Charlie Chaplin

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Sir Charles Chaplin’s speech from the 1940 motion picture called The Great Dictator was extremely hard-hitting and inspirational. It did very well to get the message across. His speech was a cry for help on behalf of many civilians, demanding a much needed change in the world back in the 1940s. He briefly touched on the intensity of the problem and what it could become in the future if no action would be taken. In doing so, he maintained respect with the audience; rather than talking down to them, he put himself onto their level without being too familiar. Very boldly, Chaplin effectively expressed to the people that it is our responsibility as humans to make the world a better place because its fate is determined by our influence.

Right off the bat, Chaplin conveys his humility. In his speech, he makes it clear that he was not trying to be a dictator, such as Hitler. Rather, he wanted to show that he was just like them, a plain man who desired change in the world. Through his speech, it is apparent that Chaplin is the mediator, but not in a high place. His first two words, quietly uttered, are, “I’m sorry,…”(The Great Dictator 1940). As opposed to a president trying to win an election, saying these two words at the very beginning of a speech immediately bring Chaplin to the people’s level, even though he is the speaker and the demander of peace. I found this very effective because it is refreshing for me to see humility in such a powerful speech. It does not show that he wants to be worshipped. These two words immediately give him respect because it shows remorse, and in turn, the people will be more open to his words. It comforted me to see that he was not arrogant. He later goes on to say, “I s...

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...is powerful because it encourages the audience to really see the problem, and without action taken by each individual, the problem will remain. Chaplin’s strategies paired with his powerful passionate voice helped him to successfully win the hearts of many and get through to his targeted audience.

Works Cited

http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/top25-quotes.htm>.

http://www.culturaldiversity.com.au/practice-guides/cultural-awareness

http://www.forbes.com/sites/kevinkruse/2013/05/28/inspirational-quotes

http://wallstcheatsheet.com/stocks/20-most-memorable-quotes-from-steve-jobs.html

http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/tag/cultural-differences

http://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/12080.Ralph_Waldo_Emerson

http://moonlightenedshelves.wordpress.com/2012/03/23/charlie-chaplin-and-the-great-dictator-the-speech-that-resounds-across-time/

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