Rachel Montpelier
February 29, 2012
COMM 203
Dr. Greene
Personal Responsibility in Eleanor Roosevelt’s “The United Nations as a Bridge”
Eleanor Roosevelt was one of the most powerful women of her time and is still a role model
for first ladies in the United States, since she held a powerful position during and after her husband,
Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s, presidency. Roosevelt was appointed to the “United States delegation
to the United Nations in December 1945” by President Harry Truman (Black 34). The UN
“mandated that the General Assembly ‘set up commissions in economic and social fields and for the
promotion of human rights’” (Black 34). These were part of the duties of the UN and were part of
what Roosevelt addressed in her speech, “The United Nations as a Bridge.” This particular speech is
important because it describes the functions of the UN, but also identifies the responsibility that the
United States citizens must have in their own politics. Roosevelt as a rhetorician uses ethos and
logos in the epidectic speech “The United Nations as a Bridge,” to not only describe what exact
purpose the UN serves to the United States, but to also identify whose responsibility it is to make
sure that UN actually functions.
The rhetorician, Eleanor Roosevelt, was very involved in her own projects and public affairs,
which helped create the rhetorical situation of her speech. After her husband’s death, she was
appointed as a delegate of the UN and “maintained her interest in the United Nations and took part in
many projects relating to its work, speaking about it before many and varied audiences” (“Eleanor
Roosevelt” 640). The exigence—or the “imperfection marked by urgency”—to the speech, “The
United Nations as a Bridge,” is the general public’s dissatisfaction with the work of the UN and
Roosevelt’s obligation to defend its work and explain how the UN functions as a tool in the United
States (Bitzer 63). The audience contained the seminar audience at Brandeis University on
December 17, 1954. The possible constraints—or possible modifiers of the exigence—of this
particular text included the chance that Roosevelt was not able to convince the audience that the UN
is necessary (Bitzer 64). According to Roosevelt, “the object of that organization” is “to keep peace”
(Roosevelt 640). Some members of the audience might not have shared the opinion that peace was a
priority. Another constraint might have been that Roosevelt believed that it was the responsibility of
the people to “make it work” (Roosevelt 641). The audience members might have felt lectured or
might have resented the rhetorician for dragging them into her cause. Also, it is a possibility that the
audience did not understand or accept the metaphor Roosevelt used in the speech. Roosevelt
symbolizes the UN as a “bridge” and the “General Assembly as a place where bridges are built
between peoples” (Roosevelt 640). This metaphor might be lost on some, and others might believe
that the UN has nothing to do with their personal lives. Roosevelt’s speech was fitting response to
the rhetorical situation, because she did not play politics with her speech. She does not spout only
positives about the UN, but acknowledges exactly what her audience was thinking. Roosevelt
classifies them as “an impatient people,” acknowledges their doubts, and goes on to defend her
position as part of the United Nations (Roosevelt 641). Her honesty to the public about her
dedication to the UN and her awareness about the public’s perception was exactly the best response
to the situation.
The method of analysis that will be applied to Roosevelt’s text is Neo-Aristotelian. This
method allows each part of the text to be studied and described. Also, the emphasis Neo-Aristotelian
critics put on rationality could have been used by the rhetorician to show the audience how
something as personal and important as human rights is still important (Foss 23). In other words,
Roosevelt uses a level head and rationality in this speech, and that is a tenet of the criticism. Also,
there is a possibility that the audience was irrational and varied. The variety of audience could
change the lasting impact of the speech and even render it useless. It is important to look at this
speech through the Neo-Aristotelian lens because it allows the reader to study every point of the text,
and to consider the possibility that the audience did not respect the speech.
The artifact that will be applied to the Neo-Aristotelian version of criticism is Eleanor
Roosevelt’s speech, “The United Nations as a Bridge.” The speech is a part of the anthology, The
World’s Great Speeches and is a written excerpt from her original speech. The speech basically is a
request from Roosevelt to the public to support and help the United Nations work as an organization.
The rhetorician lays out the basic functions of the United Nations and makes her case that it is the
responsibility of the public to help ensure that the UN works and helps the world.
This particular version of Eleanor Roosevelt’s speech rallies support and defends the United
Nations as an institution, but this was hardly the first time that she was involved in politics, other
than her husband’s presidency. Harry Truman appointed Roosevelt “to the United States delegation
to the United Nations in December 1945,” so she was experienced in her field well before the date of
the speech (Black 34). The United Nations itself was a controversial institution then and her role as a
delegate required Roosevelt to defend her position and the institution, itself. For example, there were
allegations from the public that “any human rights document crafted by the United Nations would
bring socialism to America” and Roosevelt’s “fierce patience and determination” was greatly needed
(Black 34). Roosevelt used her dedication to human rights and the UN to defend the organization’s
action and to make sure that the public recognized the need to participate in global politics. Her
resolve to gather support for the United Nations was the basis for the speech, and her insistence that
the public would understand the institution resulted in her words at Brandeis in 1954.
