Pathetic metaphor to color ethos (of a concept)

"Do not go through the dumb show of 'the lifted hand,' not the imbecility of 'manifest it be the usual sign' (when there are several signs), but call out that most inspiring response, the human voice divine. Remember too, that thus you educate women out of the silence which has stifled their beautiful gifts so long." (pg. 1138, first column, near bottom of page)

Frances Willard utilizes a style that wants to control her intended audience by coloring the credibility of an idea with pathetic appeals. The above quote is one fine example of her mastery with this tool. She offers here a simple instruction, but rather than simply say, "Get them to vote vocally, rather than by raising their hand," she chooses phrases ("dumb show", "imbecility of...", etc.) that link the undesired action to emotional responses that the reader would not wish to be associated with. She links pathetically positive phrases ("that most inspiring response", "human voice divine", etc.) with the desired outcome -- vote by voice.

A second method at Willard’s disposal is her use of metaphor to achieve the same end. She warns her reader to take care of officer selection by pathetically painting the organization with the metaphor of a “life-boat” and the leader (the reader) with that of a “captain”, etc. If, by now, the reader has not specifically looked on the leadership of the organization she wishes to create as delicate and necessary, Willard is controlling her to do so with this metaphor. It places the burden of responsibility in the hands of she who is organizing the event, leaving her with the sense that if this local chapter fails because “the captain be near-sighted and the mate a blunderer,” it will be the fault of the person who selected the group’s leadership (pg. 1139, column 2, last paragraph).

A second and similar use of metaphor results from the characterization of concepts and indirectly linking them to the character of individuals. In a way, she archetypes character as a means of metaphor. For example, “Miss Contretemps” and “Miss Pharisee” (pg. 1139, bottom of column 1 – top of column 2) are called upon to exhibit examples of undesirables who will attend the events. Giving them names personifies a character type which the reader may associate to actual people. She does this specifically with instruction to the reader’s character by personifying “Sir Oracle” in an attempt to persuade the reader to “[t]each without seeming to do so” (pg. 1137, column 1, bottom).

Willard’s intended result makes dry instruction colorful and meaningful with pathetic metaphor. Rhetorically, it gives meaning to text that might otherwise be glossed over as extraneous or merely suggestive.