Briana Lanza Kyle
Ms. Thomas
Composition 102
27 January 2013
There have been
many fights for equality; many sacrifices made for equality, but not many
people can say they spent 27 years in jail to fight for the rights and
persecution of the people in their country. Nelson Mandela did that, although
it was not 27 years continuously it was the punishment that he received for
putting up a good fight against the South African government, he won that fight
though. Before Nelson Mandela became president most of the government was run
by a European country who had settled in their land, then ultimately took over
although they were the minority. They were going through a time called apartheid
very similar to our civil rights fight in the United States but their struggle
took more, it took a whole new government, a complete change in the way that
people saw the country. But on one day Nelson Mandela got his chance to say
what he had to say without persecution, this day was on the day of his
inauguration. With Nelson’s word choice, tone, and repetition to remind the
people of the importance it was for people to have to the lives that they
wanted. This speech was what started South Africa to be the way it is today.
“Each
time one of us touches the soil of this land, we feel a sense of personal
renewal. The national mood changes as the seasons change. “ Nelson Mandela
spoke those words in his inaugural speech in front of thousands of South
Africans who stood in the capital to listen him speak. His choice of words in
this statement was important because the country had been under so much
scrutiny and heartache with the fight for equality. This statement also
connects to him personally because he was in jail so many times and each time
with a sense of renewal he tried to make a difference. This created a sense of
pathos and ethos within his speech. Everyone knew that he could relate to what
he was saying because he was a prisoner himself. Although everyone was not a
prisoner in a jail they were prisoners to the racism and injustice that they
were facing within their country. “We,
the people of South Africa, feel fulfilled that humanity has taken us back into
its bosom, that we, who were outlaws not so long ago, have today been given the
rare privilege to be host to the nations of the world on our own soil.“ Nelson
Mandela wanted to make sure that people knew that they are a part of the world,
not just somewhere people did not pay attention to but were taken into the arms
of those in the nation. South Africa was not somewhere that most people paid
attention to if they were not from there are going there, but the fight was so
substantial that even the world noticed the work that they had done. This
statement helped appeal to the countries pathos because they knew they wanted
to be a country noticed and helped. With this recognition they could help the
people forward and develop themselves with the world at their hands and not
only at their feet. With the choice of
words that he used he made sure that the people felt pride within their
country. Nelson Mandela wanted to make sure that people understood that the
country that they will in does not have to go through the struggles that it has
been enduring. The country no longer stand under the feet of foreigners at
rule, but under the feet of those who live and were born there because those
people are the ones that deserve to control the country for they are the ones
that truly know what they need.
“Never,
never and never again shall it be that this beautiful land will again experience
the oppression of one by another and suffer the indignity of being the skunk of
the world. “ The repetition in the beginning of this sentence was used to
stress the fact that Nelson Mandela was not going to allow the people to go
back to their old ways. This helps build logos and pathos within his speech
because he appeals to the people’s emotions knowing that they don’t want to go
back that direction, and their logic knowing that this is supposed to be steps
forward not backward. “Let there be justice for all. Let there be peace for
all. Let there be work, bread, water and salt for all. Let each know that for
each the body, the mind and the soul have been freed to fulfill themselves.” This repetition of the first few words of
this segment of the speech made me think of the bible. Nelson Mandela had the
intention of letting people know that the change that was coming was going to
be good like when God created earth. His intention was to create things in a
way that they seemed as if they would be okay with the changes made. This
appeals to peoples pathos and logos, their emotions were attached because they
love their country but also their ethics because its similarity to the bible.
Both of these repetitious moments made the country more intrigued and changed
the way that the speech was being given and portrayed as a whole. This is
important in writing because repetition makes the reader or listeners remember
what the person said. This changes the power that the speech has when
repetition is used.
Tone
is one of the most important aspects of a speech. Tone cannot be expressed
through the words but ultimately the delivery. When Nelson Mandela gave this
speech he had a strong sense of confidence and devotion to his country through
his words. Nelson Mandela made sure that his speech was given in a way that the
people had no other way then to believe him. He did not yell at the people, he
talked to the people as if he could understand what they are going through
completely. When someone conveys a speech in a way that people feel like they
are on the same level as them the speech is more relatable. The tone of your
voice helps build a sense of understanding when the speaker tries to convey
their point creating ethos. The credibility is creating the ability to have
people to believe and think that you know that you know what you are talking
about. This is important because without the correct tone and ethos your speech
will not be able to make the point that you may have wanted to make. Nelson
Mandela made sure that he had the correct tone and ethos to make the people
believe what he had to say, and motivate the country.
When
Nelson Mandela spoke these words he made sure he relayed his message correctly.
This is very important to trying to make a message known. These rhetorical elements
used in writing strengthen the understand in which people get when they try to
put across a subject. Nelson Mandela made sure that the people could understand
his message through his performance.
