Transcript Blood, Toil, Tears, Sweat - AP English Language and Composition

Winston Churchill
Jamie Weiner
About Churchill
 Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill
 (30 November 1874 – 24 January 1965)
 Wrote 5 books by the age of 26
 served as Prime Minister twice (1940–45 and 1951–55)
 Churchill was also an officer in the British Army, a
historian, a writer, and an artist
 the only British prime minister to have received the
Nobel Prize in Literature and was the first person to be
made an Honorary Citizen of the United States.
Background
 This speech was given by Winston Churchill, on his
very first entrance into the House of Commons as
Britain’s new Prime Minister with the presence of the
outgoing prime minister. The speech came on May 13,
1940 at the beginning of the World War II when the
armies of Adolf Hitler were roaring across Europe
conquering country after country for Nazi Germany,
and when the existence and embellishment of Great
Britain itself looked dim and uncertain.
Video
About
 WWII is beginning
 Churchill is warning the citizens of Great Britain to be
prepared for battle
 It is imperative that Great Britain is victorious
 Without victory, Great Britain will not survive
 Without survival, Great Britain’s goals cannot be
reached
SOAPSTone
 Subject: To tell the citizens of Great Britain to be
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prepared because they have no choice; explaining that
Britain needs victory in order to survive
Occasion: WWII is beginning; May 13, 1940
Audience: House of Commons, Mister Speaker, Great
Britain, Parliament, anyone in the world
Purpose: To tell people about the new and upcoming
war; to prepare the citizens of Great Britain
Speaker: Winston Churchill, Prime Minister for Great
Britain during WWII
Tone: Serious, hopeful, determined
Ethos, Logos, Pathos
 Churchill uses strong ethos by speaking honestly and
telling the truth.
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“I now invite the House…to record its approval of the steps taken and
to declare its confidence in the new Government.”
 Churchill needs to be approved for his actions  no dictatorship
 Churchill uses logos by making sure his argument was
clear, concise, and organized
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“Let that be realized; no survival for the British Empire, no survival
for all that the British Empire has stood for…that mankind will move
forward towards its goals.”
 Explaining what is logistically going to happen to Britain
 Churchill uses pathos by making sure the audience felt the
passion in his words
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“I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears, and sweat.”
Persuasive Devices Used
 Intensity: uses wording such as greatest, most, best
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“…we are in the preliminary stage of one of the greatest
battles in history,”
“We have before us an ordeal of the most grievous kind”
“We have before us many, many long months of struggle and
of suffering”
These words give the message Churchill is trying to convey a
more serious tone as well as making him appear bolder.
 Synecdoche: figure of speech in which a part stands for
the whole
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“I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears, and sweat.”
 Rhetorical Questions: Churchill asks these questions
to get his audience to agree with him.
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“What is our policy?”
“What is our aim?”
The answer is obvious to the audience, but Churchill is making
sure the audience is aware and truly believe the answer.
 Repetition: forms a stronger and more meaningful
message
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“…victory; victory at all costs, victory in spite of all terror,
victory, however long and hard the road may be; for without
victory, there is no survival.”
Analysis
 “…we are in the preliminary stage of one of the greatest
battles in history, that we are in action at many points
in Norway and in Holland, that we have to be prepared
in the Mediterranean, that the air battle is continuous
and that many preparation have to be made here at
home.”
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Greatest battle in History is talking about WWII
Britain is in battle in many places
They need to watch their back and be prepared everywhere
and everyway
 “I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears, and sweat.”
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Churchill is committed
Churchill doesn’t want the British people to expect great or superhuman things out of him.
He does want them to know he is dedicated to serving his country
and that he will match the efforts of every citizen to accomplish the
difficult task ahead.
Churchill is going to give this war his all
Churchill wants to win no matter what it takes
Term refers to hard work or effort put into a project (WWII)
This term is an idiom that combines bodily fluids in a metaphorical
way. This shows a deep and intense investment of effort or a personal
attachment to a project (WWII)
 “What is our aim? I can answer in one word: victory;
victory at all costs, victory in spite of all terror, victory,
however long and hard the road may be; for without
victory, there is no survival.”
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Churchill is determined to win victory
Definition of Victory: An act of defeating an enemy or
opponent in a battle, game, or other competition
Victory may be hard, but they have to win in order to survive
and build Britain
 “Let that be realized; no survival for the British
Empire, no survival for all that the British Empire has
stood for, no survival for the urge and impulse of the
ages, that mankind will move forward towards its goal.
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Survival is needed to save the Western Hemisphere
Britain is not in the war alone, this is everyone’s war
Britain cannot let Germany take over Europe and it is up to
them to stop it
 “Come then, let us go forward together with our united
strength.”
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If everyone works together, Britain will be stronger and more
powerful
United = together
Strength = power