Being a well-known and respected activist, Jane Addams delivers an address to the city’s Union League Club: a civic organization for George Washington. Which, portrays the moral issues with society by illustrating George Washington’s spirit in commemoration of his birthday. She delivers the speech by the usage of rhetorical devices. Situated on the rhetorical devices that are utilized Addams supports her opinions on the significance of George Washington.
Addams states, George Washington maintained a glorious image of the ‘ideal soldier’.
He had the spirit of the soldier, the spirit that we strive to obtain. “ he has the power of losing his own life for the life of a larger cause; that he holds his personal sufferings of no account; that he flings down in the gage of battle his all, and says, ‘ I will stand or fall with this cause ‘. That, it seems to me, is the glorious thing we most admire”(Addams). The usage of Pathos supports that George Washington is the template an ideal person a soldier could admire and thrive to be.
Questions stated, for example, “ What is it that we admire about the soldier ?”. Leaving the audience to anticipate the address more thoroughly. Addams then includes the viewpoints on the achievements of George Washington’s during the war as a soldier and interprets it to persuade her audience. The arrangement of the diction in the quotes allows the audience to feel a sense of patriotism and nationalism.
Furthermore, Addams establishes the impression that George Washington contributes a lasting effect on our society.
Although George Washington encoded in our history, he is important and vital for the success in our future. She signifies that “ when our flag flies anywhere it shall fly for righteousness as well as for increased commercial prosperity ( Addams )”. The impression that Addams delivers is, no matter how deep we are in the future, Washington’s sayings and actions will be evoked. As, generations fly by us will be necessitated to honor those actions. The belief that a nation was to be established on the idea that all men were created free and equal was contrived from George Washington. Addams specifically utilizes that idea to furthermore; carry out her dispute. She also uses repetition throughout her address to compose a statement. The diction and syntax that are illustrated in her address provides the audience visualization of what George Washington would have done or has done to make an impact on our society.
In conclusion, she incorporates George Washington’s experiences and viewpoints to support her opinions about him. Because of those experiences that he had, she was able to build rhetorical questions and statements that required the audience to think. Supporting her argument she joins the emotions from her audience and ethos of George Washington. The questions asked are used so that the audience can reflect on George Washington’s actions. The audience can support the importance of George Washington based on the pathos and ethos this address carries out.
Union League Club. (2022, May 14). Retrieved from https://paperap.com/union-league-club/