Gettysburg Address
"Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.
Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.
But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate — we can not consecrate — we can not hallow — this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us — that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion — that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain — that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom — and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."
A speech by Dipesh Patel, 04
[Situation: I am giving a speech to honour the life of a special person who I admired greatly but who sadly passed away on September 5, 1997.]
Today we are gathered to pay tribute to one of the greatest saints of our time…She was by blood an Albanian, by citizenship an Indian and by faith a Catholic nun…However, she belonged to the whole world…Small of stature but rocklike in faith, Mother Teresa of Calcutta was entrusted with the mission of proclaiming God’s love for humanity… especially for the poorest of the poor.
First and foremost, Mother Teresa was a missionary of humanity…In 1948, she came across a half-dead woman lying in front of a Calcutta hospital…She stayed with the woman until she died…From that point on, she dedicated the majority of her life to helping the poorest of the poor in India, thus gaining her the name “Saint of the Gutters.”
Mother Teresa was also a missionary of peace…She was a missionary with a universal language…the language of love that knows no bounds or exclusion and has no preferences other than for the most forsaken in society…Mother Teresa proclaimed the Gospel to the entire world, not just by preaching but by her daily acts of love towards the poorest of the poor…That devotion won her respect throughout the world and in 1979 she was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
Mother Teresa was also a missionary of life…She always spoke out in defense of human life, even when her message was unwelcome…Mother Teresa’s whole existence was a hymn to life…Her daily encounters with death, leprosy, AIDS and every kind of human suffering made her a forceful witness to the Gospel of life… She didn’t just feed the poor, shelter them nor cleaned their wounds, but what is more important she made them feel good, loved and wanted…She gave them back their dignity…the dignity that poverty had taken away from them…and even if they died they died with a smile on their face knowing that…. somebody cared for them somebody loved them.
A missionary of humanity, a missionary of peace, a missionary of life… Mother Teresa was all of these…Today more than ever, Mother Teresa’s message of humanity, peace and life is an invitation addressed to us all…I would like to end with her words, the words of a truly compassionate missionary…“It is not how much we do, but how much love we put in the doing….It is not how much we give, but how much love we put in the giving.”
Thank you. (395 words)
These are two speeches are full of pathos. Analyze the rhetoric used, specifically in regards to the appeal to emotion, in each of these speeches. Which do you prefer and why?
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ReplyDeleteThe great philosopher Aristotle defines emotion in part as feelings that affect our judgement, and this makes emotions very useful in rhetoric. Take, for example, Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address and Dipesh Patel’s speech in honor of Mother Teresa of Calcutta. Lincoln gets right into things in his extremely short yet impactful speech, and he speaks about how much the soldiers have already struggled for their country. He talks about both the living and fallen US soldiers, and reminds them that they are gathered on a battlefield, the same battlefield that will serve as a final resting place for all the fallen soldiers who gave their lives for their country. Speaking about anyone who has died is sure to bring pathos into play, and this is exactly what Lincoln does by speaking about these fallen soldiers. Using this strategy, Lincoln is able to stir up emotions in the army, especially emulation and patriotism, both of which are powerful motivators to get an audience to act. More importantly, he uses pathos in an honorable manner, one which puts reason and emotions is sync. Next up is Patel’s speech about Mother Teresa, yet another impressive application of pathos. The purpose of the speech is to not only honor Mother Teresa, but also to convince the audience of her great love, which Patel accomplishes by incorporating various examples of this love and joy in the form of stories. By packing the speech full of the very emotion which Patel wants to excite in his audience, he makes it much more likely that his audience will begin to feel that emotion. The second part of this is the storytelling. Patel speaks about each example of Mother Teresa’s love and joy, and it is by no mistake that he presents these examples in the form of stories, an excellent pathos tool. These speeches are similar in many ways, but most importantly, both are very short and packed with emotion; however, I preferred Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address because it was much more impactful for me. His strategy of using the fallen soldiers to guide me to the right emotion really hit home for me, and it made me feel the exact patriotism that Lincoln was striving for, even 150 years later. Everything about the speech from the arrangement and structure to his advanced dialect impressed me, and it’s become very obvious how he was able to instill such encouragement in his army in only two minutes.
ReplyDeleteI really like your explanation of how pathos was used in the speeches. Both of them are able to leave a lasting impact with their words. You described the feelings Lincoln stirred up very well.
