Margaret Thacher On Ronald Reagan

On the fifth of June in two thousand and four, Ronald Reagan passed away. Being the 40th president of the United States of American, the dark time that followed was greeted with kindness from many of the countries we are allied with. Great Britain was the first to speak up with their former prime minister, Margaret Thatcher writing a beautiful and thought provoking eulogy. Thatcher uses many many rhetorical strategies to adequately covey her point. By appealing to logic, emotions and ethics, she paints Ronald Reagan in the most favorable light. In her use of symbolism she creates a vivid picture for her readers of exactly who this man really was, both as a leader and as a friend.

Ethics are defined as the moral principles that define a person’s behavior, in this case, Margaret Thatcher was a strong political leader, speaking on behalf of a passed leader whom she knew very well. As a prime minister, it is her civic duty to maintain a level of poise and rationality even in the most difficult of times. As observed in the way she writes, Thatcher maintains an unmatchable level of dignity in what had to be a completely

devastating time. In the time of shock for a country whose nationalism sets the bar for pride, Margaret does justice for not only Britain, but for struggling America while we mourn the loss of our president.
Following the line of ethics established by her title, Margaret Thatcher also appeals to the emotionally challenging time of mourning the loss of a loved one. However, the tone she uses is not one of sorrow and melancholy, instead, praising and celebrating the life and accomplishments of President Ronald Reagan. Quoting one of Reagan's friends and comrades, Arnold Bennett had this to say about the underated cause the president stood for, “the great cause of cheering us all up.” Thatcher also remarks about how the late president was always laughing and making jokes when there was a time of depression, saying, “his easy jokes gave reassurance to an anxious world.” Even in such a hard time, Margaret Thatcher begs the spirit of Reagan live on and asks a grieving nation to remember him in happiness instead of tears.
While processing the loss of such a man can be taxing on one’s psyche, Thacher takes the time to remind us of the accomplishments of such a great man. She begins by addressing how Ronald Reagan’s optimism ignitiened a renewed faith of not only America’s, but all the accompanied allies faith in our joined mission for freedom. Thacher follows the point by addressing how the economy was stagnant before Reagan come to office, and how it became an “engine of opportunity” under his supervision. The last and most pressing point Margaret Thatcher raises, is how Ronald Reagan ended the Cold War, without firing one shot. She admires his diplomacy and his ability to simply talk problems out instead of heading to war over differences.
The most remarkable part of this entire piece is Thacher’s use of symbolism, even though this is a eulogy and not a work of fiction, where they are regularly found.

Ronald Reagan is painted a symbol of hope and prosperity for the American people. Ronald Reagan is the embodiment of positive change, holding tight morals and maintained dignity, even when the imposing “end of the world” was placed upon his lap. Margaret talks about her close personal relationship with Reagan over the course of eight years where he always acted swiftly and deliberately as if he was playing a game of chess that he was one step ahead. Ronald Reagan’s ideas were as big and as bold as his personality. He had drive, dedication, and wit beyond measure, Thatcher wanted to paint Ronald Reagan as the great man he was and the amazing friend she had the pleasure of

knowing.
Though this time was a dark, challenging and confusing period, the passing of Ronald Reagan was done justice in the beautiful words spoken about his life. Margaret Thatcher wrote an unforgettable eulogy that actively coveys her purpose of decorating this man’s life and reminiscing about how special he truly was to our country and to her own personal life.