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Theodore Kanell

Kade Parry

English 2010

1 February 2017

Rising Again

Clinical Psychologist Mary Pipher analyzes this conundrum in her article Mr. USA,

published in her book Writing to Change the World. Mr. USA personifies the United States of

America as a mental patient of a psychologist. The article is organized as a medical assessment

describing the history of the USA and the problems that now plague it. It outlines the life of

Mr. USA(65) while emphasizing 9/11 and the drastic effects the terrorist attack caused. Mr.

USA finally reveals how the USA can rise again, dictating a clear treatment plan to remedy

Americas ails and expanding on the benefits of following the psychologists cure.

Mary Pipher, the author of Mr. USA, is an award winning American Clinical

Psychologist who is dedicated to changing the world. She is a strong believer in her morals. In

fact, she returned one of her prestigious American Psychological Association Presidential

Citations because she disagreed with the attitude and actions of the award givers. Mary Pipher

graduated from the University of California Berkeley and obtained a PhD in clinical psychology

from the University of Nebraska. Pipher directed the article to all American people affected by

the events of 9/11. Pipher stated that she wrote Mr. USA to change the conversation in [the

USA](64) essentially urging the American people to redirect their attention from miniscule

details and allow Mr. USA (65) and the American people to heal. Mary Piphers utilisation of

her psychological knowledge by organizing the Mr. USA as a psychological analysis of the
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personified country allows her to imbue the United States of America with a sense of hope, a

sense that Americans can choose a better path. The comparison of America and a mental patient

demonstrate the similarity in the struggle between the two and also their ability to heal.

The paramount rhetoric strategy used in Mr. USA is an appeal to ethos. The entire

structure of the article is organized to constantly remind the reader of the knowledge and the

college degrees of the writer. Psychologists are accepted as qualified to diagnose problems of

people and propose remedies. Because Mary Pipher is a psychologist she must, therefore, be

qualified to diagnose the problems of people and propose remedies. Pipher structures the article

as a psychological report of her personified country to place the country within her jurisdiction

as a psychologist. This format lends credibility to her diagnosis and recommendation for the

United States of America. The greater credibility she holds creates a greater impact on the

audience and provides further reason to follow the teachings of Mr. USAs (65) assessment

report.

Formatting the article as an assessment report while emphasizing that Pipher is a

psychologist also highlights that the USA is a mental patient in dire need of assistance which

utilizes an appeal to pathos. Piphers foremost point is that the USA is ill; she characterizes the

USA as a patient suffering from addictions and post traumatic stress disorder. Piphers

description of prevalent, visible problems of the USA provides an additional level of

understanding of struggles that the USA faces. She describes Mr. USA as spiraling out of

control(66) because of a series of bad decisions(66). Pipher also provides positive

descriptions of the USA as charming, humorous, and appealingly open(65) which provides a

contrast. The variance between the greatness and the terror depicted creates a feeling of remorse
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and a desire to return to that greatness. Pipher utilizes this sentiment throughout the essay and

ends in a hopeful direction, emphasizing her desire for the essay to motivate the USA and all of

its people to enact changes and heal from its attacks and addictions.

Mary Pipher appeals to logos through her clearly defined plan to change the USA. She

sets out a treatment plan(70) starting with telling the truth(70). She names a series of well

known blind spots(70) in Americas history in order to clarify what changes the USA needs to

make. Piphers paramount appeal to logos is through her progress milestones(71). She

declares a number of benefits from her advice, including more potluck dinners and fewer hostile

takeovers(71). Piphers diction highlights two possible paths. The USA can either enjoy more

friendly meals or continue to endure pain and war. Her black and white comparison makes it

clear that Pipher is offering beneficial advice. Mary Pipher then directs her rhetoric to the old

and the soon to be old when she states that following the treatment will lead to the old

people . . . being treated with more respect(72). Respect is a common goal and a treasured

experience, so providing this reward to the elderly creates an incentive for the elderly and those

who will become elderly to follow her plan. By describing a clear course to obtain Piphers

meticulous list of benefits, Pipher clearly explains why the USA would want to follow her

treatment plan(71).

From Piphers treatment plan to her description of her patient, Mary Pipher is very

effective at providing reasons that the USA needs to change and that it can change and that it

should want to change. Transforming the USA into a person gives the country an ability to

change. People are volatile and undergo continual transformation, but countries are much larger

and far more difficult to change. Personifying the USA gifts the country with the ability to rise
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again, and it demonstrates to the audience that the USA could change quickly. The entire

structure of the essay masterfully gives her as a psychologist the right and ability to diagnose and

heal the USA. Mr. USA, while effective at demonstrating its point, often appears to have been

written from a rather high horse. This is a disadvantage of accentuating her role as a

psychologist. While it is true that psychologists are generally held to be people of great wisdom,

they are also known by their moniker of quacks or strange people with extreme beliefs. Pipher

slips from a psychologist to a quack when her depiction of the USA becomes overly dire. Pipher

describes the USAs ideas as extreme, shallow and rigidly held(68). While there are aspects of

truth to this comparison, it is itself extreme as many Americans are far more open minded than

what her description gives America credit. Pipher is able to counteract her title of quack with her

continued use of hope. She describes a very difficult time for America, but she emphasizes that

America can change for the better. Embracing hope allows Pipher to focus the reader's attention

on the future. Her attempt is very successful and leaves the audience with a positive attitude

which counterbalances her often negative portrayal of the USA.

Mary Pipher is successful in the goal of her article. While Mr. USA is at times didactic

and melodramatic, she utilizes a clear and an effective presentation to demonstrate that the USA

is enduring a trial but can change and grow, rising to new heights.

Works Cited
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"Home." Mary Pipher, PhD. Mary Pipher, n.d. Web. 03 Feb. 2017.