Topic > Emma Watson's Gender Equality Discourse: Neo-Aristotelian Critique

IndexIntroductionEmma Watson's Gender Equality Discourse AnalysisArtifact DescriptionSituationSpeakerInventionOrganizationDeliveryConclusionReferencesIntroductionThe United Nations has been a leader in the drive to eliminate gender inequality and stereotypes. United Nations 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 together both men and women to try to solve gender inequality. To achieve gender equality, men and women must unite and forget stereotypes and expectations about masculinity (Watson, 2014). On September 20, 2014, Emma Watson, a British actress, launched the HeForShe campaign by giving her official commencement speech. Watson was the United Nations Global Goodwill Ambassador for UN-Women. In his speech he established the spirit of the campaign, pushing people to change. She has long been talking about feminism and fighting for women's rights, so her incentive is to end gender inequality. While defending feminism and her invention of the program, she called on men and boys to accompany women and girls in helping to end gender inequality. This essay will apply neo-Aristotelian criticism using the five canons of rhetoric to interpret the power of Emma Watson's gender equality discourse. In this way, I will argue that Watson's speech achieved its intended effect among the predetermined audience that will join the HeForShe campaign. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Discourse Analysis on Gender Equality by Emma Watson Artifact Description The neo-Aristotelian method of criticism was adopted to analyze discourses (Foss, 2018, p. 24) . This method involves three steps: (1) recreating the context in which the artifact was located; (2) the five canons of the artifact; and (3) estimate the impact the artifact has on the audience (Foss, 2018, p. 24). The centrality of the audience is the fundamental principle of rhetorical criticism. When reconstructing the context, it is important to focus on the rhetor's motivating forces, why he chose the topic, and what he wanted to achieve by producing his speech. Furthermore, neo-Aristotelian criticism is considered one of the most beneficial methods for people interested in communication techniques. To apply Watson's speech to the neo-Aristotelian method, this article will summarize the speech situation, analyze his debate using the five canons of rhetoric, and then address 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 on logos, ethos, and pathos that were used in Watson's speech. After interpreting Watson's argument that he advanced through the neo-Aristotelian method, the rest of the article will analyze whether he has chosen the best way to persuade his intended audience about the changes he wants to see made. ApplicationSituationThe launch of Watson's HeForShe campaign began in New York City in front of United Nations officials from around the world (Watson, 2014). She began her speech by asking for help and wanting everyone involved in her HeForShe campaign to end gender inequality. Watson added that she has been questioning gender inequality since the age of eight (Watson,2014). She also said that women shy away from the word “feminism” because they think it applies to hatred of men. In Watson's speech, he made it clear that women should have the same rights as men and the beliefs he has on the word feminism. Therefore, Watson has set up this speech in accordance with applicable information to support the HeForShe campaign. During his speech, the audience seemed engaged with a positive attitude towards his campaign. Not only did she receive support from women, but she also received support from thousands of men for her HeForShe campaign efforts (Watson, 2014). SpeakerWatson is a British actress who was named a Goodwill Ambassador for United Nations 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 in women's rights. She's a feminist who doesn't mind appearing anti-man, unprofessional, and too strong. She stated that there is no country in the world that can expect a change in gender inequality unless there is a fight (Watson, 2014). If Watson does not prioritize this issue, the change in women's rights will be suppressed. Text The next part of this essay will analyze Watson's speech using the five canons of rhetoric. InventionWatson began his speech by defining feminism. She then began by saying that she was wary of gender issues when she was just eight years old. When he was 15, his friends quit sports because they didn't want to look muscular. Additionally, when she was 18, her male friends did not feel comfortable conveying their feelings (Watson, 2014). Watson uses ethics to gain credibility with the public. For example, she recounts her own experiences of gender inequality from being a girl. She states that it could have helped more to ensure equal rights for women (Watson, 2014). Watson uses pathos in his speech engaging the audience's emotions. It covers the stereotypes that men have by being labeled feminine if they express their feelings (Watson, 2014). In Watson's speech, she notes the suffering men face from mental illness due to the fear of being "too weak" and "not manly enough." That said, she makes sure to convey that her message is not just for women and girls, but also for men and boys. Watson struggles to believe she is a strong candidate for the role of ambassador. He asks the audience: “If not me, who? If not now, when?” (Watson, 2014) His intentions in asking these two questions were to get the audience to take action to make a change. She hopes both men and women take part in her HeForShe campaign because it will take both genders to end gender inequality. In Watson's speech, he provides many examples and facts that confirm the purpose of the HeForShe campaign. She used the logos to describe some examples of hate that males received in childhood, suggesting that gender inequality is not just about females (Watson, 2014). Many times women have attempted to gain their rights, achieving only little results. He concluded that it is time to involve men and boys in his process (Watson, 2014). OrganizationWatson shows indications of organization by elaborating on his thoughts and controversies to promote the HeForShe campaign. She begins by stating her personal experiences of gender inequality when she was a child. Watson then defines feminism and expresses his perception of the word. She expresses her bitterness about how women should have equal rights, equal pay, decisions,