Let's Get Rhetorical
This device repeats the same phrase at the beginning of multiple sentences, as in “Yesterday...”, “Yesterday...”
What is anaphora?
The primary purpose of FDR’s speech.
What is to persuade Congress to declare war?
Country that launched the surprise attack FDR refers to.
What is Japan?
Roosevelt uses this rhetorical strategy when presenting concrete evidence about the attack.
What is logos or an appeal to reason?
The speech uses short, clear sentences. This is a feature of this stylistic element.
What is syntax?
This repetition device appears when FDR ends multiple sentences with “by the Japanese Empire.”
What is epistrophe?
FDR’s tone when stating that “no matter how long it may take us… the American people… will win through to absolute victory.”
What is confident, determined, strong-willed?
Two other countries attacked by Japan the same day.
What are Malaya and the Philippines (or Hong Kong, Guam, etc.)?
This appeal is used when FDR talks about the "very many American lives lost.”
What is pathos or an appeal to emotion?
Describing the event as "treachery" contributes to this kind of diction.
What is a critical, outraged, appalled, or incredulous diction?
With this device, FDR replaces a harsh word with a more agreeable one in this passage: "many American lives have been lost"
What is a euphemism?
FDR’s tone at the very beginning of the speech.
What is somber, grave, solemn, or serious?
Date FDR gave the speech.
What is December 8, 1941?
FDR’s formal, solemn speech is a part of this rhetorical strategy.
What is ethos?
FDR’s repetition of “the Japanese government…” followed by different actions is this type of syntax.
What is parallel structure?