Practice Makes Perfect April 15, 2020
Today, you will set a timer and post a full essay. This should take you 40 minutes. When you are finished, read classmate's essays and comment on at least 2. Its the Thatcher prompt. You should already have a GREAT introduction.
https://secure-media.collegeboard.org/digitalServices/pdf/ap/ap16_frq_english_language.pdf
https://secure-media.collegeboard.org/digitalServices/pdf/ap/ap16_frq_english_language.pdf
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteWho was once a friend to the people, is now just a memory of a heroic man. Nothing could be closer to the truth for the former British prime minister, Margaret Thatcher, who was a lifelong friend of the former President of the United States, Ronald Reagan. Through the tough times, Thatcher defied the heartache on June 11, 2004, and delivered a powerful eulogy to the American People to show her respect, and honor such a profound man. By restating heart-warming memories, honoring his mighty leadership, and proving his ultimate love of the United States and their allies, Thatcher was able to admire and remember the remarkable life of President Ronald Reagan.
ReplyDeleteThatcher uses word choice strategically in order to appeal to pathos while she shares beautiful stories of Reagan. As she accounts the time Reagan almost lost his life, she states, “Ronnie himself certainly believed that he had been given back his life for a purpose.” (Lines 23-25) Here, Thatcher substitutes out a very important, and high honored name to a more intimate, friendly, ‘Ronnie.’ Of course, this would not be appropriate if it was just anyone, but Thatcher defends her close friendship with Reagan in regards to using a nickname for a President. Not only does this support Thatcher’s friendship, it drives home the appeal to pathos for the audience, because the American people knew their President as someone who was powerful, but this word choice by Thatcher allows the audience to grow closer to Reagan, and instead of seeing him as someone of higher power, they see him now as a friend, and can grow in that closer relationship with him.
Thatcher moves right into the accomplishments of President Reagan, and after growing closer to him, she can now persuade the audience of his accomplishments. “Others saw only limits to growth. He transformed a stagnant economy into an engine of opportunity” (Lines 33-34). Here, Thatcher continues to use her word choice well, as she personifies the economy as an ‘engine.’ This shows his driving force, and leadership to move a once motionless economy to one that was moved with opportunity. His leadership can be accounted by the fact of when Thatcher states most say limits to the possible growth. Reagan’s determination as a President showed that he was ready to lead and guide a whole nation, because anything seemed possible with him.
Thatcher time and time again shows just how much Reagan loved his country, all the way until the end of his life. Thatcher proves this dynamic love of the United States when she closes her eulogy to the American people by remarking, “He and they [American people] loved America and what it stands for: freedom and opportunity for ordinary people” (Lines 96-98). The synthesizing of Reagan with Americans also helps the audience grow much closer to Reagan, their American leader. Not only does she compare both sides, she closes with how the former President loved not just freedom, but the opportunities of ordinary people. Thatcher closes the eulogy by stating that any American can accomplish what their now friend had accomplished during his presidency, by which this almost seems to be a call to action for the audience, in which to live out the same love that Reagan had for such a great nation.
Margaret Thatcher places precise word choice all throughout her eulogy to the American People during, in which she fulfills her duty in remembering the life of a fulfilled man. On June 11, 2004, Thatcher takes away the sadness of America, and fills the audience with hope, with nostalgia, and passion to keep pursuing what Reagan would have. By turning around such a tough day to an honorable one, Thatcher is able to appeal to the pathos of the audience, and further defend the credibility of Reagan’s presidency not only as a leader, but a true and ‘ordinary’ American, just like the audience themselves.
Your essay is very well done. I think that you explained Thatcher's word choses very well.
DeleteFormer British prime minister, Margaret Thatcher commemorated colleague, Ronald Reagan, in a eulogy in June of 2004. She addresses the American people with grace and admiration regarding the late, beloved president. By honoring former president Ronald Reagan, Thatcher conveys to her American audience that a leader can be both lighthearted and humorous while receiving the utmost respect from ones peers. Thatcher inspires a greater sense of appreciation or courageous, unique leadership.