DeleteI really enjoy the direction you interpreted to each speech. You obviously read both the Gettysburg Address and Patel’s eulogy to Mother Teresa very throughly, and you took the time to restate what each speech brought to the table and how they did so. I honestly didn’t even detect the faint guilt hidden within Lincoln’s speech. That’s probably one factor as to why I didn’t think Lincoln did as well as Patel with conveying pathos. Bravo to you for picking it up!
DeleteIn my opinion, pathos is the most important part of delivering an impactful speech. Abraham Lincoln’s captivating, “Gettysburg Address,” uses pathos very effectively in this speech. Lincoln begins with stating what our country was when it started, and how it has sunken into civil war. He then mentions those who gave their lives for our nation. Lincoln also mentions the great battle-field and how we dedicate it for the brave men who died. He says we can not dedicate, consecrate, or hallow this ground, as the men who struggled here have consecrated it. Lincoln makes us simultaneously feel that we need not do anything, for the ground has been consecrated, and that we should do something, in order to honor these fallen heroes. Lincoln continues on and makes us feel the need to pay respect to the courageous men, rightfully so. One quote in particular speaks volumes, “It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced.” Lincoln uses pathos to make us feel morally obligated, as people alive today, to finish the unfinished and do it out of sheer respect.
ReplyDeleteThe speech honoring Mother Teresa of Calcutta is truly wonderful. The first paragraph alone makes us feel as though we were her friend. In all of us, there is a piece, big or small, that wants to emulate Mother Teresa. She sets the standard for what one can do for another. Just like the Gettysburg Address, reading this speech makes us feel like we have not done enough. We read stories in this speech where Mother Teresa did not need to help, but she went above and beyond in doing so. This speech uses pathos in a way to make us feel more inclined to do good in the world and see that our lives would benefit from us doing that good. “It is not how much we do, but how much love we put in the doing….It is not how much we give, but how much love we put in the giving.” This quote ends the speech in a beautiful way, Mother Teresa’s message motivates us to incorporate love into our generosity.
Although I love the speech on Mother Teresa, I admire the Gettysburg Address’ way with words and the concrete message. For me, the Gettysburg Address puts underlying guilt with the pathos, which is a method I think is very effective. The speech also introduces a compassionate side to Lincoln, which really shows he is dedicated to his great country.
This is all really well said, Alex. The way you focused on the aspects of accountability in both speeches was really interesting— it makes a lot of sense. The way you put these points together with important quotes was awesome. Nice work!
DeleteI agree with the way your began you’re blog, that pathos is the most important part of giving an impactful speech. Most speeches are an attempt to move the audience emotionally. I also love how you said the first paragraph of the second speech makes it seem like we were Mother Teresa’s friend. Great way of seeing it!
DeleteThe use of strong emotion in a speaker’s rhetoric can be an impactful tool to show their argument. Both Abraham Lincoln and Dipesh Patel were very successful with the way they used emotion to honor people. Lincoln starts his Gettsburgh address by reminding the people that their country was created so the next generations could live freely. He quickly says that their country is in the middle of war and many men have already given their lives for it. The battle field that many have died on, and more will continue to die on will be honored as their final resting place. To close the speech Lincoln tells them men that in the future no one will remember what was said, but the sacrifices that have been made will never be forgotten. The deaths of the fallen soldiers should be seen as motivation to fight for the country. To start a speech with the honoring of the dead soldiers is an unfailing way to bring the men’s emotions out. By talking about how the men will forever be honored creates a strong feeling of devotion to the new country. The new feeling of pride towards the country will make the men go out and fight. The next speech by Dipesh Patel is to honor the life of Mother Teresa. Patel starts by simply describing Mother Teresa and how her life was for God. She looked like a small women with not a lot but her faith was very strong. Her time was spent spreading the word of God to everyone. It did not matter if you were extremely poor or riddled with disease. The audience is shown her love for God and people. To show how strong her love really was Patel shares stories of the wonderful acts of kindness she performed. Both of these speeches were very short, but they were full of pathos. As the reader I felt the strong pathos from the speech about Mother Teresa the most. She was a kind woman that didn’t need the material objects of life to give herself meaning. All that she wanted to do was share her faith of God and help the people that no one else would even touch.
