1. SOAPStone Rhetorical Analysis
Mary Fisher
“A Whisper of AIDS”

2. SOA Establishes the rhetorical context:
Speaker: Mary Fisher; HIV positive patient; contracted the disease from her husband in marriage and found out a year after their divorce when he was diagnosed; mother of two children – one biological, one adopted – neither of whom are infected; a white, Republican woman
Occasion: 1992 Republican National Convention – an event designed to bring the party together as they nominated George H.W. Bush for reelection as President and Dan Quayle as reelection for Vice President; a time period when HIV/AIDS is a death sentence and is associated primarily with homosexuals and drug addicts and, to a lesser extent, black people; believed by many to be a punishment from God; AIDS is relatively new, so it is misunderstood and stigmatized, and most people unaffected are not inclined to do anything about the issue
Audience: Immediate: Republicans at the convention – motivated and politically engaged; Larger: the American public (speech reached 27 million people in its initial broadcast)

3. “The Big 5”
What is the passage about (Subjects = also the second “S” in SOAPSTone)?
What is the narrative perspective or speaker/author’s position?
What does the passage say?
How does the author develop meaning through the text? How is it organized?
What is (are) the purpose(s) of the speech (also the “P” is SOAPSTone)?

4. 1. What is the passage about (Subjects = also the second “S” in SOAPSTone)?
The stereotypes surrounding HIV/AIDS and the fallacy of those stereotypes
The effect of AIDS on individuals and families
What needs to be done on the issue
Minor: What has been done by the President on the issue of AIDS

5. 2. What is the narrative perspective or speaker/author’s position?
More needs to be done to address the HIV/AIDS crisis, and stigmas and stereotypes need to be ignored in order to embrace all people with the disease and to prevent those who believe they are not at risk from contracting it.

6. 3. What does the passage say. 4
3. What does the passage say? 4. How does the author develop meaning through the text? How is it organized? (See chart) Complete the chart using the handout of bulleted points. Sort the bulleted points into the correct column as you review and analyze the speech.

7. 5. What is (are) the purpose(s) of the speech (also the “P” is SOAPSTone)?
Humanize AIDS patients and reduce stigmas attached to being an AIDS patient
Engender compassion for those affected by the disease
Encourage the audience to act
Depict the urgency of the HIV/AIDS crisis
Minor: Persuade the audience to support President Bush
Tone(s): Objective; Ominous; Compassionate; Foreboding; Instructive; Admonitory; Poignant; Determined; Passionate
*NOTE: When trying to figure out how to break down a speech into sections, consider where the tone shifts.

8. Identifying Patterns Patterns I Noticed in the Speech:
Lots of personification
Appeals to pathos
References to family
References to stereotypes
Parallel structures and anaphora/epistrophe *NOTE: This list is NOT exhaustive. There are certainly other patterns to be found

9. Identifying Patterns Patterns to Consider in Any Speech:
Use of rhetorical structures
Specific patterns in diction or imagery
Types of information included
Specific references made
Organizational patterns
Use of literary devices/figurative language
*NOTE: Again, this list is not exhaustive. Be alert for any patterns that you may find and pick the things that are MOST crucial in helping the writer accomplish his/her purpose.