Roosevelt Rhetorical Analysis

• Roosevelt
Purpose: to strengthen commitment, to induce specific actions
As the first purpose, Roosevelt wanted to reform the financial system while avoiding the possible attack from financial institution by degrading their credibility. He claimed that bankers and brokers were responsible for the Depression and he utilized scapegoat technique to do so. (Ryan 141) He used causal inference for reasoning by saying, “Primarily, this is because the rulers of the exchange of mankind's goods have failed, through their own stubbornness and their own incompetence, have admitted their failure and have abdicated.” This causal inference provided an explanation of what caused the Depression.
As the second purpose, Roosevelt urged the people to strengthen their commitment in supporting his plans. He used military metaphor such as

He claimed, “Let both sides explore what problems unite us, instead of belaboring those problems which divide us.” Previously, he supported his claim using causal inference that explained the benefits of freedom and peace over war and oppression. He said, “United, there is little we cannot do, in a host of cooperative ventures. Divided, there is little we can do. For we dare not meet a powerful challenge at odds, and split asunder.”
Furthermore, Kennedy also called for action through his famous line which said, “And so, my fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you. Ask what you can do for your country.” He claimed that the people were called for “a struggle against the common enemies of man-- tyranny, poverty, disease, and war itself.” Again, he used causal inference. In this case, he provided a big picture of the steps that people could take to reach a positive goal.
• Obama: to create positive feeling, to induce specific