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Malala Yousafzai Rhetorical Analysis

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Malala Yousafzai is a Pakistani blogger who was held captive by that Taliban. During her captivity, her and her friends where shot in the head and fortunately, she survived what could be a fatal wound. A couple years after she recovered to an extent, she was invited to give a speech to the United Nations. In order to persuade the people of the United Nations to provide universal health care, she used the rhetorical elements ethos, pathos, and logos. Ethos is using the author’s appeal to persuade the reader but in this case the audience. Yousafzai is a victim of terrorism and she does not like using that as a weakness. She states that thousands of people have been killed by terrorists and millions have been injured; however, she will not speak for herself but rather for those without a voice (Yousafzai 4). This helps the audience know that she is serious with what she is trying to do and she is not expecting sorrow but acknowledgment. She then shows the audience her humble side. Yousafzai says, “Neither am I here to speak in terms of personal revenge against the Taliban or any terrorist group. I am here for the right of education for every child” (Yousafzai 5). This statement enlightens her audience with the fact that this speech is not going to be all about her and her struggles, but the importance of education for other children. This can be difficult since she went through a lot and she still is not thinking only about herself. Pathos is using emotions to engage the audience. Yousafzai does a fantastic job doing so which is why the speech is very moving. The most distinguishable way she grabs the audience’s attentions is by calling each and every one of them her brothers and sisters (Yousafzai 3). This makes her and the audience feel close like a family which intrigues the audience’s emotion. Yousafzai then continues by telling the audience how women are treated in her country. In Pakistani women are treated poorly and often could be abused physically, sexually, and even killed. She mentions that, “The power of the voice of women frightens them[terrorist]. This is why they killed the 14 innocent students in the recent attack in Quetta. And that is why they kill female teachers” (Yousafzai 8). The audience

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