ReplyDeleteGood points, Sophie. I overlooked The part in Lincoln's speech about actions versus words, good find! Don't forget the sense of responsibility that Lincoln lays on the soldier's shoulders, though! Overall, good take.
DeleteFantastic work Sophie! You’re analysis of the speeches had very interesting points, many of which I hadn’t even considered. I enjoyed your discussion about Mother Teresa so much that I wish there was more of it!! I find it fascinating to see what you gravitated towards in both speeches, as it shows how differently each of our minds work. I also loved loved loved your reasoning for choosing the Dipesh Patel’s speech over Lincoln’s.
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ReplyDeleteBoth the Gettysburg Address and A Speech by Dipseh are both powerful speeches that many people look up to as a brilliant piece of writing. However, when further looked into one must come to wonder what makes these speeches so powerful. Some may think it is the speech givers tone, of simply the subject itself. While both of these parts come into play in the main overlook of the speech, it is clear that when looked into the rhetoric the writers used was what made the speeches so powerful. Both of the speeches used a strong pathos to appeal to their listeners.
ReplyDeleteAbraham Lincoln used pathos in his speech to appeal to the emotion of everyone, not just the army. He was able to take a source of emotion and make it so that the people who weren’t even in the army listened to what he had to say. An example of him doing this in his speech is when he said “It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced”. This quote from the address shows a call of action to all of America. He used emotion to make people want to fight for the people of America that died on the battle field. The technique he used there was emulation. He wanted the people to emulate what the fallen soldiers had already done for America.
Another context of someone using pathos to accomplish their speeches goal was Dipseh Pastel. She used emotion to make people interested in Mother Theresa’s goals and accomplishments. An example of her doing this is when she said “Mother Teresa was also a missionary of life…She always spoke out in defense of human life, even when her message was unwelcome”. This quote from her speech shows that she talked up Mother Theresa by making her seem like a person who would do anything for anyone even if she wasn’t supported along the way. For this reason, I liked Dipseh’s speech more than Lincoln’s. She was able to make me interested in Mother Thereas life using emotion. Her speech made me want to live a life like Mother Theresa did and help other people out, which I believe was the goal of her speech. She made my judgment change about how I live my life, which is the whole purpose of using emotion in rhetoric.
I really appreciate how you utilized quotes directly from each of the two speeches themselves. You proved how well Dipesh Patel and Abraham Lincoln were able to stir people’s minds in order to get others, despite those whom may be unrelated to their cause, interested in their ideals. Well done!
DeleteI loved the way you talked about who Lincoln was reaching with his words. That piece is so important, and it is often overlooked. I also like how you were specific with your points and related them to yourself so well. Well done, Megan!
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ReplyDeleteBoth Abraham Lincoln and Dipesh Patel wrote and delivered fantastic speeches. Both used Pathos to get their point across, for Lincoln it was to rally morale for the continuity of the war, and the honoring of those fallen soldiers, while Patel wanted her audience to know the woman she so deeply cared for.
ReplyDeleteLincoln appeals to the emotion by painfully reminding the audience of the pain of their brothers, lost to the war. That these men sacrificed for each member of the audience, and that it is their duty to continue what they died for. Talk about emotional. His inherent sense of reverence extends not only to the fallen soldiers, but those who still lived to fight, saying that they(dead or alive) alone hallowed the land they were standing on. These tactics give each member of the audience a shot of pain, of loss, of sadness, but at the same time, it sneaks them a bit of a pat on the back, a masked congratulations. “Hey your friends died for you and this great cause, but they and you alone give that suffering meaning. Keep it up” Although Lincoln’s tactics to raise morale and get his troops and citizens to understand the sacrifice being made, Patel’s mission to show us Mother Teresa’s holiness was executed better. Here’s why.
Patel uses a different strategy than Lincoln. She doesn’t tell us, she shows us. We are there with the woman outside the hospital, with the patients who died knowing they were loved by Mother Teresa. She also uses the repetition of “poorest of the poor” to illustrate the gravity of the matter, making us feel and understand the situations Teresa was in. Along with this, she uses logos to hugely strengthen her pathetic argument. By giving examples of Mother Teresa’s mission work, Patel makes it impossible for her audience to not feel the emotions she’s conveying. With logic to back our feelings, they morph from spur of the moment decision makers into a strong foundation for a logical decision, and that decision is that Mother Teresa was a saint of magnificent holiness. Can one honestly read that and disagree?
