para. 14). Valvano learned his bone cancer was terminal and in response announced that ESPN was creating the V Foundation to help fund cancer research. The emotional speech he gave during the 1993 ESPYs was legendary and was the ground work for the V Foundation to come (Hill, para. 2). The V foundation is a foundation dedicated to cancer research whose end goal is to find a cure. It’s motto? Don’t give up. Don’t ever give up. The formation of the V Foundation arose out of the first ESPY speech by Valvano, and, while some consider the ESPYs an excuse to dress up and receive an award, it is much more than that. It [ESPYs] is one of the biggest TV fundraisers for the V foundation where “you have athletes waging one of the most important contests of all: the fight against cancer” (Finder, para. 9). Years later, his speech is still played every summer and continues to motivate those battling cancer. Jimmy’s brother, Bob Valvano, once said “we were afraid the memory would fade into the background and the foundation would lose stream. But it has been the opposite. The ESPYs have grown each year” which shows the lasting legacy Jimmy V has left behind (Finder, para. 19). In 2004 ESPN called for “Show Your Spirit Day” in which the fans wear their favorite team shirts and donate at least $5 to the V Foundation. This was done to honor Valvano and celebrate his life in a positive way, by giving back to the cancer research community (Hill, para. 3). George Bodenheimer, President of ESPN, Inc., was a huge advocate of the V Foundation and even raised the expectations of ESPNs efforts supporting the V Foundation for Cancer Research which was founded by ESPN in
There are too many American veterans that are forgotten. It is very easy to place a flag on the lawn, stickers on a car and a quick thank you in passing for services rendered, but how many civilians actually know what that thank you is for? For sacrificing their time, doing what many Americans are not willing to do, exchanging hardship for holidays and of course protecting and ensuring this fine nation’s freedom. What is not thought of is the silent suffering that comes with the apparent glory and the inevitable aftermath of physical, mental and emotional turmoil.
Jim Valvano was the head coach for the North Carolina State Wolfpack in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). In 1992, he was diagnosed with terminal cancer and as a result he created the V Foundation, whose raises money for cancer research. In 1993, Valvano won the Arthur Ashe Award for Courage at the ESPY’s. In his acceptance speech, Valvano effectively incorporates the three appeals of speech writing, but uses a strong ethos appeal to capture the audience. Through such a strong ethos appeal, Valvano makes himself worthy for the award he is receiving, which is the goal for any acceptance speech. Valvano’s speech is also effective because he uses four of the six parts of a speech, found in the Ad Herenium. In Valvano’s speech, exordium, narration, proof, and peroration are present. Since the purpose of this speech is not to get the hearers to donate, division (showing the difference between you and your opponent) and refutation (lowering your opponent’s arguments) are not needed. So let us go through Valvano’s speech to see the different parts where he makes his ethos appeal.
Isn’t it overwhelming to consider the fact that approximately one in eight deaths in the world are due to cancer? To make this more comprehensible, the number of deaths caused by cancer is greater than caused by AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria combined. Along with the idea that this disease does not have a definite cure is a mind-staggering concept to grasp. If not caught in time, cancer means guaranteed death. These types of thoughts were floating around my head when my mother had told me that my father had mouth cancer.
Throughout the speech, Fisher uses an immense amount of pathos. The pathos used did a significant job of helping listeners relate and feel something. While giving her exceptional speech, Fisher states, “adolescents don’t give each other cancer or heart disease because they believe they are in love, but HIV is different; and we have helped it along. We
Another weakness of Singer’s article is the aggressive language he uses throughout his piece of writing to influence the reader. For example, his use of forceful dialogue encourages people to give money in this following statement, Telling the reader what to do is not an effective way to convince an audience to make a contribution.
In retrospect, Fisher’s speech, especially its ethos, would not been as effective if she wasn’t a married mother of two who became HIV-positive by her husband. Her call to the American people to have “the strength to act wisely when we are most afraid leaves no question to what must be done in breaking the silence regarding AIDS, and the action that must be taken to prevent further devastation (3). She successfully uses Aristotle’s Rhetorical appeals to transcend the public’s barriers against the HIV/AIDS epidemic and the people afflicted with the disease.
In June of 2011, Conan O’Brien gave the commencement address to the 2011 graduating class of Dartmouth College. O’Brien uses humor and anecdotes to deliver a powerful speech which resonated with most viewers. O’Brien also used many literary devices for the graduates to better understand his primary points. Conan O’Brien delivery of his commencement address was effective because of his use of pathos, ethos, and antidotes, which contributed to his fantastic speech.
To African-Americans, H.I.V. patients, and tennis amateurs across the world, Arthur Ashe is a hero. He is known as one of the most people who was dedicated to helping others. Ashe was an exceptional tennis player who was able to inspire others. The talent and spirit of Arthur Ashe had a profound effect on racial and social justice in the world.
...n tell us that we can support one another for cancers. There are numerous good things that can come out of media, but we must know the difference between what is good and what is not.