South Dakota State University Open PRAIRIE: Open Public Research Access Institutional Repository and Information Exchange Electronic Theses and Dissertations 1986 Moral Drama : The Rhetorical Style of Geraldine Ferraro Patricia R. Boik Follow this and additional works at: https://openprairie.sdstate.edu/etd Recommended Citation Boik, Patricia R., "Moral Drama : The Rhetorical Style of Geraldine Ferraro" (1986). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 4350. https://openprairie.sdstate.edu/etd/4350 This Thesis - Open Access is brought to you for free and open access by Open PRAIRIE: Open Public Research Access Institutional Repository and Information Exchange. It has been accepted for inclusion in Electronic Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Open PRAIRIE: Open Public Research Access Institutional Repository and Information Exchange. For more information, please contact [email protected]. MORAL DRAMA : THE RHETORICAL STYLE OF GERALDINE FERRARO BY PATRICIA R. BOIK A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Master of Arts Maj or in Speech South Dakota State University 1986 ••,-. ... �"' Pf ............. ..... ,., , .. ...,,.,,...,, ,.nanv MORAL DRAMA: THE RHETORICAL STYLE OF GERALDINE FERRARO This thesis is approved as a creditable and independent investigation by a candidate for the degree, Master of Arts, and is acceptable for meeting the thesis requirements for this degree. Acceptance of this thesis does not imply that the conclusions reached by the candidate are necessarily the conclusions of the major department. Michael R. Schliessmann Thesis Adviser Date � Judit� Zivanovic p Head, Dep�tment of Speech Date ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS "The future is whatever we want it to be ." Geraldine Ferraro closes her book with these words. B�cause Ferraro and hundreds of women before her had the courage to speak out on controversial issues and pave the way for equality for men and women in America, I can truly say that my future is whatever I want it to be . There are still bridges to be built and crossed, but the road has been paved . To Geraldine Ferraro-- thank you . To Dr. Michael Schliessmann--a very special thank yo� . He has been a true friend and an excellent thesis adviser. His patience and encouragement have been above and beyond the call of duty . To Laurie--a special friend . She was always there when I needed her--to listen , to proof, and to serve as a "walking thesaurus ." To Randy and Liz--my ever supportive office mates , thanks for putting up with me . It is with special gratitude that I extend my appreciation to everyone in the Department of Speech. They have all played an important role in the uphill climb of the last two years . A special thank you to Nancy , Jerry F. , Mr . Denton , Donna , and Ila . To the two most important people in my life-­ Jeramy and Milissa. As children of a single mother, they have had to contend with situations that no children their age should have to . They are very special children and I am thankful they are mine . PRB DEDICATION In everyone 's life , there is someone who serves as the key inspirational figure in their lives. I have been blessed with two such people and it is to them that I dedicate this work . To my father--the late Kenneth Bacon . He encouraged my every endeavor and taught me that I must be willing to fight for what I bel ieved in . He was an except ional man and I was fortunate to have such an excellent role model. To my mother-�Maxine Bacon . She has always been there for me . She lauded my achievements and soothed my failures . She has made every sacrifice necessary to see that I had the opportunity to achieve my des ired goals . Their inspiration and support have been pricele ss. PRB TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter Page I. INTRODUCTION 1 Origin of the Study 1 Statement of Purpose • • • • • . • • . 3 Procedures • . • • . • • . • 4 Organization of the Study • . • • • . 6 Endnotes • . • • • • • • • . • • • 8 II . THE DEVELOPMENT OF GERALDINE FERRARO 'S POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY . 9 Endnotes . 41 III. MORAL DRAMA AS A STYLISTIC TOOL . 47 Endnotes . 61 IV. THE APPLICATION OF MORAL DRAMA TO THE RHETORIC OF GERALDINE FERRARO 64 All egorical Structure . • . 75 Moral Issues . • . • . • . • • . • . 89 Audience Stimulation . • • . 97 Recurring Themes in Ferraro 's Rhetoric . 110 Moral Drama as a Stylistic Tool in Ferraro 's Rhetoric . • . • . • • • • • . 112 Conclusion . • . • . 113 Endnotes . • . • . • . • 115 v. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS 122 Summary . • . • . 122 Conclusions . • . 125 Suggestions for Further Study 126 APPEND IX A 128 .APPENDIX B 1 32 APPENDIX C 141 APPENDIX D . 147 Page APPENDIX E . • 154 BIBLIOGRAPHY 161 CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION Origin of the Study Then that little man in black there , he says women can't have as much rights as men , 'cause Christ wasn 't a woman ! Where did your Christ come from? • • • From God and a woman! Man had nothing to do with him ..