"dear Mrs Thatcher" by Ian Paisley

"Dear Mrs Thatcher" by Ian Paisley

The letter "Dear Mrs Thatcher" by Ian Paisley, who is leader of the Democratic Unionist Party, is written thus you do not doubt what Ian Paisley's feelings is about Mrs Thatcher. But which rhetorical tools does he use in his writing, so he can persuade other people, to believe him this effectively?

In Ian Paisley's letter " Dear Mrs Thatcher", there occur a development in the relationship between the writer, Ian Paisley, and the recipient, Mrs Thatcher. In the first 11 lines in the letter, the tone is good, blameless and you get the sense of it is a letter which acclaim Mrs Thacker as a single-minded stateswoman which he also does, but the tone change:

"Your singlemindedness, which was most refreshing in our political life... It heralded the dawning of what at first seemed a new day for us all. But also how quickly the Thatcher silver became dross and the Maggie wine became mixed with water as far as Northern Ireland was concerned."(p. 99, l. 9, 11-13)

This changes is indicated by the word "but" and the fact he in the start gives her a vote of confidence and slowly points out where she lets this relationship of trust down, he create another relationship of trust and reliability to the second recipient - the reader. Which also indicate he uses the appeal form ethos as rhetorical tools in his letter.

Ian Paisley uses all appeal forms, logos, ethos and pathos, in this letter, and pathos in particular. As an example: "Surely that should cause even you great searching of heart" (p. 99, l. 19). He employs pathos when he orders Mrs Thatcher searching of heart, and in that way appeal to hers conscience. Ian Paisley also uses this appeal form in the quotation: "What right have you to..."(p. 100, l. 16 - reiterate). This quote is rhetorical question, which also talks to Mrs Thatcher conscience. But pathos, in this line gets, reinforce when Ian Paisley repeats this, lots of times, like a rhythm, in the text.

Logos evidence in Ian Paisley' profession: Leader of the Democratic Unionist Party, in the sense he becomes an expert and therefore has experience. This gives him the right to criticise Mrs Thatcher's acts as a politician. Just as he does in these lines:

"This drastic and tragic change, I believe, stems from that darkest of all days in Ulster's recent history when you repudiated every semblance of democratic principle and in the act of treachery sold the Ulster people like cattle on the hoof" (pp. 99-100, ll. 20-21, 1-2).

He also uses logos in an other way, ...

The above quoted passage shows also the way Ian Paisley colour his langue, where he express his view, and it is distinct in the extreme. When he uses words

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