ReplyDeleteRelying primarily on pathos, she pulls emotion heavily in order to rally the audience together, in Reagan’s honor. Her appreciation shines through in her diction. For example, word choice such as “invigorating presence” (line 4), and “lightness of spirit” (line 10), show how she genuinely admired him. She holds him dearly and she makes it very clear when using such words. Quite literally, she refers to him as “dear” as opposed to colleague. This shows that Thatcher had not only respect for Reagan, but also thought of him as a friend. In this she emphasizes the fact that Reagan could do both, play sort of a double life within his presidency. This put him at a very different advantage that Thatcher does not hesitate to speak on. She refers to his handling of the Cold War, praising him for handling it with a firm attitude but keeping the peace. Poetically she states, “He won the Cold War, not only without firing a shot, but also by inviting enemies out of their fortresses and turning them into friends” (lines 36-39). Even in her final lines, Thatcher speaks beautifully about him, saying he lead the American people with a passion and fervor that was unwavering yet beautiful beyond belief.
Her ethos does not go unnoticed, however. She is not only using emotion in her diction, she proves her credibility. This is a much lesser portion of her speech, but it is equally as important. Being the former prime minister, Thatcher naturally has a sense of authority. Although, she does not say this outright, she doesn’t need to. Referring to their work together, shows they had a work relationship, but her ethos does not only show their occasional partnership, it also shows how she thought of him as a friend. It creates different levels as she does this.
Thatcher stitched together a beautiful work of speech to address America. She honors Reagan by recounting their past encounters and praising him for his likability. His life was inspiring, and it obviously touched many. Thatcher successfully tells his story, painting him in a wonderful light that is relatable and legendary.
I really like your introduction, you set yourself up for a great paper! Your interpretation of specific words like "dear" was really interesting, and makes a lot of sense. I think you did a great job with the whole device/strategy concept, and it made all of your ideas flow really nicely. Good work, Liv!
DeleteThis is really good, Liv! Every point you made had its own little explanation; for example, you explained Thatcher’s sense of authority when you wrote how she proved credibility. This makes your essay seem really detailed, and it makes me believe you took some in depth and overall good notes while annotating. You write about Thatcher’s good use of diction, while your own word choice is really specific and creative.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteWhen a figure of importance passes, people may only see them for their policies and the mistakes they made. People will overlook all the good they did and focus on the smallest ways they did something wrong. However, when Ronald Reagan died, it became important to the people who stood by his side that he would be honored as the great president, and large-hearted man he was. By Margaret Thatcher delivering a eulogy that highlighted the somber mood that came with his passing, and then switching to honoring all of his accomplishments she ensured Americans would honor and respect him as the great man he was.
ReplyDeleteIn the beginning lines of the eulogy, Thatcher chose specific word choice that would convey to the audience that they all are suffering a great loss. She shows this relationship across the audience by saying “ We have lost a great president, a great American, and a great man, and I have lost a dear friend” ( lines 1-2). By choosing to say we, it relates that every person who supported or connected to the president was suffering a loss. It didn’t matter if they were in Ronald Reagan’s closest circle or simply an American citizen. She is convincing the audience that they are all connected to the presidents loss in someway and they therefore can all be part of the process of honoring him. In this simple sentence she shows her credibility to the audience that she does not think highly of herself and recognizes all of America is affected by the death just as much as her. The somber tone that comes from loss is addressed quickly in these beginning sentences so she can show the audience the situation of the eulogy. However after this brief introduction, she focuses on her actual purpose of convincing her audience he is a man deserving of respect.
The warmer more hopeful tone is taken over by Thatcher toward the middle of the eulogy. She discusses the ideas that Ronald Reagan took the world he inherited as a president and forever changed it. She then speaks of the ways he did this. He used humor to unite the country of their differences. She recognizes that he excepted criticism if it meant he could build new relationships for the country. In a quote from Reagan where he said “ Let me tell you why it is we distrust you” she is showing that he confronted all problems head on. She repeats all the good characteristics of Reagan to reassure the audience that he is a good man. By doing this she is not only proving to the audience that he was a good man who cared about his county, but also appealed to their logos. By using examples of all of the opportunities he gave the county, such as transforming the economy, there is no way of denying he did great things for America.
