1.
What is the author arguing?
That
the American people have not failed, they are just going through struggles. In Roosevelt’s
inaugural speech he is trying to uplift the American people and give them hope,
time is not yet over for America.
2.
How does the author appeal to logos (logic), pathos (emotional
quality), and ethos (the writer’s
perceived character) with their argument?
The
author appeals to logic by assuring American’s that this nation has been
through many struggles in the past and that this is just another one. He claims,
“Compared with the perils which our forefathers conquered because they
believed and were not afraid, we have still much to be thankful for.” With this
statement he also appeals to pathos by encouraging others to face their fears. He
also states “the only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” The writer’s perceived
character is a concerned president who wants to help Americans by lifting their
spirits telling them that we can overcome this, that “the people of the United
States have not failed.”
3.
What is the historical
significance/relevance of this document?
The
document is relevant because it is not only an inaugural speech but one that mentions
struggle that is very similar to the economic struggle that America is going
through today. With many people unable to pay their debts, find jobs and
support their families.
4.
Do you find the author’s
argument convincing? Why or why not?
I
do find the author’s argument convincing because by just reading the passage I
can feel the struggle American’s were faced with. It also gives me hope through
the struggles I face and the struggles that America faces today.
I find the authors argument to be very convincing due to his use of logos and pathos. He uses the past to show how their forefathers had gone through a lot and survived and therefore enforcing that they can also go forth and survive. “-they believed and were not afraid-“ He is trying to make the people of the United States of America to believe and gain and to not give up hope, to try and fight and push on.
ReplyDeleteHe is also very logical on what to be concerned about, “They concern, thank God, only material things.” Being thankful for only having problems with material things shows his level headiness. He knows it could be much worse, like a famine or an outbreak of a disease, but since it’s not then he helps the U.S. see how ‘not so bad’ their situation is.
Not only does he sympathize with the masses, but he has a plan as well, “—a recognition of the old and permanently important manifestation of the American spirit of the pioneer. It is the way to recovery. It is the immediate way. It is the strongest assurance that the recovery will endure.” He states this with so much conviction that you can’t help, but to believe him, and in troubling times as then, all you wanted to do was to believe and hope for the best.
I agree when you say that Americans did not fail, that they are just going through struggles. Roosevelt talks about having interdependence on each other, and if they are to continue to go on the Americans need to work together and be loyal and have trust.
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