Mala's Speech: An Analysis Of Malala Yousafzai

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In the fall of 2012, a young Pakistani female was shot in the head by the Taliban while riding the bus home from school, but being shot was only one of the trails Malala Yousafzai was to overcome. Malala’s injuries were too great to be dealt with in hospitals in Pakistan; thus, she was transferred to England to undergo surgery. While in England Malala’s story became so popular that the United Nations heard of how she was shot and as a result, she had become an advocate for education; therefore, on July of 2013, at the age of sixteen, Malala, was invited to speak about her experience at the United Nation’s headquarters in New York. Her speech was intended to inform people of an epidemic that has invaded not only the Middle East but also …show more content…

Malala’s allusion, “the pen is mightier than the sword” is a prime example of logos. The “pen” is a metaphor for education and the written word while “sword” stands for violence and the Taliban’s intolerant control. This metaphor is symbolized in Malala’s life because she did not become a victim when the Taliban attacked her; rather, she became a victor, and would not allow her voice to be muted. Furthermore, logos is seen in the use of statistics. For example, when she announces that “57 million children are not being educated,” she forms a realistic connection to what she is trying to convince the audience is her cause. Malala slowly gains the trust of the assembled and the world--while building her ethos. Ultimately, logos is strengthened when analyzed: Malala uses reason and allusions to show her audience that education is the only solution to the epidemic that has invaded her …show more content…

Thus, ethos, the building or undermining the credibility of the speaker is seen throughout the speech. The first example of ethos is built by the way Malala connects herself to the people of the UN by referring to herself and her audience as “brothers and sisters;” this phrase causes the audience to pay attention to what she is saying from the beginning of the speech while causing a feeling of kinsmanship. In addition, Malala builds her ethos by keeping a calm, steady voice throughout the duration. Moreover, Malala ethos is strengthened through the phrase, “one girl among many.” Malala wants her audience to view her as just another girl, not a martyr or a Saint. She insists that she was only one of the millions injured and that she is merely speaking for the voices that cannot be heard. Furthermore, Malala’s ethos is enhanced when she insists that she learned peace, compassion, forgiveness, and the concept of change from social activist leaders of the past. This builds her ethos by developing common ground among the audience; thus, the same activist who influenced the common person also affected her for the

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