Rhetorical Analysis: The All-American Crime By Susan Griffin

Susan Griffin is a fascinating activist whose unique utilization of rhetorical concepts both deeply emotionally engages and politically activates her audience. Born during the height of World War II, 1943, Griffin’s work has been dramatically molded by her experiences growing up in Los Angeles, California post-war. Griffin has written numerous books as well as plays, poems, and screenplays; all demonstrating and voicing her passion for ecology, gender, feminism, religion, racism, trauma, war, climate change, colonialism, history. Through her text, Griffin is able to manipulate rhetorical tools to her liking, engaging the audience in an immersive narrative that blends the personal, political, and historical. The story being told and the devices

Furthermore, Griffin commonly sites credible studies and explores historical moments to provide context and support for her claims. One article in particular written by Griffin (1971) demonstrates her masterful use of ethos, “Rape: The All-American Crime.” This article was the first of its kind as it discusses rape from a feminist perspective and challenges common beliefs about rape. Up until this point rape and sexual violence was rarely discussed and when it was it was by a man. Griffin begins the article by explaining her credentials, describing her personal experiences with rape culture in America, and illustrating the urgency with which women and victims need to be heard. Furthermore, in this article Griffin explains the demand for research and proper documentation for sexual crimes, citing evidence from FBI statistics and analyzing court cases that display a pattern of severe negligence. Griffin’s use of ethos provides credibility and context to her argument, creating a stronger trust with herself and the reader and allowing for a powerful emotional

It has been difficult for Griffin to be taken seriously due to being a woman, centering her studies on feminist topics, and commonly critiquing male scholars. Furthermore, Griffin has received criticism that her writings can read as hyperbolic and aggressive (Cantrell, 2020). The previously mentioned text, “Woman and Nature: The Roaring Inside Her,” has received the brunt of such criticism as it can be difficult to read at times due to how experimental Griffin can explain her thought process to convey an argument. It would be ignorant however, to overlook the sexist nature of the critiques levied at Griffin as they reflect common insults used to tear down successful