Emily O’Connell

Crandall 2nd block

AP Lang Fall 2019 Pre-course Work

Rhetorical Analysis Essay

Before even beginning her speech, Eleanor Roosevelt has not only made clear the topic

she will be discussing, but she has begun to use rhetoric. The name of the speech which she gave

at the Sorbonne in France, “The Struggle for Human Rights”, grabs the audience and tells them

that this is a struggle. The rights we have as people and as citizens of the world are often taken

for granted, but Roosevelt wants to make it very clear that they should not be. Eleanor Roosevelt

uses extensive amounts of rhetoric and other literary devices to explain to her audience her claim

that human rights, even the most basic, can be a struggle to achieve, but they are well worth the

fight.

In the very first paragraph of her speech, Eleanor Roosevelt explains why she has decided

to speak in France, rather than somewhere in the United States, or any other country. She

explains the importance of her speech and tells the audience “It was here the Declaration of the

Rights of Man was proclaimed...this has been the scene of the greatest historic battles between

freedom and tyranny” (Roosevelt 1). Roosevelt also states that she is giving the speech on

September 28 because she felt it important to “discuss it in the early days of the General

Assembly because the issue of human liberty is decisive for the settlement of outstanding

political differences and for the future of the United Nations” (Roosevelt 1).

Another way Roosevelt uses rhetoric to gain support is through logos, the use of facts and

logic. She sites the Charter of the United Nations to back up her claim that human rights are an

important part of the United Nations and a fundamental part of what they stand for. “One of the
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purposes of the United Nations is declared in article one to be: ‘to achieve international

cooperation in solving international problems of an economic, social, cultural, or humanitarian

character, and in promoting and encouraging respect for human rights and for fundamental

freedoms for all without distinction as to race, sex, language, or religion’ ” (Roosevelt 4). By

quoting this statement directly from the United Nations’ Charter, she holds them accountable to

fulfilling the promises that they made to the people of the world. She explains to her audience

and to everyone who is a part of the UN that no matter their race, their culture, or any other piece

of who they are, they have been promised basic human rights, and deserve to have those rights

protected. Roosevelt’s tone is strong and powerful, and her direct citation from the Charter gives

her credibility, proving that she knows exactly what she is talking about. Less than 5 paragraphs

in, Eleanor Roosevelt has already made her claim very clear, backed it up with evidence, and

used many rhetorical strategies to entice the audience, and pull them onto her side. She has the

support of her listeners, now she must convince the rest of the world.

Another rhetorical device Roosevelt uses to her advantage is pathos, the strategy of

appealing to one’s emotions. The entire speech is about human rights and freedoms; equality for

men and women, higher standards of living, and social acceptance for everybody, no matter their

race or sex. This is a very emotional topic for many people in the audience and continues to be

one even today. By providing examples of what Roosevelt wishes to better in society, she has the

audience rooting for her. She goes into detail about her feelings on the topic of human rights and

what she thinks the United Nations owes to its citizens. Eleanor Roosevelt is very wise in her use

of rhetoric to get listeners to support her claim that human rights are a fundamental part of the
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United Nations and that the organization should do more to protect and enforce these rights and

freedoms worldwide.

Like any powerful speaker, Eleanor Roosevelt uses many rhetorical strategies in her

speech, The Struggle for Human Rights, to get the audience to support her claim. She made this

speech at the Sorbonne in France in the early days of the General Assembly of the United

Nations to fight for human rights and convince the leaders of the UN to do more to protect the

freedom and rights of its citizens. By using strategies such as ethos, pathos, logos, and more,

Roosevelt wins over her audience to get them to support her claim that human rights are vital to

our society, and should be protected.

Works Cited
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Eidenmuller, Michael E. “The Struggle for Human Rights.” American Rhetoric: Eleanor

Roosevelt -- "The Struggle for Human Rights",

www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/eleanorroosevelt.htm.

User, Super. “Home - Ethos, Pathos, and Logos, the Modes of Persuasion ‒ Explanation and

Examples.” Home - Ethos, Pathos, and Logos, the Modes of Persuasion ‒ Explanation and

Examples, pathosethoslogos.com/.