•If the first woman God ever made was strong enough to turn the world upside down all alone , these women together . ought. to be able to turn it back again. These are the words of Sojourner Truth, a former slave , at the Oh io Woman 's Rights Convention in 1851. American women have been delivering simi lar messages since the 1600 s. Ye t it was not until the 1960s and the rejuvenated Women 's Liberat ion Movement that scholars began to examine the history of the women 's movement . Two of them are We, the American Women by Beth Mi llstein and Jean Bodin and Century of Struggle by Eleanor Flexner . Some studies of the general rhetorical themes of the various eras in the women 's movement have been done . One such 2 study was a master 's thesis written by Ann Logan . But I was unable to locate many studies on the rhetoric of individual female orators . This became the initial inspiration for the fol lowing work . On July 19, 1848, the Declaration of Sentiments was presented at the Seneca Falls convention. This convention was the result of many Americans frustrations 2 with the fact that women were not given the same rights 3 and privileges as men . Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Lucretia Mott, Jane Hunt , Martha Wright, and Mary Ann McClintock organized the Seneca Falls Convention and drafted the Declaration of Sent iments patterned after the Declaration of Independence . In it the women wrote that all men and women are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights , that among these are life , liberty , arid the pursuit of happiness .. The history of mankind is a history of repeated injuries • . on the part of man toward woman, having in·direct obj ect the establishment of an absolute tyranny over her . To prove �his , let facts be submitted to a candid wor ld. Many resolutions were passed at this meeting . The most controversial issue was the demand for women 's 5 right to vote . It took seventy-two years to win this right . "Among those at Seneca Falls was Charlotte Woodard , who , alone of those present, lived to vote for President 6 of the United States in 192 0 ." On July 19, 1984, exactly 134 years after the Seneca Falls convention, Geraldine Ferraro became the first woman to receive the nomination for Vice-President 7 by a major political party . She became Walter Mondale's Democratic running mate for the 1984 Presidential election . Her life, career, and campaign became a focal point for all Americans , especially the members of mass media. 3 Born on the anniversary of the passage of the 8 Nineteenth Amendment and nominated for vice-pres ident on the anniversary of the Seneca Falls convention , Geraldine Ferraro has continued the fight for equal opportunity for women. As the daughter of a young uneducated widow, Ferraro learned the necessity for women to be educated and employable . As a woman reenter­ ing the work force after a fourteen year absence , she experienced economic suppression. As assistant district attorney in Queens , New York , Ferraro witnessed the pain of rape victims . And as a United States Congress­ woman, Ferraro d�scovered the overwhelming inequities that still exist in America. During her political career , F�rraro joined the effort her foremothers began over one hundred years ago . She initiated legislation on pension reform , improved day care standards , and flextime in an effort to seek economic fairness for all men and women in America. And Geraldine Ferraro actively 9 campaigned for the passage of the Equal Rights Amendment . Her efforts have earned her a prominent place in America 's .history and her rhetoric is an appropriate subject for study . Statement of Pu rpo se Jtist as the events of the Seneca Falls Convention changed the lives of women in America, Geraldine Ferraro 's 4 vice-presidential nomination has provided new opportunities for a new generation. It is the purpose of this study to examine the rhetoric of Ferraro and determine the motivation for the method of style used in her speeches. In rhetorical terms style refers to word choice and 10 usage . The motivating factors and specific style developed by Ferraro were determined by answering the fol lowing questions : 1. What historical , economical , and social factors influenced Ferraro 's career choices? 2. How are the recurring themes in Ferraro 's rhetoric related to major events in her life? 3. What, if any , parallels can be drawn between the rhetoric of Ferraro and the element s of moral drama ? These questions will be expanded in later chapters. Procedures 1. To determine if other scholarly studies have been made of the rhetoric of Ferraro , a review of Master 's Thesis Abstracts through 1984-85 and a computer ·search of doctoral dissertations and ERIC revealed that , at this time , no other studies have been made .