Rhetorical Analysis Of Malala Yousafzai

Malala Yousafzai uses examples of argumentative techniques to advance her cause for quality and attainable education worldwide. She builds her argument by using persuasive techniques such as facts, emotion, rhetorical questions, and figurative language throughout her speech.
Yousafzai uses the elements of ethos, or the ethical approach, pathos, or the emotional approach, and logos, or the logical approach, to construct her argument and create a professional, yet relatable tone. Ethos is used when Yousafzai references other figures who brought great change to the world that gave speeches on the same stage she was on. She mentions influential people such as Martin Luther King Jr., Nelson Mandela, Mother Teresa, and Aung San Suu Kyi, hoping that her beliefs and actions will bring about a change as lasting as theirs. Pathos is used throughout the speech in Yousafzai’s personal anecdotes. She tells the stories of drawing mathematical

formulas in henna ink instead of traditional patterns for special occasions, of her friend who wished to become a doctor but whose dream was taken away when she was married at twelve and had a baby at fourteen. These all touch the reader/listener’s heart and bring out either pity or sadness at the harsh reality Yousafzai tells of that these children have to live in. Finally, logos is used when Yousafzai brings up facts about real issues in specific countries. For example, she lists reasons why children in various countries are “deprived of their right to education” in paragraphs six and seven. This data puts the issue in a real-world situation, where people can see that this is a problem happening in their world, in places that they know.
Another technique used by Yousafzai in this speech are rhetorical questions and fragments. She uses these very skillfully to provide emphasis on some phrases and to cause the reader/listener to ask questions themselves about the topic. For example, she asks “why do leaders accept that for children in developing countries, only basic literacy is sufficient, when their own children do homework in Algebra, Mathematics, Science, and Physics?” This questions raises flags in the reader/listener’s mind, where they ask themselves the same question. Rhetorical questions cause people to think about the answer that they may not know, then it causes them to question why they do not know the answer. As for rhetorical fragments, Yousafzai uses them to stress some statements of importance. For instance, she says “We have already taken many steps. Now it is time to take a leap.” This is a strong announcement with powerful emphasis and a reason to make readers/listeners think about the cause.
Finally, Yousafzai uses figurative language to draw interest to some of the things she is saying.

She uses repetition at the beginning of many paragraphs when she says “dear sisters and brothers”. This repetition puts in the reader/listener’s mind that they are close to Yousafzai. The phrase puts the speech at a much more personal level. Yousafzai also uses asyndeton when she says “we must work… not wait. Not just the politicians and the world leaders, we all need to contribute. Me. You. We. It is our duty.” The single words in their own little sentences are emphasized greatly to show their importance and the importance of the statement as a whole. At the very end of the speech, Yousafzai uses anaphora to show the significance of the words she says. She repeats “let this be the last time” over and over followed by things such as “that a child loses life in war” and “that a girl is forced into early child marriage”. She shows how important it is that these things need to end, and that this generation needs to be the one that ends

them.
Malala Yousafzai created a very persuasive argument by using these techniques. Her cause was clearly put across, and the blend of personal and statistical information made the speech seem more real and less like a book of facts. She emphasized the right words and phrases to make them more significant. Overall, this speech was a very successful and convincing piece.