Women’s Rights or Human Rights: The Two Kairos, Essay Example

Identify two similarities and two differences in the Kairos for Susan B. Anthony and for Hilary Clinton.

1. Similarity 1. Both kairos create the impression that human rights are ‘inalienable’ for all.
2. Similarity 2. Both Anthony and Clinton argue that women’s rights are crucial to peace and harmony within the home.
3. Difference 1. Susan B. Anthony argues legal and political reasons for equality in America; Clinton argues for financial and emotional reasons.
4. Difference 2. Anthony restricts her argument to specific rights and promises upon which America was built; Clinton points to the diverse global situations, and the contributions which any woman- in any place- has to make with sufficient opportunity.

Question 2. Connect the Kairos to the Writing

Choose any two of these differences and explain how they lead to different choices for the author in their writing.

1.  Difference
2. Similarity/Difference in the Kairos

Susan B. Anthony argues legal and political reasons for equality in America; Clinton argues for financial and emotional reasons.

1. Similarity/Difference in the Writing

Anthony supports her legal and political reasoning with more quotations, specific instances and legal documentation and cases, and more appeals of logos. Clinton argues that the compassion of women both in the home and in a community affects the global response to tragedy by producing hope—“When families flourish, communities and nations do as well”. Although both Anthony and Clinton could have argued bitterly with the pathos reasoning, these two empowering tactics work better.

1. Difference
2. Similarity/Difference in the Kairos

Anthony restricts her argument to specific rights and promises upon which America was built; Clinton points to the diverse global situations, and the contributions which any woman- in any place- has to make with sufficient opportunity.

1. Similarity/Difference in the Writing

The focus on women within America allows Anthony’s point to be more specific, personal, and almost conversational, but Anthony places ‘a hateful oligarchy’ against women as separate and above issues of education or race. Clinton chooses a variety of examples but repeatedly reminds each listener of how it concerns them, through several mentions of relatable, universal images of feminine kindness and importance.

Question 3. Appeals for Hilary Clinton

Clinton relies most upon the appeal of ethos.

1. Ethos
   1. Compassion drives women to make the world better.
   2. “What we are learning around the world is that if women are healthy and educated, their families will flourish… And when families flourish, communities and nations do as well.”
   3. Women greatly affect the home life, which, in turn, affects the community and the world.
2. Ethos
   1. Women’s rights depend upon acceptance from without and from within.
   2. “We need to understand there is no one formula for how women should lead our lives. That is why we must respect the choices that each woman makes for herself and her family. Every woman deserves the chance to realize her own God-given potential. But we must recognize that women will never gain full dignity until their human rights are respected and protected.”
   3. A woman’s right to choose full-time motherhood is just as important as her right to choose full-time employment.
3. Ethos
   1. Compassionate voices sound softer.
   2. “The great challenge of this conference is to give voice to women everywhere whose experiences go unnoticed, whose words go unheard.”
   3. The same caring, compassionate roles of women often lead to their being undervalued, underrepresented, and misunderstood.

Works Cited

Anthony, Susan B. “On Women’s Right to Vote.” (1873). Print.

Clinton, Hilary R. “Women’s Rights are Human Rights.” (5 Sept. 1995.) UN 4^th World Conference on Women Plenary Session. Print.