The Great Arsenal of Democracy (Ethos, Pathos, Logos)
Alex Talley
Tony Friedhoff
ENGL 1310 Sect. 28
1 October 2012
The Great Arsenal of Democracy When giving a speech a speaker must be able to connect with his audience, the speaker wants his/her speech to be easy to follow and easy to understand. It is for those specific reasons that speakers purposely put in lots of logos, pathos, and ethos into their speeches so that the audiences can connect emotionally, ethically, and intellectually with what they are talking about. A particular speech that uses many examples of pathos, logos, and ethos is The Great Arsenal of Democracy given by President Roosevelt on December 29, 1940. Throughout the speech President Roosevelt uses excessive amounts of pathos to connect with his people emotionally. He plays on their pride, fear, and the feelings of shame. He uses logos to express the facts and reasoning behind why the American people should help the British. The president knows that his people won’t go on blind faith; they need facts and reasoning to help the British. It is also because of the knowledge that the American won’t go blindly into war just to help, that he also puts lots of ethos into it to appeal to their ethical side. FDR wants the American people to see him as a strong leader who has a plan, as well as; the best interest for his people in mind. He is truthful and honest with them and lays down the line that if they don’t help the UK that America will be in even greater danger if the UK was to fall to the Nazis. It is for the safety of America that the president wants his people to feel emotionally, ethically, and intellectually unified with Great Britain so that by saving them they can save themselves from an even bigger threat down the road. Throughout the speech given by FDR pathos is used a great deal to set a certain tone in order to get specific points across to the American people, as well as; create certain emotions within the American public to help stress his point across a little better. Certain
Tony Friedhoff
ENGL 1310 Sect. 28
1 October 2012
The Great Arsenal of Democracy When giving a speech a speaker must be able to connect with his audience, the speaker wants his/her speech to be easy to follow and easy to understand. It is for those specific reasons that speakers purposely put in lots of logos, pathos, and ethos into their speeches so that the audiences can connect emotionally, ethically, and intellectually with what they are talking about. A particular speech that uses many examples of pathos, logos, and ethos is The Great Arsenal of Democracy given by President Roosevelt on December 29, 1940. Throughout the speech President Roosevelt uses excessive amounts of pathos to connect with his people emotionally. He plays on their pride, fear, and the feelings of shame. He uses logos to express the facts and reasoning behind why the American people should help the British. The president knows that his people won’t go on blind faith; they need facts and reasoning to help the British. It is also because of the knowledge that the American won’t go blindly into war just to help, that he also puts lots of ethos into it to appeal to their ethical side. FDR wants the American people to see him as a strong leader who has a plan, as well as; the best interest for his people in mind. He is truthful and honest with them and lays down the line that if they don’t help the UK that America will be in even greater danger if the UK was to fall to the Nazis. It is for the safety of America that the president wants his people to feel emotionally, ethically, and intellectually unified with Great Britain so that by saving them they can save themselves from an even bigger threat down the road. Throughout the speech given by FDR pathos is used a great deal to set a certain tone in order to get specific points across to the American people, as well as; create certain emotions within the American public to help stress his point across a little better. Certain
Cited: Roosevelt, Franklin D. “The Arsenal of Democracy.” Language Matters. 3rd ed. Eds. UCCS Writing Program. Southlake, TX: Fountainhead Press, 2010. 433-442. Print.