Thatcher concludes the eulogy by once again focusing on the unity Ronald Reagan stands for. She states “ He and they loved America and what it stands for: freedom and opportunity for ordinary people” ( line 89-91). She uses this line to further convey her idea that Ronald Reagan wasn’t just focused on policies but also connecting with American people. She uses a form of repetition by beginning and ending the eulogy with the idea that even ordinary people were loved and respected by Reagan.
This is good, Megan! I really like the way you analyzed the word, "we." It's so small and insignificant in most texts, and to be honest I totally overlooked its meaning when I was reading and annotating, but I think it means a lot. You did a great job explaining the details, and ended up with a nice analysis.
DeleteYour emphasis on the inclusivity and tone of the eulogy are great. The way that Thatcher made each member of the audience feel connected to Reagan is very important, and you did a great job of thoroughly explaining that.
DeleteYour broader context at the beginning of the essay was fantastic. It really opened up your introduction and allowed you to speak on many parts of the essay. Your devices used were excellent, you were very descriptive with them as well. Nice work overall.
DeleteYour introduction was very interesting and applied very well to the rest of the essay. I liked how you dissected the eulogy and addressed the tone associated with each part. I hadn’t considered Thatcher’s choice in using we, but it definitely plays a small, and important part in maintaining the relatability aspect of her words.
DeleteThe death of a friend inevitably brings sorrow, but it can also be an opportunity to reflect upon and appreciate the life they lived. The former prime minister of Great Britain took a great opportunity to do so in a eulogy delivered on June 11, 2004. By displaying her emotional connection with the fallen president, as well as establishing her political knowledge and credibility, Margaret Thatcher emphasizes the solemn respect she holds for Reagan while paying tribute to the lighthearted attitude he always exemplified.
ReplyDeleteThatcher wanted to make the audience feel personally affected emotionally, even though few of them had a deep connection with the late president. She did so by effectively sharing her own sorrow, and repeatedly congratulating the personality and morality of the president. One of the most striking examples of the personal connection between the writer and her subject lies in one word on line 23. When Thatcher refers to Reagan as “Ronnie” she shows how comfortable they were with each other. This makes the whole piece seem less formal, and invites the audience to share in her connection. She deepens this point by using narrative and repetition to more specifically address why he was such a good man, friend, and therefore leader. From lines 30 to 40 she speaks about the way he inspired America, grew the economy, and tackled the Cold War. She virtually creates a highlight reel of the great things he did in office, and makes her message more impressionable and bold by starting each piece with the word, “Others.” She begins to show that the most admirable aspect of his character is the way he was not only able to be friendly and morally respectable, but also an incredible figure politically. Her seamless joining of these two points make her writing beautifully effective.
Working at that other point simultaneously makes her whole message even more convincing. Her claims about how politically successful he was while would not mean much coming from just anyone. A fan of his jokes and the friendly atmosphere he carried about him could say he was a good president just because they wanted him to be. However, Thatcher builds upon her personal experience to prove he was truly the best of both worlds. When she mentions many of his accomplishments, she employs figurative language. Some examples are when she says he turned the “stagnant economy into an engine of opportunity,” or how he could make good will “emerge from within its (Moscow’s) dark corridors.” These simple devices not only add style to Thatcher’s text, but are evidence that she has a deep understanding of the situations he faced and the way he reacted. She also mentions working alongside him throughout many of these trials, which makes her connection seem more legitimate, and also encouraging the audience to relate and connect to her message in a more meaningful way.
Margaret Thatcher was able to successfully share her respect and sorrow for Ronald Reagan’s passing through her concise yet lighthearted communication of friendship and credibility. Her speech used skillful rhetorical tools to be moving and solemn yet something that aligned with the airy, humorous way of Reagan. While his life’s agenda was packed, making people smile was a priority, and Thatcher’s work is a perfectly balanced way to make sure that legacy is not forgotten.
Like Viv’s, I really enjoyed your introduction! I think you make a great choice coming up with a catchy sort of way to open, it really grabbed my attention. You pulled things out of the text that I hadn’t really payed much attention to, like “Ronnie.” I think that was a great way to show how personal his relationship was with Thatcher. Good job!!
DeleteGood essay, Kara! In your second paragraph, you touched upon Thatcher using Reagan’s nickname “Ronnie” in her eulogy. I like how you brought this up and your interpretation on mentioning his nickname means. Using his nickname strengthens her ethos because it shows the audience in a subtle way that the two were close, like you pointed out. Also, you expanded on Thatcher’s repetition of the word “others” in a way I didn’t think of. I like how you called it bold.
