Question

In a well-constructed response, explain how Carrie Chapman Catt, the author of “Address to Congress on Women’s Suffrage,” demonstrates the use of kairos in her speech to the U.S. Congress. Be sure to use details from the text to show Catt's mastery of kairos in her speechmaking.

Answer 1

Answer:

constructing her speech into three main parts that highlights the need for women suffrage.

Explanation:

In her “Address to Congress on Women’s Suffrage”, Carrie Chapman Catt uses the rhetorical device of kairos by constructing her speech into three main parts that highlights the need for women suffrage. This can be seen in the beginning of her speech when she mentions "Three distinct causes made it inevitable."

As kairos as a literary device means using balance and decorum in the speech/writing, Carrie makes sure that her speech contain step by step explanation for every objective. She then finally comes to the end of her speech by projecting the listeners and stakeholders of their part in the bringing a change.

Carrie uses the opportunity of kairos to direct her speech to the listeners and statesmen by asking them whether to support women's suffrage or not. This can be seen in the last lines of her speech "Woman suffrage is coming -- you know it. Will you, Honorable Senators and Members of the House of Representatives, help or hinder it?"