The article/ speech, "Nobel Peace Prize Acceptance Speech", is written by Wangari Maathai. She, as the title suggests, is accepting a Nobel Peace prize for her great work in protecting the environment, promoting democracy, and defending human/equality rights. Her initial purpose or motivation for writing the speech is to ultimately accept the award, however she seizes the opportunity to talk about the importance of the environment and explains what good she and the Green Belt Movement, which she started, has done in the world. She not only talks about the good she has done, but also raises the problems the world is facing because of the bad environmental situations. For example, she mentions how the lack of environmental resources are making it hard on the women in Africa and how this destruction of the environment connects to politics and if fixed will help against political corruption, violence against women and children, separation of families, etc.
She fortifies and further persuades her claims through numerous literary devices such as syntax and anaphora, imagery, and diction. Her paper is very well organized and it flows quite well. Her use of syntax and an anaphora helps the reader stay tuned in and paying attention. When she states her audience, "Your Majesties, Your Royal Highnesses, Honourable Members of the Norwegian Noble Committee, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen," she catches the reader's attention as well as other things. She notes out of context specifically to the reader multiple times (anaphora). By specifically noting the audience she calls them back to attention and sets the tone for what she is about to say. The tone becomes more respectable, quiet, and reverent; it is like she is saying "now really pay attention now because what I have to say is really important." Her use of imagery makes the audience see in their heads what life must be like without the environmental resources so many of the audience are used to; takes them to an unknown space. Furthermore, she uses her words very carefully. On page 55 she uses words such as "conditioned to believe," using the word conditioned makes it sound like the women really had no choice, that they do not know any better. On page 57 using words like "shed our fear...reach a higher moral ground...energize citizens to flourish," all of which evokes emotion and the want to reach to that potential.
Wangari Maathai does an excellent job at persuading the audience to her point of view and to act. She not only lists what good she has done, but also what is still wrong/bad out in the world and how people, high-society to the lowest of the low citizen, can make a difference for the better. She addresses ethos, pathos, and logos very well which also helps make her speech quite effective. She addresses almost everyone, in every social status, in her speech. She addresses "Your Majesties... [all the way down to]...Ladies and Gentlemen," and then specifically thanks and addresses the Nobel Committee and the people of Kenya, Africa, and any women and girls. She establishes ethos by addressing all societies, makes her seem a part of all, and mentions that she is a mother (which connects all...everyone has a mother, sister, female role model). Throughout the speech she shows logos by giving cold, hard facts about the trees they have planted, the hardness and cruelty of the world and how her "movement" has helped the democracy and peace. Lastly, throughout the speech (primarily the end) she shows pathos by relating to her life as a child and how "nice" it had been but 50 years later the environment has taken a steep decline. By calling specifically out to the people of the world to take action and "contribute toward achieving their long-term dreams" she really makes the audience feel like they must reach their potential and do some good in the world.
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