DeleteVery well written Kara! It was interesting in her eulogy how she was able to shift between lighthearted talk and deeper narratives and maintain the same message. I liked how you made the connection that Reagan could be admired for his friendliness and his strong political achievements simultaneously, definitely an admirable trait.
DeleteMargaret Thatcher, former British prime minster, delivered a touching eulogy in June 2004 to honor her friend and colleague Ronald Reagan. Her eulogy, which honored the memory of the former beloved president, reached out and touched the heart of people across America. Her speech highlighted what a great man he truly was by recounting heartfelt memories of him, his love love for the United States along with its people and allies, and expressing how powerful and true of a leader he really was. Thatcher, using a strong appeal to both ethos and pathos throughout the eulogy, was able to win over the hearts of the American people with her touching piece.
ReplyDeleteIn the beginning lines of her speech she starts by somberly stating, “We have lost a great president, a great American, and a great man, and I have lost a dear friend.” By using these words she establishes a sense of trust between her and her audience, and establishes the fact that they are all in the same boat and are feeling grief with each other. She continues on in her eulogy by sharing stories of him, talking about how we was humorous and had a lightness of spirit when encountering rather difficult times. For example, she recounts a time when he almost lost his life, he remained thus way and calmed the anxiety of his people. She also used his nickname “ Ronnie” (line 23) to help her audience feel closer to him. This is just one way that Thatcher brings pathos into play, making her audience feel as thought they have lost a close friend.
Towards the middle of her speech, she recounts his strong leadership and love for the United States. She states that he inspired people to for us on freedom and to turn enemies into friends. She spoke of how he encountered situations with a cool head, and always did what he felt best for the American people. This is another play on pathos. She reminds her audience that he was a great man, and that he should be honored and respected for that. She then closed by expressing how much he loved his people, and how their freedom was important to him.
Margaret Thatcher was able to gracefully express her sorrow and respect for the loss of her friend through her eulogy. She incorporated rhetorical skills to connect with her audience and their sorrow.
You did a great job of highlighting the importance of the trust between Thatcher and the audience, as well as her efforts to make the audience feel close with Reagan. The use of his nickname in line 23 was a great catch!
DeleteYou did a nice job adding a bit from each rhetorical situation in the text. I also liked how easy it was to spot out your thesis. I think sometimes that is overlooked, but having a blatant thesis helps the reader understand your position, which was evident in your analysis, good job.
DeleteYou did a really nice job with your introduction! You incorporated the context, audience, purpose, and all of the other elements that make a great opening. Nice job!
DeleteThe loss of an influential leader can be incredibly disheartening for his or her people. This was certainly the case after the death of United States President Ronald Reagan. On June 11, 2004, a former prime minister of Great Britain delivered a eulogy in his honor. By including personal testimony to his character and carefully describing the achievements of Reagan’s political career, former prime minister Margaret Thatcher pays tribute to the late Ronald Reagan and the country that he loved dearly.
ReplyDeleteThe objective of Thatcher’s eulogy is to influence the way Ronald Reagan is remembered. In order to do this, she describes his character in detail. She includes both elements that the public could observe and insight from her personal relationship with Reagan. Her word choice is essential in this process. By describing him as having a “lightness of spirit,” and calling his policies “fresh” and “optimistic”, Thatcher highlights that his motives while acting as President were pure and honest. She additionally touches upon his sense of humor, which he used to ensure that people around him and the American people as a whole were feeling hopeful about any situation, no matter how bleak. After successfully establishing Reagan’s good character, she has now created an intimate connection between the late president and citizens who may never have known him. This allows a smooth transition into the discussion of his political achievements.
Thatcher delivers a detailed explanation of work that Ronald Reagan did as President of the United States. Thatcher dives in by discussing the difficult situation that President Reagan faced during the Cold War. She explains how he defied expectations by not only resolving the issues with the Soviet Union, but coming out of the conflict with an ally rather than an enemy. She continues by explaining how he was always willing to say what was necessary, no matter how difficult. She attributes the newly strengthened freedoms of the world to his candid honesty and good will for not only the American people, but the whole world. It was advantageous for Thatcher to discuss the Cold War because it was an issue that affected every single citizen, regardless of their situation otherwise. She also talks about their work together. She testifies that the eight years of his presidency were some of the most important years of everyone's lives. By discussing the many good things that Reagan did for the American people, Thatcher is able to ensure that he will be remembered for his love of his country and his successes rather than his failures.