Your explanation of the speeches is very well done. The way you explained the tactics Abraham Lincoln used was simple and clear. Also your explanation of the method used by Patel to show the goodness of Mother Teresa was very insightful.
DeleteGood points, John. I especially loved your intake of how in Lincoln’s Address, he sort of attacked the emotions of the audience, but secretly, in your words, a masked congratulations. Well put. I also did not notice how in Dipesh Patel’s speech she knocks in our head the phrase “poorest of poor.” over and over. That really is a strategic saying that helps the audience relate the life of Mother Teresa’s work to her mission on earth. Good work!
DeletePathos is one of the most important aspects of a speech. The Gettysburg Address and the speech by Dipesh Patel are both excellent examples or speeches filled with pathos. In the Gettysburg address, Lincoln speaks about how our country fell deep into a civil war. He tells his audience about the many men who fell in battle, and speaks about how brave they were. He says, “It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced”. Lincoln states this to inspire his audience to carry out the work of the men who died. He also states “these dead shall not have died in vain — that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom”. This statement encourages the audience to honor the dead, and return the country to its former glory. I admire this speech in particular because of just how moving it is. It shows how true passion for ones country can drive just about anyone to do anything, including laying down their life, to make it a safe and glorious place.
ReplyDeleteThe speech by Dipesh Patel is also another truly amazing speech. This speech honors Mother Theresa, who was an unbelievably wonderful person. This speech, in a way, makes its audience feel a sort of connection to Mother Theresa, and inspires us all to be more like her. The speaker uses pathos to inspire the audience to do good, and to help our community in all ways, big or small. This speech us especially moving because it shows us how, if one person takes action, it can impact people all around the globe. Mother Theresa’s work helped many people, and this speech does a wonderful job at showing how much she did for others
I especially like your comments on Lincoln's speech. His pathetic argument is well explained. As far as Patel's speech, what about the imagery, or repition? Otherwise, great points.
DeleteThis was really good Lizzy! I liked how you used quotes from the speeches to show how Lincoln used pathos. My only critique is that I think you could have shown what emotions Lincoln was trying to get out of his audience.
DeleteLincoln begins his speech by stating how long they have come since the country began. He makes it clear that it was created in freedom, and that every man in this country is of equal value. He uses pathos this way to make people really think about what it is that makes people unequal to each other. He goes on to say that we have made our land a “final resting place”. He uses this to make it clear to the people that men are truly dying and it won’t be much longer until they won’t have enough to fight. He continues by saying that the rest of the world might forget his words in time, but the lives and deaths of the soldiers will never be forgotten. He concludes with the statement that this nation will never perish from the earth. This speech is very straightforward, and truly makes the audience think about the people in this war who are getting killed for their cause. It makes them think about if what side they are rooting for is truly right and worth it.
ReplyDeleteThe purpose of the next speech is it praise a wonderful woman. It begins with calling her one of the greatest saints of our time. Opening with this helps grab the attention of the audience, wondering what made her so great. It gives an example of one of the first things she did as a saint if the poor, staying with a dying woman hunter her time has come. From this point Mother Teresa dedicated her life to serve the poor. Ethos is used very well by giving human examples of the great things she has done. Is then states that she won the Nobel Peace Prize, but not only preaching but living out the deeds of Christ. This goes to show us that although it is important to preach the good, we must also perform the acts we speak of. It concludes with examples of her speaking up and standing up for the defenseless, all those who couldn’t do it for themselves.
Both texts are very well written, and both are aimed to make people feel. The pathos in both is very strong. I prefer the second speech, because the human examples make it seem more real to me. It also astonishes me how much one woman can change so much in the world. I also have always had a fascinating with the saints and especially Mother Teresa.
Good take on both speeches, Mary. I liked the way you explained how the “final resting place” was an indication of the troubling amount of soldiers losing their lives in the war in the Gettysburg Address. And you ended your analysis of the speech well and to the point, that the audience needs to reflect on their own values to obtain what is right. You also had an insightful point concerning Dipesh Patel’s speech by honoring how she opens her speech by drawing her audience in, and making them dig for answers to their question of the argument, “why is Mother Teresa such a great saint?” Awesome job!
