Winston Churchill was undeniably a master of rhetoric. It was by so being, in part, that helped him unite his country in the face of strong opposition. When he gave his “Iron Curtain” speech, Churchill relied on rhetoric to inspire camaraderie with those of the United States. For instance, he made quick and memorable metaphorical phrases Americans could use to describe the situations in the world. They wanted, for instance, ‘the sinews of peace’, and knew it would be necessary to overcome ‘the iron curtain’ to achieve it. Churchill also relied heavily on ethos, having established a strong presence by his essential role in the Second World War, to ensure they would listen to him. However, instead of heeding him as a political entity, he asked them to understand his message came from him as a man or individual.
The manner in which Churchill uses kairos is impeccable as well. The message is necessary according to the times because the Second World War has just ended and it’s important nations are well positioned for the following phase. He asks for the alliance of the United States as Communism becomes a growing threat, while never insulting Russia or insinuating that they are anything less than allies. Such positioning is characteristic of the Cold War. Churchill knew that there was no time to waste after the conclusion of the Second World War- it was time to prepare for the future.
Churchill would not be have made such a lasting impact as an orator if it was merely his words that made such a difference. He used the medium of speaking in order to convey enthusiasm and have a basic relationship with those he was addressing. You can hear it when the audience applauds at specific things he says. You can hear it when he raises his voice or changes his tone. He is successfully building emotional memories for those who hear him. Wanting to be a form of orator myself, he’s a major inspiration- not just in how he speaks, but in all of it. In his use of rhetoric, the powerful messages he delivered, as well as his speaking ability.
https://variety.com/2017/film/reviews/churchill-review-brian-cox-1202447010/
Part of building his credibility and gaining his audience's trust is because of what Churchill says in the first paragraph--he acknowledges the familiarity of the name "Westminster" and relates with the audience by saying "we have both been educated at the same...kindred establishments." This phrase puts him on the same playing field as his audience.
ReplyDeleteI didn't get around to mentioning it in my blog post, but I was really impressed by how well he used kairos as well. He doesn't oppressively hang the war over everyone's heads. He brings it up just enough to keep it present and to lend a sense of urgency to his message. You're right too when you say he was all about the future. Absolutely brilliant.
ReplyDeleteI think that Churchill's ethos like you said was well used. He used it to bee sure. But he didn't rely on it. He wanted his message to be heard and responded to as a member of mankind. But it's heavy impact came because of his position.
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