I Am A Cripple By Nancy Mairs

“I am a cripple.” Nancy Mairs chooses to call herself this throughout the passage. The reason she decides to go by this name is portrayed when she uses pathos, a strong word choice, and a determined choice of tone. The significance of Mairs calling herself a cripple is determined through her diction. She states how words like “underdeveloped” have molded to “developing” when comparing transformed countries to that of “disabled” people. She states, “Some realities do not obey the dictates of language.” Using words like “developing” to describe countries that are suffering aren’t portraying what’s really going on, just how words like “handicapped” don’t capture the truth and reality of a person who is “handicapped.” This is why she chooses