The Strenuous Life Speech By Theodore Roosevelt

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“The Strenuous Life” is the speech delivered by Theodore Roosevelt, who served as the 26th President of the United States of America. According to Wikipedia, the speech was delivered on April 10, 1899, in Chicago, Illinois. The speech was conveyed months after the Senate had sanctioned the treaty with Spain that established the Philippines as a colony of the United States and toward the beginning of the three-years Philippine-America War. The speech is based on the personal life experiences of Theodore Roosevelt. And, based upon the knowledge and understanding achieved during his life, he argues that the hardships and strenuous efforts embraced by Americans are for the betterment of the people and the whole country. The speech is about the efforts and struggles put on …show more content…
Many rhetoric terms can be found in this speech as it is a persuasive speech. Rhetoric terms focus on making the passage more effective and persuasive. In the second paragraph of the speech, an anaphora is used to secure an emphasis. An anaphora is the repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive phrases, clauses or lines in a row. It helps to emphasize the idea and makes the passage more pleasing and easier to remember. Also, it helps make writer’s point more coherent and clear. Moreover, use of anaphora makes the passage appealing to the readers and helps to persuade and motivate readers. For instance, in the second paragraph of the speech, Roosevelt writes “You men of Chicago have made this city great, you men of Illinois have done your share, and more than your share, in making America great, because you neither preach nor practise such a doctrine.” In this example, the writer focuses on the men of Chicago and Illinois and puts an strong emphasis on