Through her choice of words and personal testimony, Margaret Thatcher is able to deliver a eulogy that is both beautiful and influential. She effortlessly paints a glowing image of Reagan’s good character and hard work. She successfully ensures that the American people will remember their former leader as a great man who loved them, their country, and what it means to be free with an honest passion.
Nice work viv! It was definitely important to focus on her word choice. Her using words such as optimistic and other positive words you mentioned, it helped her prove that Ronald Reagan was a great man. I also liked how you addressed the rhetorical situation. You made it perfectly clear why the choices she made helped convey her message.
DeleteViv your choice of words was really great here! I loved reading this. I think your introduction was lovely, nice and straight to the point. You never danced around the subject, yet you gave it time to make it a pretty piece of writing. I think this was really well done!
DeleteGreat job! Your writing was right to the point and very well said. Describing Thatcher’s word choice and the adjectives she used in talking about him really helped to prove your point.
DeleteGreat people’s stories and good-doings are able to live on after that person’s death through people whom they have inspired. Margaret Thatcher was a close colleague, even friend, of former President Ronald Reagan. In her eulogy for him, after his passing in 2004, she was able to beautifully recall the great traits and actions of the past nation’s leader. By recounting the countless dutiful actions of former President of the United States, Ronald Regan, Thatcher memorializes Reagan as an impactful and inspiring political figure to all people. Using pathos and remarkable diction, Thatcher capture the essence of the greatness of Ronald Reagan.
ReplyDeleteMargaret Thatcher begins her eulogy to the fallen President, immediately acknowledging the American people have endured a great loss. Thatcher establishes ethos even in the first sentence by ending with saying she has lost a dear friend. She goes on, convincing the audience of Reagan’s greatness by saying the things he was willing to do for his country. Thatcher wants to instill and share with everyone the greatness of the man she was once closely acquainted with. Beyond her personal connection, she details Reagan in an approachable and relatable way that makes people feel even closer to him. She does not go lightly with compliments, making it abundantly clear she was fully on Reagan’s side politically. In lines 37-39, Thatcher confidently states that Reagan won the Cold War without firing a shot. She also remarks in the same lines, that Reagan would invite the enemies out and make friends with them, which shows her respect for the former leader.
Margaret Thatcher’s words for the deceased President are powerful and raw, she directly speaks about the world-changing affects of his presidency. She says in lines 48 and 49 that Reagan was able to reshape the world with his words to Mikhail Gorbachev. Thatcher proves the point again that Reagan is someone to be looked up to and respected. Thatcher builds her ethos even more by recounting being Prime Minister and working closely with Reagan and gaining a grasp on what made his presidency great. She was able to speak these words from a place of understanding because they played a part in each other’s lives. Lines 59-81 drive Thatcher’s point even further by counting off what Reagan was able to do while in office and how efficient and refreshing he was as a leader who did his job well.
Thatcher’s matter-of-fact tone and diction was able to successfully illustrate the greatness of Ronald Reagan to all people. Thatcher delivered an impactful eulogy that portrayed Reagan’s great love for his country and his willingness to do anything it took to uphold the nation’s prosperity. Thatcher brought together the mournfulness for a great leader and his superb, respectable actions, to show what an amazing president should resemble.
I really liked your opening paragraph. It created a great start to the explanation of the speech.
DeleteGreat work Alex. I thought your opening was very good, and I was impressed with your essay as a whole, being that we haven’t focused quite as much on strategy based writing so much as idea based writing. I couldn’t agree more that her diction was very important here, and I found it interesting that you listed tone and cited examples of ethos because I hadn’t thought of those.
DeleteMargaret Thatcher honored the memory of her late friend and colleague, Ronald Regan, with a wonderfully written eulogy. Reagan was a strong leader that fought for his country. In the speech Margaret shows a more personal side of the late president and gives details about major events in his life. By using a relaxed tone and details of his life, she allows the American people to feel close to the man that had run their country.
