Franklin Roosevelt's Second Inaugural Speech Analysis

Nationwide, it is known that Franklin Delano Roosevelt was the one to serve the longest time that any President has ever done so before and he was great at what he accomplished. Roosevelt was like a “grandparent” to the American people with the way that he would speak to them, acknowledge them, and explain what was going on in the world to them (Franklin, American). Each time that Franklin was elected, he had to give the nation an inaugural speech, each president does. However, his second, third, and fourth speeches all related to the topic of what he was going to change in his upcoming presidency compared to the courses of action he had taken in previous events. Within his Second Inaugural Speech, Franklin D. Roosevelt describes to the American

Roosevelt explains and acknowledges the American citizens that aren’t as wealthy and well-off as others. This is one of the many things that the nation liked about him so well. He said, “But here is the challenge to our democracy: In this nation I see tens of millions of its citizens - a substantial part of its whole population - who at this very moment are denied the greater part of what the very lowest standards of today call the necessities of life.” (“One Third of a Nation.”). Roosevelt went on to explain what he meant by his initial quote by saying sentences like, “I see millions of families trying to live on incomes so meager that the pall of family disaster hangs over them day by day.”, “I see millions whose daily lives in city and on farm continue under conditions labeled indecent by a so-called polite society half a century ago.”, and “I see one-third of a nation ill-housed, ill-clad, ill-nourished.” (“One Third of a Nation.”). The reader or listener starts to create an image in their head of a family that tries but can’t provide for each other and an image of individuals that basically don’t have anything. One would start to sympathize and have pity on those in the images created. But, Roosevelt said immediately after these examples, “But it is not in despair that I paint you that picture. I paint it for you in hope - because the nation, seeing and understanding the injustice in it, proposes to paint it out.” (“One

Therefore, the main success of this speech is his presidency that will live on forever. Whenever a conversation is started about politics in general, it’s not a surprise to hear “I wish there was a candidate similar to Franklin Roosevelt”. The last thing that Roosevelt said in his speech was, “While this duty rests upon me I shall do my utmost to speak their purpose and to do their will, seeking Divine guidance to help us each and every one to give light to them that sit in darkness and to guide our feet into the way of peace.” (“One Third of a Nation.”). Just that one quote could explain to someone what he based his entire presidencies around, the American people and their