DeleteMary, your analyses of these speeches are very clear and accurate. I agree Lincoln's way of making people think about their cause was very straightforward. It made it obvious that the cause is, indeed, worth dying for, if not for winning the war then for the men who have died before. The way you explained the beginning of Dipesh Patel's speech is very interesting. Overall, this was a great blog.
DeletePathos is an essential tool in using rhetoric to change the emotions and, most importantly, an audience’s side in an argument. This is can be shown precisely in Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address and Dipesh Patel’s speech in honoring Mother Teresa. In Lincoln’s marvelous address that has forever impacted American lives, he hits all aspects of rhetoric, primarily pathos, however. He begins his heartfelt speech by speaking of the past American values, and how we were founded, as a nation, on equal rights for all men, women, and children, thus sparking his logos. Lincoln continues on his speech by directing his words to the audience’s emotions, pathos. He moves from the past to the present day by stating his concerns whether the great American values can be held together through civil war. This already should be a concern to the audience itself. He speaks, then, of dedicating this land to the soldiers that have lost their own lives in a sacrificial manner to this country. Yet, he dives even deeper with targeting the emotions of the audience by dictating that we are in no place of consecrating the land to these men, but that they are the only ones who can do such an act. He throws in his goodwill and practical wisdom of ethos by stating, “The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here.” Though time will pass by, the mighty wonders that the men of war did for their country in spite of love for it will live through the ages. He continues to enhance his ethos by characterizing his moral virtue and directing the audience to action, by saying, “It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced.” This still does a number to the emotions of the audience, and, in a sense, breaks them down by showing how we are undeserving of what these men have done for us, but builds them up by leading them to finish the work of what these honorable soldiers could not, and that is liberty and freedom on behalf of their country. Abraham Lincoln’s piece of writhing for the American people touched the lives of all, and helped to sprout the action necessary to preserve the very foundation of its country.
ReplyDelete(Continued) Dipesh Patel’s honoring speech was truly a work of art, and was filled with emotional pathos. She starts the speech by listing Mother Teresa’s, to whom this speech was offered to, citizenship and faith, but ends the sentence by saying how Mother Teresa belonged to the world. Directly after that, she states, “Small of stature but rocklike in faith...” which helps the audience see just how great Mother Teresa’s love was for her religious life. Patel throws in her logos, and ends her first set of thoughts by stating the foundation of Mother Teresa’s mission on earth; serving the poorest people. She continues to state her practical wisdom in her next paragraph by describing the life of which Mother Teresa went about in. This helped her gain the credible edge toward the audience. Some of the admirable moments of which Patel speaks about were describing that Mother Teresa preached the Gospel to the world, but uniquely doing so through her acts of love and kindness toward the people of the earth, and the time of when she had received the Nobel Piece Prize in 1979. Though she spoke of the wisdom she bestowed about Mother Teresa, Dipesh Pastel was still able to institute her pathos in her speech by touching the hearts of the audience, making them feel pleased by the story they are hearing. She winds her speech down by continuing to list the wonders that Mother Teresa had enacted upon the world, even speaking put in troubling times and through hardships for others. At one point, Patel speaks of these words: “...and even if they died they died with a smile on their face knowing that... somebody loved them.” These words, though short and to the point, hit the heart and move the audiences emotions on impact. She tacts on her final words and addresses the words of Mother Teresa, saying “It is not how much we do, but how much lobe we put in the doing.” It surely was a mighty speech for a deserving person, someone who can teach a lesson to every living soul.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address seemed to entice me slightly more than that of Dipesh Patel’s speech. Though giving Patel all do credit for her well constructed speech, I seemed to accept Lincoln’s words to heart. Lincoln’s speech, although sweet and to the point, did not miss a beat. He strategically stated his words in such a form that gave me a feeling that I had to side with him. It was full of emotions and made for a beautiful form of rhetoric.
The way you explained the pathos in the Gettysburg Address as breaking down the audience and building them back up was an interesting and effective way to describe it. The explanation of how logos and ethos supported the use of pathos was very insightful. The quotes you included really supported the points you made.