Along with the historical base, the purpose of this speech is the fact that Roosevelt used this
speech to rally support for the United Nations. She managed to use her speech to defend its actions
and call out for the help of the average citizen. She even opens her address with the statement “You
hear people say, ‘Why hasn’t the United Nations done this or that?’” (Roosevelt 640). Her words
draw and instant connection to the audience, and also sets up her purpose. Roosevelt knows that her
audience had doubts about the United Nations, and she decides to deal with those doubts head-on,
and did not bother to circumvent her point. Roosevelt wants to take responsibility for the UN, but
also wanted to share that obligation to the institution with the general public. She assures the public
that “eventually we will use this machinery better and better” but also claims the machinery will not
be useful unless the “people make it work” (Roosevelt 641). These two claims set up her purpose for
the speech perfectly, and also help her to shame the public into caring about her work.
While one can see how clearly Roosevelt communicates her purpose, it is because of the
invention of the speech that this is possible. Roosevelt uses both ethos and logos in her address in
order to establish her credibility as a delegate, but to also sensibly present the information about the
UN. For example, Roosevelt closes her speech with “We are the strongest nation in the world. We,
whether we like it or not are the leaders....we help ourselves, but we also help the world” (Roosevelt
641). This progression establishes logos because Roosevelt makes the true point that the United
States is powerful, and that that power should not only help US citizens it should help citizens all
over. Also, Roosevelt establishes ethos throughout the speech simply by using the word “we” over
and over (Roosevelt 640, 641). By likening herself to the public and to the audience, Roosevelt gains
credibility as a person to be trusted, and a person who knows the United States and the United
Nations well. Her unification with the public helps her to make the argument that it is the people’s
responsibility to get the United Nations to work.
In addition to invention, Roosevelt’s speech also has a specific organization. The speech has
a structure that gives a general description of the United Nations, and then becomes more specific as
to why the public should care and contribute to the United Nations. For example, Roosevelt very
plainly makes the point that the UN has the main objective to “keep the peace” (Roosevelt 640).
However, she goes on to explain that “peace has never been found” but claims that the people should
not be “disheartened” (Roosevelt 640-641). The structure of this speech gives the audience a general
view of what the goal of the UN is, then narrows down to describe its shortcomings and how it can
improve.
Along with invention, the text also has a specific style and delivery. Roosevelt uses a very
reasonable tone for style and comes off as very sensible. She makes the brilliant move of describing
the UN as a “bridge” that is building “between peoples” (Roosevelt 640). This metaphor contributes
to the intellectual style of the speech, but also creates logos. She presents the UN in a way the public
can make sense of. Even if they are not personally involved with the UN, they can understand how it
works with the metaphor. Also, judging from the written text and the organization, the speech was
well-thought out and planned. It does not seem improvised. Roosevelt meticulously reaches out to
her audience and presents herself as someone to be trusted and uses her knowledge to motivate the
audience to help her with her cause. It is obvious that she practiced the speech many times and
predicted how the audience would react.
After one analyzes the canons of the speech, it is easier to assess the effects of the speech.
Roosevelt is still very well respected today, and her work with the creation of the UN is still
considered incredible. The United Nations is still active today, but peace was still never found
(Roosevelt 640). The metaphor of a bridge is very easy to understand and is still very effective.
Also, Roosevelt continues to shame the reader into feeling responsibility in the workings of the
government. If the rhetorician presented the speech today, she would again be successful at
describing her organization in a logical, reasonable way. Also, she would establish ethos and be able
to gain a connection to the audience and convince them that she is someone who is credible.
Eleanor Roosevelt’s epidectic speech, “The United Nations as a Bridge” describes the
general work of the United Nations, but also cites whose actually responsibility it is to make it work.
This speech was part of Roosevelt’s general work as a delegate, but also displays the elements of
rhetoric. The rhetorician manages to use both ethos and logos to establish her credibility as someone
to be trusted, but also presents her case in a way that is sensible. With logos and ethos, Roosevelt
manages to successfully describe just how useful the United Nations is, and also reaches out directly
to the public so that they can share responsibility for the actions of their country.
Bibliography
Bitzer, Lloyd F. “The Rhetorical Situation.” Purposes of Rhetorical Criticism. 60-68. Print.
Black, Allida M. “Eleanor Roosevelt and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.” OAH
Magazine of History 22.2 (2008): 34-37. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. 19 Feb 2012.
“Eleanor Roosevelt.” The World’s Great Speeches. 4th ed. Ed. Lewis Copeland, Lawrence W. Lamm
and Stephen J. McKenna. Mineola, New York: Dover Publications, Inc., 1999. 640. Print.
Foss, Sonja K. Rhetorical Criticism. 4th ed. Long Grove, Illinois: Waveland Press, Inc., 2009. Print.
Roosevelt, Eleanor. “The United Nations as a Bridge.” The World’s Great Speeches. 4th ed. Ed.
Lewis Copeland, Lawrence W. Lamm and Stephen J. McKenna. Mineola, New York: Dover
Publications, Inc., 1999. 640-641. Print.