She Carries A Gun

Great Essays
In the United States of America women are more likely to become victims of sexual violence. The National Institute of Justice Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s 1998 study found that “18 percent of surveyed women…experienced a completed or attempted rape at some time in their life” (Tjaden and Thoennes 3). Consequently, with statistics like these and personal experience Linda Hasselstrom tackles the controversial subject of gun carrying by women. She uses her article “A Peaceful Woman Explains Why She Carries a Gun” to argue her take on the subject. Hasselstrom appeals to an audience who might not understand her decision for carrying a gun and might find the subject controversial. With a narrative and descriptive style, she aims to …show more content…
Ethics are principles or rules geared to help in the decision making process. It often governs a person’s reactions and behaviors. The essay is riddled with evidence of ethical practices both by the author and persons in her narrative. She establishes herself as law-abiding when she and a friend forgo the illegal Mace while camping and again while she obtains the proper qualifications for carrying a gun. Establishing an ethical appeal helps readers to trust her and not feel threatened by her actions. Hasselstrom’s stories also demonstrate an attempt by her to be level headed and a willingness to seek out peaceful solutions while avoiding combat and danger; evidence of positive principles and respect for rules. When acting ethically people often take the big picture into consideration just as Linda Hasselstrom did as she evaluated herself for victimizing traits that made her more apt “to become a victim.” The author indicates that she does not go out looking for danger but instead “learned how to assess danger and techniques for avoiding it without combat.” When faced with encounters she tackled them with objectivity and avoidance. The evidence of this is clear in her declaration that she and her friend “asked the rangers point-blank if they would protect [them].” She uses politeness and repeats her efforts at being polite on multiple occasions. These are clear examples of her moral intent to be …show more content…
The descriptive language usage heeds way too her emotional take on the subject of weapon possession. She begins by attempting to influence the audience with the declaration, “I am a peace-loving woman.” In other words she is not looking for trouble. Additionally, she makes her emotional appeal while describing her excessive unaccompanied travel where the “distances are great, roads are deserted, and the terrain is often too exposed to offer hiding places.” Through her description she paints visions of desolate and lonely travels. Her exposure sets the tone of vulnerability. Subsequently, while presenting herself as careful and cautious you can feel a sentiment of contempt through her writing while picturing her sleuthing her way to her “car like an Indian scout.” The reader’s suspicions are corroborated when she affirms that as a female it was her duty to be more cautious. Contemptuous as the author may seem, it does not derail her plight to justify her choice to carry her pistol. It gives justification as it appeals to her female audience who may be able to sympathize with her feelings. She tightens her grip on the female emotion when she tells the unfortunate story of the female traveler who had a flat tire and was violently assaulted. Though she leaves out gruesome details of the attack she

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