DeletePathos is an incredibly effective tool for influencing an audience. This is made clear in both the Gettysburg Address, a speech given by Abraham Lincoln, and Dipesh Patel’s speech honoring Mother Teresa of Calcutta.The Gettysburg Address is widely known as a compelling speech.Though it isn’t a long speech, it is packed with emotion-stirring content. Lincoln frames his speech around honoring the dead, something that all members of the army want to do. He speaks of the brave men who laid down their lives to secure freedom for future generations. By saying that it is the task of himself and his audience to honor the dead by finishing what they gave up their lives for, Lincoln turns the men’s grief and doubt into motivation. This strong appeal to pathos is exactly what Abraham Lincoln needed to push his army to finish the war. This speech also greatly strengthened Lincoln’s well established good character, showing that he could lead the men to victory so they can honor the dead and protect the country’s future.
ReplyDeleteDipesh Patel’s speech on Mother Teresa of Calcutta is emotion evoking and inspiring.Patel begins the speech by showing just how impactul Mother Teresa truly was. By describing her demographics and yet saying that she belonged to the whole world, it becomes much easier for us as the audience to identify with her. Patel describes how she lived her life with the sole purpose of spreading God’s love to those who did not have joy in their lives. Mother Teresa helped those in the worst situations, whether they be dying, sick, or incredibly poor. She made her impact by putting great amounts of love into the tiniest actions. By describing her passion for charity and that she was nothing more than a tiny woman with great faith, Patel inspires us to do more and makes us feel capable to help in ways we have never thought of before.
While both pieces accomplish their appeals to pathos, Dipesh Patel’s speech resonates with me the strongest. The impact of Mother Teresa’s love is astounding, and I would hope to make even just a fraction of the change that she did.
I really enjoyed your blog post this week. I think it was different from everyone else’s which I appreciated. It was very smart to show all the types of rhetoric Lincoln and Patel used and not just pathos. One example of you doing this was when you brought up how Lincoln used ethos when establishing his character.
DeleteAwesome points! Not many people chose Dipesh Patel's speech as their preference, but reading yours showed me some great points about it. Compared to Lincoln's, Patel's speech is definitely more applicable to our daily lives, in showing what we can do for others and its profound effect.
DeleteEmotion can be a very impactful tool to strike an audience. Both Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address and Dipesh Patel’s speech regarding Mother Theresa, make effective use of this rhetorical technique. Lincoln, for example, rouses his audiences emotions right away by speaking on the courage the nations people have, to engage in war. Many men had lost their lives solely for the betterment of their country. If this alone was not enough to stir up emotion and rally patriotism, Lincoln then preaches on honoring those men and the field on which they died. By including riveting statements such as, “...that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion,” Lincoln again appeals to pathos in order to make the audience want to rally for their country and the men who fought for freedom of its people.
ReplyDeleteDipesh Patel’s speech praising Mother Teresa accomplishes a similar emotional effect as Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address. Patel’s approach to appeal to pathos, however, differs from Lincoln’s. Patel begins his speech by giving an emotion driven backstory of Mother Teresa’s life. He then delves into explaining all the good deeds she did for people of all religions, backgrounds, and genders. In a way, Patel uses pathos through storytelling. This technique makes it easier for the audience to relate and understand her powerful life story full of love and selflessness.
In my opinion, I prefer Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address to Patel’s speech honoring Mother Teresa. I say this because Lincoln used a more direct approach to (metaphorically) grab his audience by the shoulders and shake up their emotions. To me, this is a more effective way to reach the hearts of a targeted group. His speech also evokes passion for human rights and allows for the audience to be hit with a pang of remorse and guilt regarding the men who died for said cause. Patels speech is also very effective in making the readers feel something. It is a depiction of the true and honorable love of Mother Teresa. This undoubtedly is a beautiful and heart wrenching story. Although, it does not give the same shock factor as Lincoln’s speech. This ultimately leads me to feel that while Patel’s speech is undeniably awe inspiring, Lincoln makes better use of the emotions of his audience. Thus making Lincoln’s speech more effective in the long run.
Your blog post was really interesting, and there were a few things that I really liked. For one, your use of a quote really made your blog stand out to me because it showed me exactly what you were talking about. Another thing I liked was that you not only described why you liked Lincoln’s speech more, but you also told us why Patel’s speech was not quite as impactful for you. Lastly, I was impressed on how well you stuck to the pathos of the speeches, especially because I myself was tempted to stray from the assignment and include logos and ethos as well.
DeleteBoth the Gettysburg Address and Dipesh Patel’s words are very well written and appeal to the audience’s pathos beautifully. The rhetors made their listeners feel exactly how they intended to, but how did they achieve this? First, let’s focus on the speech by Lincoln.
