Morwood 1

Justin Morwood

Professor Parry

English 2010

1 February 2017

Emerging from the Night

Mr USA is a persona created to represent America in all its history. The psychologist Dr.

Mary Pipher, in her article, Mr. USA, writes of well-known experiences America has gone

through, and she talks about the struggles the nation faces today. Mr. USA is Dr. Piphers client,

and they are discussing his condition. Mr. USA was respected and powerful in his early days,

and this work illustrates the downward path he has since taken and depicts the realities of the

residents by fabricating a man who shares the problems mentioned by Dr. Pipher.

Published just three years after the devastating attack on the World Trade Center on

September 11, 2001, Pipher recalls and states the diagnosis of America in his dark days. The

two ill-fated airliners damaged Mr. USA, and his wounds have not quite healed. The magazine

Psychotherapy Networker released this work to the American citizens who are familiar with Mr.

USAs condition, the ones that understand what has happened to their country. These people

remember what this client has gone through, and they too struggle with these realities. Dr.

Pipher reflects on how peoples health is affected by the ever-changing American culture.

Because her career as a psychologist involves working with the low mental health of her clients,

she can easily diagnose Mr. USA with reasonable and relevant assumptions. Dr. Pipher writes

on the elements of social commentary and the struggles through the addictions, pains, and trauma

Mr. USA has. Mr. USA is not the man he once was. Pipher, by using facts, an air of
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perseverance, and recounting times of great sadness, demonstrates that despite a horrific past,

one can always emerge from the dark and reach a higher potential.

Dr. Pipher appeals to the logical in that she provides the audience with facts about the

great nations history. Pipher writes, Mr. USA reports a violent birth and a turbulent difficult

life, (66). America was born through the effects of a revolution against Great Britain. This

violent beginning left Mr. USA weak and confused. He had gained his independence, but he

was not free yet. The tragedys of the brutal Revolutionary War had knocked Mr. USA to the

ground, and the memories and expectations kicked him where he lay. The logos used in

portraying Mr. USAs early life illuminates how far he has since come. The odds were averse to

Mr. USA, yet he prevailed and dominated for a time, showing he was not out of the fight. Mr.

USA struggled through the near-fatal experience known as the Civil War. Dr. Pipher states,

Scars from that event still fester, (67). Being a major part of this nations history, the Civil

War is labeled as a time of fear, anxiety, and incomprehensive pain. Mr. USA was at war with

himself, and there seemed to be no hope for him--but he kept fighting. He rose up out of his

conflict and became powerful once again. Pipher identifies that Mr. USA could persevere even

through the pains of war. Pipher writes, Mr. USA experiences daily panic attacks, (69). Mr

USAs previous exposure to the dark side of humanity has scared him, leaving him unable to

trust any seemingly threatening situation. Alongside the terrorism reigning from other countries

around the world, Mr. USA faces problems occurring within his own home. Events such as

shootings and bombings prompt him to be vigilant and to continuously fear further tragedy. Mr.

USA knows the sorrows of war and gun violence, and he is unwilling to succumb to the threat.

His almost paranoid behavior demonstrates that Mr. USA does not want to remain in the
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darkness and instead wants to achieve the expectations of those around him. These reminders of

Mr. USAs journey through his life show that the bad could not hold him down, and he has

always been able to press forward and endure.

To further demonstrate that one can rise from the ashes, Pipher uses ethos in the work to

create an atmosphere of an undying will to win the fight. Mr. USAs alter ego, Uncle Sam,

brings hope, strength, and courage to those in the time of war. Uncle Sam is someone the soldiers

can look up to for guidance and support, and he battles on the frontlines alongside them. His

knowledge of war tactics and motivation make Uncle Sam seem like the hero a soldier desires to

be like, and his name is not forgotten in the conflicts. Although Uncle Sam is more of a character

of fiction, he is someone a soldier can trust, and he will always be there to pull these soldiers out

of the night and into the day. When talking about the future of Mr. USA, Pipher writes, A

Department of Peace will be established and funded. Nations all over the world will once again

befriend and respect Mr. USA, (72). The name of this new establishment sounds promising and

full of righteousness. Piphers word choice allows the audience to feel the need for peace and

want to facilitate Mr. USAs recovery so he may flourish again. If Mr. USA is able to overcome

his setbacks, nations from around the world will revere him and know him for what he can be.

Mr. USA needs no longer dwell in the anxieties of his mind; he can thrive, leaving his sufferings

behind him. Piphers use of ethos in assumptions about Mr.USAs future potential provides

credibility for the audience and paint a picture of his powerful coming day.

Dr. Pipher passionately refers to times of great sadness and relatable troubles the people

of America have faced. The world remembers the fateful day: September 11, 2001. America and

nations around the world weeped for the losses and angered at the ones responsible. Because of
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the recentness of that terrible event, the wounds are still tender, and people still feel the emotions

that they felt that day. Mr. USA was sent to his knees. People everywhere mourned as one. But

Mr. USA kept pressing on, incapable of giving up and remaining in the dark. 9/11 reopened

scars from earlier traumas in his life, such as Pearl Harbor, Vietnam, and the bombing in

Oklahoma City, (65-66), all of which members of the audience probably have a personal

connection to. When Dr. Pipher writes of the horrific trials of Mr. USAs history, people are

reminded of those dark days, but, like after 9/11, people want to be unified and prodded into

being the United States of America again and fight the battles Mr. USA has fought all too often.

Dr. Pipher also appeals to pathos when she lists the addictions that Mr. USA has in this modern

day. It is not uncommon for people nowadays to be addicted to drugs, shopping, gambling, or

participating in various forms of media. The audience can directly relate to the life of Mr USA

and want him to improve, therefore desiring to improve themselves and reach their own true

potential. The name and title of the work ,Mr. USA, is an appeal to passion. Mr. USA

resembles a man who has had a difficult life. He is unfortunate and broken, and he has reason to

lose hope. No man can be expected to endure through such trials, but Mr. USA has. Naturally,

people do not want him to fail because he is someone they can relate to. Because Mr. USA is

like them, they will help him along, pushing him to succeed by any means necessary.

Mr. USA, in all his days, has persevered time and time again. Though he is in crisis,

(72), Mr. USA can still find a way out. I believe that Piphers appeals to hard times, facts and

logistics, and a strong urge to succeed effectively sells her point, and I feel that her views and

reasoning are convincing because of her credibility and authority in the field. Dr. Pipher chooses

important parts of our history to touch the hearts of her audience and bring them together. Her
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facts, credible assumptions, and painful memories connect the audience and prompt them to

never give up, and they reveal that one can always rise up and become what they need to be.