Rhetorical Analysis of “A Bath Without Water” by Ludwick Marishane
This paper is a rhetorical analysis of Ludwick Marishane’s Ted Talk “A Bath without Water” about his new revolutionary product. It assesses his audience, credibility, tone and the appeals he uses to relay his purpose. The paper argues that through his dressing, his relaxed style and his use of the first person in retelling his mission enables his audience to relate to him, and to understand his positioning fully.
Introduction
Ted talk is a conference and a talk show that is driven by innovation and brilliant ideas that can assist in solving the impending problem and bring a positive change. As such, the audience is perceived as middle-aged, wealthy intellectuals who are likely
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to support ideas or innovative projects that add value or solve problems that face the current society. It can be concluded that given the nature and scarcity of safe and fresh water in numerous parts of the word, Marishane’s audience must have shared interests or perspectives in regards to finding solutions to the scarcity of clean water in most regions. This audience, in particular, is also valuable in regards to the speaker’s cause due to the shared ideologies and values, which could influence many to assist him through funding, support or simply purchasing his products. Summary Ludwick Marishane in his TEDTalk “A bath without Water” humors his audience with an epiphany he once had while sunbathing with his friends in his native country of Limpopo, South Africa.
After realizing how his friend did not want to take a bath, Marishane inspire to create a dry bath lotion, which eventually leads him to be name the “best Student entrepreneur in the world” (Marishane). Not only was he able to solve the underlying problem, but also his invention has been able to save thousands of lives in countries that lack adequate water resources. Through out in his speech Marishane make an impression on his audience by using of different appeals through an informal approach. He employs data from different sources to highlight the issue of water and sanitation and how his innovation will able to solve the underlying problem caused by the lack of adequate water resource. Then conclude by providing a solution through the Dry Bath product. In his TedTalk, A bath without Water, Marishane enables his audience to relate to him and to understand his positioning fully and Successfully persuade his audience he use his relaxed style, his appeals to logic and his use of the first person in retelling his story, enables his audience to relate to him, and to understand his positioning …show more content…
fully In his TEDTalk “A bath without Water” Ludwick Marishane start his Speech by sharing his story he once had while sunbathing with his friends in his native country of Limpopo, South Africa Analysis Marishane enters the stage dressed casually with a button shut and a pair of jeans.
He also has a relaxed style that matches the informal tone he uses to speak to his audience. A style that he sets upfront allows the audience to relate more closely to him, as he seems to be a friendly young man who anyone can easily interact with any time. Marishane reinforces this informality by starting the speech with an encounter he had with his friend while taking a bath. His choice to tell the story in the original style and context that it unfolded and this helps in creating a more interactive environment. For instance, when he states, “And I was like, man, I would buy that, eh?” (Marishane 1), it shows how he treats his audience like his peers, a technique that helps in creating a more lively and interactive environment that enables the audience to relate to the story and understand his positioning
easily. Marishane appeals to his audience by adopting a formal appearance while minimizing the use of business or technical jargons to explain his objectives and vision for the future. By being informal, he is able to create a highly responsive audience that is able to share his feelings and willingness to help the millions that suffer due to lack of water and innovative ways of maintaining sanitation. On the contrary, his idea brings a feeling of empathy and compassion, thereby making the audience to be more receptive to his product as a solution to the growing crisis. He goes on further to woe the audience by stating that “even if I’m not going to it myself, I at least need to do it to try and save the world” (Marishane 1). Most people are captivated by acts of heroism, and Marishane’s intentions according to the new product is not any different as it is aimed at saving millions of lives from diseases that can be prevented. The informal approach to the talk coupled with the emotional appeals makes his efforts seem effortless in trying to make the audience understand and appreciate his cause. Through the emotional appeal, Marishane is able to win over the audience and get them to agree with his vision and the level of impact that his product could have on people's lives. This appeal, in turn, is likely to compel the audience to see the need for implementing the idea by supporting him financially, buy his products or simply help by spreading awareness through word of mouth. This confirmed by how he states, “We are now on the verge of selling the product on a multinational level to take it to the retail market” (Marishane 1), which is a form of a marketing ploy that increases the audience’s awareness of the availability of the DryBath product in stores. By letting the audience know that such a product will soon be available in stores near them after a strong emotional appeal, Marishane suggestively markets the product without being too pushy. Marishane also appeals to logic when he consistently reminds the audience about the potential of the project in saving millions of lives. He allows his audience to appreciate the significance of his innovation given the high number of people who cannot afford a bathe because of water shortage. He also appeals to logic when he states that he was able to achieve a great deal simply because he was not someone who liked to bathe. For example, he says that “one thing that really puzzles me is, I did all of this just because I did not want to bath” (Marishane 1). This statement represents the common theme throughout the talk, the fact that many people around the world simply fail to bathe because they feel worse or put off by the idea of bathing. In essence, Marishane’s solution to this issue seems to have some logic behind it as it provides a “way for the world for the world not to bathe” but still be clean. These examples suggest the logic that the speaker tries to convey. He provides a solution that has the potential to save millions of lives while also preventing many diseases and problems that many people face in the modern society. On the other hand, the fact that the DryBath product is official and that Google named Marishane as, “one of the brightest young minds in the world” (Nsehe 1), proves his credibility. Even though it might be a challenge to determine this fact, due to the minimal information about his background from Ted talk, the fact that he holds the patent to DryBath product proves his credibility. Moreover, the fact that he appears on Ted talk, which is a conference for the world’s top innovators also shows that he is indeed credible. The Ted talk show is an invite-only conference, and the fact that he was able to secure an invitation as well as, provide a successful talk speaks highly of his credibility. In conclusion, Marishane attempts to make an impression on his audience by using of different appeals through an informal approach. He employs data from different sources to highlight the issue if water and sanitation and then conclude by providing a solution through the DryBath product. It is an inspiring and compelling talk that provides a solution to one of the biggest challenges today. Works Cited Marishane, Ludwick. “Ludwick Marishane: A Bath without Water.” Nsehe, Mfonobong. “7 Inspiring Young African Entrepreneurs To Watch In 2017.” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 3 Mar. 2017, www.forbes.com/sites/mfonobongnsehe/2017/03/03/7-inspiring-young-african-entrepreneurs-to-watch-in-2017/2/.
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