ReplyDeleteThe Gettysburg address is largely based on patriotism, of course, but there are some underlying messages that made this speech super effective. Lincoln knew that most of his countrymen weren’t seeing the situation as it was. He knew they were caught up in their passions, and as a result were causing mass destruction to their own country and their brothers who shared it. Lincoln wasn’t trying to shut down or remove this passion, but rather redirect it. By mentioning early on how the founding fathers were dedicated to creating a country where all men were created equal, he subtly initiated emotions like shame without being so direct that the audience felt attacked. He built upon this emotion with discussion of the loss of life and praised the dedication of the men who fought and died on the ground where he spoke. After causing the audience to begin questioning their cause, whether they realized it or not, he finished the speech with a moving patriotic quote. This gave the audience somewhere to put all that passion they weren’t quite sure what to do with. In the end, Lincoln was able to inspire them to exchange the feelings of hate for the opposing side, to love of our one nation, under God.
Patel didn’t have such a concrete goal in mind while writing his speech, but got his point across beautifully nonetheless. What really stuck out to me in the speech about Mother Teresa was the beauty in the details. He made very clear by the end of his speech of how massive he felt Mother Teresa’s influence on the world was, but he did it in little pieces. Rather than “blow your socks off” stories, he shared little bits of her life that gave the speech a much more personal feel, and therefore it resonated deeper with the pathos. Overall, it was very well written.
Personally, I thought the Gettysburg Address was the better of the two speeches. Patel’s was well written, but really had to potential to make much of any change. Most people already love, or are at least indifferent to, Mother Teresa. It had great sentimental value, but not very much else. Lincoln, on the other hand, had a goal in mind and wrote this speech to make it happen. I’m not saying that’s the only thing that can make a speech good, but it helps. In my opinion, the basis of Lincoln’s speech made him seem like a much more successful rhetor than Patel— whether that is true or not.
Kara!!! This is a wonderful blog post. I have to hand it to you. You pointed out many many different points in Lincoln’s speech than most others did. This alone made you stand out! I especially enjoyed your word choices. Your transitions leading from one idea to the next we’re also very well thought out and used in a very eloquent manner. Way to write!
DeleteGreat post! I like that you dug deeper into Lincoln's speech and pulled out great underlying messages. I agree too, that it seemed as though Abraham Lincoln had more of an agenda while giving this speech. Dipesh Patel's speech, although great, was more of a memorialization. Nice job!
Delete“It is not how much we do, but how much love we put in the doing....It is not how much we give, but how much love we put in the giving.” This is the quote that ends Dipesh Patel’s pathos-charged speech about Mother Teresa of Calcutta. Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address, the other of the two speeches, is also very pathos based. A quick reminder, what is pathos? Pathos is the appeal to emotion. These speeches are overtures of pathos with undertones of ethos.
ReplyDeleteLincoln, speaking to the low moral soldiers, interjects with a message of persistence and the idea of a ‘new nation’ in his speech. He plays off of their grievances speaking of their fallen companions, but uplifts their spirits in speaking of the living. Lincoln states that they cannot dedicate the battlefields to the fallen, that they had done that themselves by fighting. That statement is to rile the troops, if they were to die, they would be honorable. Lincoln is trying to aim at his men’s pride. He uses the rhetorical device of pathos and repetition. Repetition is present in one of the last lines of the Address, “...that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain — that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom — and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.” The people are the men Lincoln is speaking to, they are the soldiers. By doing this, he establishes a light ethos and a heavy set of pathos.
Dipesh Patel’s speech focused on Mother Teresa of Calcutta. He speaks of her good works and intents. I believe that this speech is more ethos based than it is pathos based, nevertheless, Patel uses pathos to make Mother Teresa very like-able by focusing on the emotions of the audience. “She was by blood an Albanian, by citizenship an Indian and by faith a Catholic nun…However, she belonged to the whole world,” this statement blurs the lines of nationality, it intends to make the audience feel united with her, no matter their ethnicity. Patel employs ethos by establishing Mother Teresa’s character and reputation. The Saint of the Gutters’ love and morality are shown through her described actions. She was a missionary for peace and a missionary for humanity. Patel’s writing moves the reader by conjuring the emotions of empathy and awe. Though this speech has traits of pathos, I believe it is more of an ethos excerpt than pathos.
