A Rhetorical Analysis Of Florence Kelley's Speech

On July 22, 1905, Florence Kelley, an American social worker and reformer, gave a speech to the convention of the National American Woman Suffrage Association in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to lead a movement to eliminate child labor and “have our work done by men and women.” Throughout the speech, Kelley explains how child labor is unjust and needs to come to an end. Her first case is to point out how the American child labor laws are inequitable and do not protect the children, which they to need to be doing. In her second point, she gives examples of what the child workers do at all hours of the night, producing items that many audience members may unknowingly buy. Her final point gives the audience a plan of action, which each of them can follow to help Kelley reach her goal of equality and cease child labor. Kelly gains support by appealing to the audience emotionally, by questioning them of what is going on to subtly gain their support, and by giving the listeners a project to aid her in her intention of ending child labor in the United States. …show more content…
In her speech, Kelley portrays the image of “several thousand little girls” working all night in a textile mill which may sadden many mothers in the National American Woman Suffrage Association. The idea of the American children working in such poor conditions for long hours affects the audience emotionally. No one wants to have their children in tough conditions working all night long. She explained of the bad conditions, including “the deafening noise of the spindles,” which makes the women in the audience want to help the little children. Assuming many of the audience also are looking to gain equality, they will also relate to the children and fight for equality for