Soapstone Analysis of Lou Gehrig's Retirement Speech

“Can you live in that moment, as best as you can, with clear eyes and love in your heart? With joy in your heart? If you can do that gentlemen then you’re perfect.” Doesn't take much dose it? This speech has so much meaning and and purpose behind it.

During his speech, he is honest and accepting of his condition but continues to stay positive. Although he knows he’s dying, he’s still positive even through his darkest times. He makes his audience realize that their problems aren’t so big and to enjoy life.

Without the usage of pathos, Gehrig’s farewell speech wouldn’t have been nearly as effective with his audience and the audience that would hear his speech or read his speech at a later time. Without pathos, it would’ve just been another professional sport players retirement speech. Many key elements contributed to the emotional appeal of Gehrig’s speech; first, he was finally addressing the reason why he was retiring from baseball, which was because of a life threatening disease known as ALS. Always regarded as one who could pull through anything, Gehrig finally made it clear through this speech that battling this disease was going to be the hardest battle yet and it would prevent him continuing to do what he loved which was play baseball. Nevertheless, Gehrig did not wish to evoke sadness out of his audience, throughout his speech, he sought to give hope over despair, thankfulness over pity, and humbleness over self-righteousness. It was so important that he displayed these emotions because then he would contrast to the ideals that many American people had come to believe. Also throughout the speech Gehrig did not seek sympathy from his situation; in fact, he did not once mention his disease specifically and rather focused on the positive moments that he had experienced throughout his life. Hence, people connected to this speech because here was a man who had experienced hardship upon hardship and yet still

Ethos is the easiest to identify in this speech since he is the one with the deadly disease. This qualifies him to speak on this topic because he is the one going through the event. He is speaking from his own personal experiences and this provides him the credentials for this topic. He also uses pathos. This relates back to the tone of the speech. Though most would have expected him to have a negative outlook, he was positive and optimistic. The reason that is linked to pathos is because his feeling were infectious. If someone who is dying feels content with their life, others will do the same. They will realize that if someone who is dying can still be the luckiest man alive, then someone in good health can too. And as he stated at the end of his speech, just because he had one terrible thing happen to him, does not mean that he had a terrible

This balance between contradictory images, and suitably formal writing style helps to make the speech so powerful. He uses pronouns like "we", and "our" which unite the audience, making them feel like the whole nation is grieving with them. The pronouns shift, as he speaks to Diana herself, "you brightened our lives", then again, towards then end of the speech, to "I".

He explains that the world isn't perfect and that is true because there are people that want to see you do nothing but fail. Failing is hard and painful, but trying over and over, and eventually succeeding, feels even better. At the beginning of his speech he seems a little harsh because he wants to get his point across, but at the end of his speech he lightens up. He does this because he doesn’t want his son to think he is being hard on him, he just wants his son to know he understands what he is going through.

“I’ve heard people say that the trouble with the world is that we haven’t enough great leaders. I think we haven’t enough great followers. I have stood side by side with great thinkers- surgeons, engineers, economists, men who deserve a great following- and have heard the crowd cheer me instead. I love my profession. I like playing baseball. I love the fans too, but I think they cheered too loudly, and they cheered for the wrong man.” This was quoted by Babe Ruth explaining why he isn’t selfish and why he thinks that others aren’t honored enough for their positions. Leading up to Ruth’s career, he had a terrible life. He later became one of the best baseball players of all time. And now, he inspires others. Because Babe Ruth was confident in

He once again uses pathos to emotionally invest the audience into his speech. Wiesel explains what the Americans did for him and how they changed his life. This is what appeals to the emotions of the audience. ‘Gratitude” he says is a meaningful word to him, which means that he does not throw that word around in any given situation. The word “gratitude” has a very special meaning to Wiesel and he uses it to describe the Americans who saved

He uses the previous examples of individual's grief in his speech to make way to how this horrible situation could create a new, better beginning by using a single, simple rhetorical question: “why?”. After this, he states that “It is that out of the shadow of this evil, should emerge lasting good...“ and that out of this tragedy people should fight to make it to “people everywhere can see the chance of a better future through the hard work and creative power of the free citizen, not the violence and savagery of the fanatic.”, which ends the speech on a inspirational and humble

The biggest part of Gehrig's speech is pathos, or the emotional part of his speech. In the first lines of the speech Gehrig grabs the audience's attention with emotional appeal by saying “Fans, for the past two weeks you have been reading about a bad break I

Washington starts off his speech with pathos. Pathos is appealing to the emotional side of the audience and trying to get an emotional response from them. Washington begins his speech on why he is doing the speech in the first place. His son went to Penn U, so he was already officiated with the school. Him sharing his information about his past with the school makes the crowd feel more relax and less anxious. Knowing the person who is speaking, understands what you are going through helps a lot in building a connection with the Washington. With a smooth beginning, Washington begins to tell jokes about the staff and how everyone here hates the Yankees. Washington, first establishing baseline with the audience, was key to conveyance his message to the spectators. Washington evens tells the people, that he is nervous and uncomfortable for he has not done this kind of speech before. The feeling of knowing this man in front of you is speaking to thousands of people is afraid, even though he is such a famous actor makes you feel empathy for him. This connection is strong for even though he is famous, he can still get nervous like all the graduates. Washington brings up ideas he had for this speech, making jokes about his co-workers and stories of them. He did not decide to use one of those because he wanted to leave a message worth leaving for the graduates that will last a lifetime. Washington even connects with the parents, by saying “I always like to check how my money is getting used, am I right parents?”. (Penn's 2011

After reading and analyzing Dr.Kings “Remaining Awake during a Revolution” commencement speech that he presented at Oberlin College during his graduation ceremony; he wanted the people to have a good visual on what he was explaining and talking about. King wanted to inform the people about what was going; so he used allusions, statics, and logos.

The Acceptance Speech given by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. emphasizes the racial injustice being held by the majority white population in 1964, by the use of repetition. Kings acceptance of this speech involves a complex understanding of a people in a critical point in their lives. He uses different statements to define the authenticity of a cause that means a great deal to him. Martin Luther King Jr, is a man of God, fighting for the rights of his people to be treated as equals, in a way very few have tied before, nonviolence. In the year 1964 in Oslo, Reverand Martin Luther King Jr. accepts an award half of his people, but not without explaining the priorities of freedom that his side is fighting for. King uses repetition constantly in his speech in

The information you present regarding Lou’s and Clinton’s speeches is insightful. Furthermore, each speech incorporates the tone of informative speeches and supporting concepts of persuasive speech. Now, the information you highlight from Lou’s speech showcases his use of persuasive to convince the audience although he is sick he is still full of life. Additionally, it seems that Lou employs the technique of questioning value; did you notice his use of this method? Now, Clinton’s speech during the Oklahoma bombing appears to highlight the employment of Pathos. Consequently, the use of this persuasive strategy enables Clinton to reach his audience on a significantly sincerer level. Now, you reference a ullage as being a form of persuasive speech;

The speaker is very confident. The tone and language used throughout this poem makes this character trait very evident. For example, when the speaker says, “They send me to the kitchen when company comes but I laugh and eat well and grow strong” (1039). One can imagine that being sent into the kitchen when company comes can be very embarrassing and could even make someone feel less. However, the speaker, based on the response, does not look get bothered or discouraged by this action. Instead, he says laughs about it adds that he will only get stronger which shows confidence and strength. I believe that the speaker is a great spokesperson for the African-American citizens because as previously stated, he exudes confidence and strength which