Though both speeches were spectacular in effect, I enjoyed Patel’s speech about Mother Teresa of Calcutta more than Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address. I am wholeheartedly a humanitarian, and being reminded of Teresa’s ever kind actions and intents moved me. Her pure devotion in the people she helped connected with my empathetic self. I did not dislike Lincoln’s speech, but it did not affect my emotions and interests as well as Patel’s speech did.
Angela, you’re comparison of these two speeches were very good. Everything you started was very clear and made total sense. I understand why you likes the second speech more, because I did too for the same reason. Great work!
ReplyDelete“A speaker who is attempting to move people to thought or action must concern himself with pathos,” remarked the magnificent Aristotle, one of a pair dubbed the “Fathers of Western Philosophy”. The enchanting Gettysburg Address written by Abraham Lincoln and Dipesh Patel’s moving speech that pays tribute to perhaps the greatest modern saint thus far—Mother Teresa— both are clearly familiar with how pathos, the emotional rhetoric, works. Should I analyze the two speeches written above—The Gettysburg Address and one of the beautiful eulogies addresses to Mother Teresa, I would have no trouble at all picking up on the pathos that abounds within each speech. Of course there is a sprinkling of the good ole’ ethos and logos distributed sparsely within each address.
ReplyDeleteOn November 9, 1863, Abraham Lincoln delivered his famous Gettysburg to commemorate the soldiers fallen as a result of the great Civil War that rocked America’s history. He didn’t even have to establish much nor elaborate on his ethos, for being the President of the United States was authority enough to state his cause. His reasoning, or his logos, for such a stitching of words comes in the form of a need to preserve the nation birthed in freedom that the deceased men Gave their lives fighting to protect. Lincoln wanted to bring the country, especially the Union’s side, back together, to reenforce his definition of what he United States truly is, and to pave a path for the “soul” of America’s future to travel next. However, the most jarring means of rhetoric utilized by Lincoln was his usage of pathos. He constantly put it into his readers’s minds and memory that, no matter which side—North or South— these men were brave, brave enough to battle their own brothers for what they believed was right. Lincoln starts off slow, pacing himself through he history of the founding fathers, but quickly builds momentum and uses adjectives such as “unfinished”, “honored”, “nobly”, and—of course— “brave” to describe the situation and men themselves involved in the thrall got liberty and life. He powerfully and rather, abruptly, ceases the continuation of his speech by showing his audience the further he hopes to preserve for America—one that has and always will be directed by its citizens.
Much like how the Gettysburg Address honored the lives of courageous people, Dipesh Patel’s speech, although quite brief, packed a powerful punch when lifting up the brave person whom they addressed as the subject of their speech. Patel’s style of words made their audience believe Patel had an extremely personal relationship with Saint Mother Teresa of Calcutta
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ReplyDeleteHer authority was that she looked up to Mother Therese’s as a role model, a singular candle in the darkness. The reasoning behind this is purely for the sake of love. She always held the “poorest of the poor”—a phrase that was continually reiterated throughout the speech by Patel— close in the valves of her heart. She did it all for God, and God is, as we all know, the humbled definition of love. I know this because of how Patel broke up their eulogy for Mother Teresa. Patel explained how Mother Teresa of Calcutta lived her life as a missionary of peace, of life, of humanity. Everything about Patel’s speech spurred hope, faith, and love. This was a reflection of their inspiration—Mother Teresa: Saint of the Gutters.
Of either selection of speeches, I would have to say that Patel’s moved me more. They spoke to my heart and opened it up to the same love they obviously feel towards Mother Teresa and how Mother Teresa herself felt for those in poverty. I feel as though Patel was so familiar with Mother Teresa’s, they were able to construe a narrative that paints her as the saint that she is. I was able to feel the emotion emitting from the text. Abe Lincoln, although a great narrator, was unsuccessful I sparking such emotion from me for the simple fact that I couldn’t relate to in the same way I could with Patel. Mother Teresa of Calcutta is not my favorite saint. I always felt her to be too “generic,” which is not a good way to remember her, but it is my opinion nonetheless. Despite my biases, Patel quite literally “hit me in the feels” with their beautiful words on behalf of Mother Terra’s teaching, her life, and her love for humanity. I truly felt as though I now knew one of the greatest women of all time through the emotional words of Patel