Rhetorical Analysis Of Franklin D. Roosevelt s...

A New Hope Episode IV: A Rhetorical Analysis of Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Inauguration Speech October 24th 1929, Black Tuesday: The United States underwent the greatest economic downfall in American history. A decade long period in United States history known as the Great Depression. Fifteen million Americans went unemployed, half the country’s banks failed, and Wall Street lost billions of dollars. Devastated and hopeless, Americans searched for a resolution, a savior. In 1933, during the peak of the depression, Franklin Delano Roosevelt was sworn in as the 32nd President of The United States. Roosevelt replaced Herbert Hoover who left the country in agony. Through the domestic programs established by President Roosevelt, the effects of the Great Depression lessened. During his first inaugural address, Roosevelt restored hope among the discouraged citizens through his own utilization of the rhetorical situation and stylistic devices to convince his audience that through their cooperation and his Presidency, the economy will be revived and Americans’ quality of life will greatly improve. In order to convince the people that he will lead the country into a better direction, Roosevelt had to master the rhetorical situation. Identifying the three main components: exigence, audience, and constraints is fundamental when persuading an audience. FDR’s understanding of the exigence opened up a window of opportunity to create a speech tailored towards his audience. Prior to his