ReplyDeleteThatcher starts the speech with an explanation of what kind of man Ronald Reagan was to her and America. He has a great personality that left a lasting impression on everyone that he met. Talking about the way he left an impression on people with his personality brings some emotion into the speech. The second paragraph continues to talk about him and his humor. His life was not easy and he survived an attack on his life but during those scary times he managed to create jokes about it to lighten the mood. He also made it a point to talk to America and joke with them that he was ok. These examples are strong evidence that he was a strong man that had an infectious personality. Mrgaret then starts to explain Reagan involvement in the Cold War. The word choices that are used create a very friendly and relaxed tone like in a conversation. She explains that he won the war with a firing shot and by inviting the enemy out of their fortress and turning them into friends. Another major point that is made by Thatcher is Reagan’s understanding of his mind. He had strong beliefs and morals that he never wavered from even in difficult times.
By giving details about the kind of person Ronald Reagan was and explaining the way he ran his presidency, Margaret Thatcher's speech is a memorial to his memory. The explanations of how he handled stressful events and also kept his humor is a great look into Reagan’s life. Margaret’s speech was a well constructed way to always remember the late president.
Good analysis, Sophie. I agree that tone was important, but I thought it was interesting how we talked about tone in different ways. I was thinking more about how her tone conveyed her love for her dear friend, whereas you talked about how her tone helped her connect with her audience. I also thought that your analysis was very complete in breaking down each and every piece of the eulogy.
DeleteIn 2004, the United States was left mourning the death of one of their most beloved leaders, Ronald Reagan. During the funeral ceremony, Margaret Thatcher, former British prime minister, stood in front of the American people and gave a eulogy that captivated their hearts. Thatcher invokes emotion for Reagan and inspires the American people with his accomplishments and good qualities in order to honor the death of Reagan and show her love for her old friend.
ReplyDeleteOne of the most noticeable shifts that Thatcher makes is that she begins by speaking about Reagan’s accomplishments, humor, character, and good qualities from an outside perspective. Later on, she shifts to talking about what made him so great from her own unique perspective as his friend. The first half serves primarily to show how great of a man he was, honor him, and inspire the people. One device she uses to do this is repetition. From lines 30 to 39, she states three examples of how Reagan accomplished something despite what people thought was possible. She structures these examples the same way over and over in order to convey the manner in which Reagan was able to defy people’s expectations over and over. Thatcher also employs an strong diction and syntax early on in order to inspire her audience. Well aware that her audience is made up of Americans who are aware of Reagan’s achievements, she makes use of emotional words that can take her speech one step further. And being that this takes place in the context of a funeral, emotion is the perfect way to get her point across. For example, Thatcher uses phrasing like “free the slaves of communism” (line 7-8) that carries an extra emotional connotation. This type of strong, emotional speech helps draw the audience in and convince them of how great Thatcher believes Reagan to be.
After Thatcher’s shift on line 48, she continues to appeal to pathos using personal stories. She talks about Reagan and her experience with him uses first person. In the context of a funeral, a personal story is often effective in helping an audience connect with the deceased person, so this strategy works well for Thatcher. She continues to speak to Reagan’s perseverance in the face of adversity. The stories in this case, appeal much more to logos because she is directly stating the great things that Reagan did as a leader. Finally, she closes with more emotion, as any good speech should. She also employs an emotional diction again, using words like large-hearted magnanimity. She uses phrases that help the audience connect with Reagan as well. On line 93, she says, “Ronald Reagan carried the American people with him in his great endeavours because there was perfect sympathy between them.” She shows the American people the love he had for them, and feeling emotional during the event of a funeral, they are all to eager to return it.
During her eulogy which was divided into two halves, one with an outside perspective and one much more personal, Margaret Thatcher is able able to achieve her goals with ease in only a short time. By speaking to his magnificent character and accomplishments and inspiring the audience, she effectively conveys her fondness of Ronald Reagan, and she honors him one last time.
