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Emily Cribas
CAS 137H
November 22, 2013
Rhetorical Analysis Essay
While many celebrities are seen as role models in todays society, some celebrities mere
names connote scandal and mixed feelings. One of these figures includes the infamous Miley
Cyrus. From playing the innocent and fun-loving Miley Stewart in Hannah Montana to
becoming a YouTube twerking sensation, her recent actions and change of look have prompted
much criticism from the media and other celebrities, in this case, Sinead O Connor, an Irish
singer-songwriter most famous for her cover of Princes song Nothing Compares 2 U, a song
with over 65 million hits on YouTube even 20 years after its release.
Most recently, Mileys release of the music video, Wrecking Ball, has captured the
(negative) attention of the public and O Connor. In a Rolling Stones interview, Miley said she
based her inspiration of it on Sinead O Connors aforementioned music video. Using kairos,
Sinead writes a letter to the star using several rhetorical proofs and structure to wisely advise
Miley to change her ways of attracting medias attention and to empower herself in a better, less
scandalous manner.
Briefly, the letter explains how Mileys actions have given her a bad reputation and make it
seem as though she is prostituting herself by exposing so much of her body. She starts the letter by
explaining the clamor she is receiving to give her remarks on Mileys interview. She then advises her
not to follow the path she is headed for, because O Connor has personally experienced it, and the
disappointment that comes along with it. Overall, she advises her in a motherly, but actually more
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fatherly, tone to redeem herself and use her talent to be a role model for other women and empower
herself positively.
So what prompted Sinead to write the letter? When Miley directly brought up Sinead O
Connor as an inspiration, it provided the best window, or kairos, for Sinead to intervene and
encourage a different type of inspiration. A miscommunication between Miley and Sinead
formed when Miley compares her shocking music video, following her break up with actor Liam
Hemsworth, to Sineads video because, although both saw Sineads video as a form of
expression from heartbreak, Miley thought it would be the same to express her heartbreak
through a wrecking ball and wearing little clothing as representative of her bare and broken soul.
Sinead disagreed and wanted to elaborate on the difference in thought.
Both audience and exigency, elements of a rhetorical situation, are used successfully to
convey O Connors message. The letter was sent to Miley and later made public, making it
available to any of Mileys fans, critics, and Miley herself. This allowed anyone reading the
letter to make sense of her logic and possibly have an impact on Mileys actions through social
media to spread their opinions for example. There is a problem made evident by Sineads
disapproving tone that involves the way Miley carries herself and her definition of
empowerment. Exigency calls for immediate change of action, which is exactly what O Connor
advises her to do. The influence a big audience can have on one person is astounding, even more
so if they are fans. Again, the fact that the letter is open ended makes it possible to have many
mediators of change to bring forth solutions.
Sineads advice is fomented by her use of rhetorical proofs. Given her background, its
obvious she has been exposed to the media and has had experience, both good and bad, under the
limelight. From being booed off stage to having sold out concerts, she has seen both sides of the
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spectrum and understands the pressure and emotional trauma that can come with fame. For this
reason, she identifies with Miley on her image change, because she did the same at the time of
her music video release, and tries to establish a common ground against the media and its
cruelty, saying, The music business does not give a shit about you. Again, the fact that her
advice is all from personal experience gives Sinead more credibility and a better perspective to
make this advice so viable.
Sinead also attempts to best advise Miley on an image change by appealing to her and her
talent. She tells her that she is worth more than her body or sexual appeal, and tries to make
the case that it is unfair that all her talent is being exploited by ruthless men who buy diamonds
for mistresses and vacation in Antigua, making Mileys purpose of empowerment have a
contradictory effect where her efforts at spreading the idea of self-worth are invested in adultery
and luxury for the pigs women should be empowered against.
Finally, one of the strongest attributes of the letter is its structure. Sinead employs a
problem/solution format, juxtaposing the difference between right and wrong, one example after
another. In other words, all of Mileys statements and thoughts are stated and refuted against. For
example, the problem of shedding the Hannah Montana image, is quickly remedied with
Shes waaaaay gone by nownot because you got naked, but because you make great records.
Mileys fear is verbalized in one of her SNL skits, where she proclaimed Hannah Montana as
murdered, trying to bury that part of her past. Sinead recognizes that Mileys way of getting rid
of the childrens image was to attract more adult attention, which is why Sinead tries to reassure
her that there are other ways to bury that fear and that is through her talent.
Another example includes Mileys statement about basing her image on Sineads. To
reflect on this point, Sinead clarifies that she chose that image only as an act of defiance towards
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her record company that encouraged her to do what Miley did, expose herself and base her image
around her sexuality. Sinead rebelled: chopping her hair off and being fully clothed and in all
black, putting the focus of her image on her talent. Sinead had the choice to adopt an image like
Mileys, and chose not to because, in the future, she was sure she would be on the proverbial
rag heap, at this point in her life, providing a scare tactic for Miley by predicting a dim future
for her if she continues to follow that path. Largely, this logical problem/solution format
provides a clear and concise argument to Mileys ideology, encouraging her to shift away from a
sexual and indecent image.
Overall, there was not a better time for Sinead to send this letter to Miley, but
unfortunately, it has not had the intended effect on her and Sinead has sent an additional letter,
totaling five letters to the former Disney star. Despite this, Sinead O Connor does a decent job
of employing rhetorical devices and strategies to relay her message. In the future, when Miley
and her fans have matured, they can all understand Sineads motive in writing these strings of
letters. Since maturity and understanding come with age, maybe then Miley can understand
Sineads perspective. For now, the star will probably continue to experiment and elevate her
fame and fortune with some viral videos and controversies we can all criticize and laugh about.
The message this letter sends is universal, meant to warn young celebrities of getting caught up
in the glamour of the fame, and losing self-respect.





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Work Cited
Hare, Breeanna. Miley Cyris on SNL: Hannah Montana is dead. CNN
Entertainment. N.p., 07 Oct 2013. We. 19 Nov 2013

Lloyd Bitzer. The Rhetorical Situation. Philisophy and Rhetoric, 1 (January,
1968), 1-14.

O Connor, Sinead. Sinead O Connors open letter to Miley Cyrus. The
Guardian. N.p., 03 Oct 2013. Web. 19 Nov 2013

Rhetoric and Civic Life. Boston: Pearson Learning Solutions, 2013, 1-84. Print.

Rolling Stones. 09 27 2013: n. page. Web. 11 Oct 2013.