“Redneck Women” and Identity

M. Dilback Feb. 2014AP Lang. and Comp.

Argument Analysis Project Sample

Arguments Up for Analysis

“Redneck Woman”• Co-Written and Recorded by

Gretchen Wilson (country music artist)

• Released March 2004• Leading Single from album

Here for the Party• #1 Hit on Billboard Hot

Country Singles & Tracks• https://www.youtube.com/

watch?v=82dDnv9zeLs

“No Ordinary Woman”

• New York Times Op-Ed Piece

• Author: Judith Warner• Published: October 26, 2008• http://www.nytimes.com/

2008/10/26/opinion/26warner-1.html?_r=0

A Little Taste of Each PieceGretchen Wilson’s “Redneck Woman”

“No Ordinary Woman”Op-Ed from The New York Times by Judith Warner

• Someone called me a ‘redneck woman once, and you know what I said back? ‘Why, thank you,”’ she told the country singer Gretchen Wilson at a recent Republican rally. –Sarah Palin

Rhetorical Context, Purpose, Take Home Idea, and Audience

Gretchen Wilson’s “Redneck Woman”

• Doesn’t fit the “Carrie Underwood” standard.

• Identifies herself as a real “redneck country girl” and proud of it.

• Wants to glorify herself and women like her.

• Redneck appeal is what brings home the Benjamins.

• Audience: Primary—Country Music Fans, Secondary—Redneck Women

“No Ordinary Woman” Op-Ed• Is America ready for its 1st

female president/vice-president?

• Women are intelligent and just as capable as men (and a lot prettier than John McCain ), BUT “’real America’ wants something more than a wife and mother in a female political leader.”

• Audience: General Public

Ethos, Pathos, Tone

Syllogisms ComparedGretchen Wilson “Redneck Woman”

• Gretchen Wilson is a redneck woman.

• Redneck women are proud of their atypical standards of beauty and behavior (AKA: hard core and trashy).

• Gretchen Wilson is proud of being hard core and trashy.

Op-Ed: “No Ordinary Woman”

• Only women who work hard are threats to men and worthy of presidency.

• Sarah Palin is not a threat.

• Sarah Palin is not worthy of vice-presidency.

Organization

Counter Claims

Gretchen Wilson• “No, I can't swig that sweet

Champagne, I'd rather drink beer all night” (only if you’re of age—note from Mrs. D ).

• “Victoria’s Secret: Well, there stuff’s real nice, but I can buy the same [dang] thing on a Wal-Mart shelf ½ price.”

Op Ed “No Ordinary Woman”• “The McCain crowd would

have you believe that Palin is the perfect representation of the post-feminist woman . . . and the start of a more global kind of triumph for the great mass of women.”

• “Sarah Palin is really not an average woman. She’s actually . . . quite ‘distinguished’ – for her looks, her grace . . . her ambition and her drive.”

Tropes and Schemes

• Diction, Syntax, Imagery/Allusion, Figurative Lang.

• Diction, Syntax, Imagery/Allusion, Figurative Lang.