Remarkable people often leave a remarkable impact on others. The passing of these remarkable people is unfortunate, but it does give the people who were touched by their lives a chance to acknowledge the goodness of life that is now lost. Margaret Thatcher, Britain’s former prime minister, accomplishes this in the 2004 eulogy to Ronald Reagan who was recently deceased. By incorporating thoughtful diction that addresses and praises the life accomplishments in the eulogy she wrote, Margaret Thatcher calls the American public to action, fortifies Ronald Reagan’s positive legacy, and paints an inspiring image of the deceased former United States president with whom she worked closely beside.
ReplyDeleteAppealing to her audience’s emotions is an important achievement in Thatcher’s eulogy to her friend, Ronald Reagan. It is very easy to tell that these two shared a close bond in life and how much Thatcher respected Reagan just by reading the opening statement. She acknowledges him as a professional colleague, as an individual, and as a friend in lines 1 and 2. She dedicated a little over ten lines to his humor and the way he carried himself, noting how his optimistic attitude “won converts from every class and every nation” (lines 14 and 13). This means that Reagan was able to win people over with a freshness that wasn’t seen frequently in their line of work. She writes with her own optimistic attitude by reflecting on how [his jokes] “were truly a grace under pressure”. She returns his optimism with her own optimism. In line 23, Thatcher refers to Reagan as “Ronnie” after spending her entire introduction praising him for his character traits. By using a nickname, she is subtly expressing affection for Reagan and strengthening her claim of him being her “dear friend” (line 1).
From lines 30-40, Thatcher contrasts Reagan from people who had pessimistic viewpoints. She already spent a large portion of the eulogy praising her friend on his optimism, so by contrasting him with people opposite of him, she makes the image of him being a good person even more believable. She uses repetition with the word “others” three times whilst doing so; each time she does so is when she begins a new paragraph. Others doubted the mission of freedom, others saw only growth limits, others only hoped, but Reagan believed, he transformed, and he did much more than just hope for the best. Her diction makes Reagan stand out more.
She establishes her ethos, or credibility, right off the bat by having the title of former prime minister of Great Britain. She obviously worked closely with Reagan rather frequently and got to learn how he handled his presidential business. Thatcher uses several detailed personal accounts to show how good of a leader he was.
There is a presence of logos when she discusses her friend’s “clear, yet never simplistic” ideas. She concluded her eulogy to Reagan by leaving the people he cared about most, the American people, with a message of how they were the most critical thing to him during his time of being their president. The eulogy ends with her menting freedom and opportunity for ordinary people, which are two very sincere American values. She wanted her audience to say goodbye to Reagan knowing he was a sincere person with the same values as everyone else.
Death isn’t just the end of someone’s life, but the beginning of the world without them. Margret Thatcher, former prime minister of Great Britain, had not only a business and political relationship with the late Ronald Reagan, but also a personal one. She wrote and presented his eulogy to the American people. In her speech, she conveyed her bond with him to the people listening, making it clear to state that he deserved the respect and honor of his people.Through listing his accomplishments and describing his joyful and anxiety relieving personality, she convinced her audience he was a man to be remembered. By using diction, she effectively shares the kind of person and president he was.
ReplyDeleteThatcher begins in her first sentence to repeat the word “great” three times. She says “a great president, a great American, and a great man.” By using repetition, especially so soon in the speech, she is making it clear she thought very highly of him. When describing him, she uses more words such as ‘cheerful’, ‘invigorating’, to describe his personality. In the same sense that she began her speech by referring to him as great, the whole first half of the essay is about him personally. She describes characteristics about him that someone may not know from television or news stories. She makes him more personable by putting him first and not his accomplishments.
To continue, she does list his many accomplishments, and the way he’s handled international relations, the economy, and other important aspects of politics. One thing Thatcher says is that he ‘knew his own mind’. Politicians are generalized as ignorant to others, selfish, and unopened to others’ ideas. By saying he knew his own mind, we can see he was self aware, in a good way. She follows that statement by saying he had the right principles. Even while discussing the political side of him, she remains to praise his works, not only how they were executed, but how they began. He always had the country's best interest at heart, and did not seem to do anything for self gain. She elucidates his motives to be pure by the words she chooses.
To end her eulogy, she speaks of his patriotism. Leading America was instinct for him. He stood for everything America stood for. By ending with this, she appeals to her audience, the Americans, and leaves them feeling thankful for the opportunity they had to be led by such a great man.