Rhetorical Analysis of Greta Thunberg's Speech Essay Example

Persuasion and advocacy spark action. Most are driven to act in life due to others influencing them through their words and previous experiences. How people speak to others directly correlates to them acting or not acting upon the information they are given. Furthermore, the speaker and their technique along with their identity or credibility ultimately persuade and move them to act. Information alone does not sway people in a specific way nor fuels their desire to act on what they have seen. Rather, it requires a speaker to thoroughly explain what the information is revealing, while eliminating the need for it to be interpreted by the audience. As a whole, the speaker determines whether or not listeners are moved by the information presented. Additionally, an individual needs to “sell” his or her audience by using persuasive techniques coherently with the information they are using. Without an effective speaker, the audience is left to interpret the information blindly for themselves which could lead to them taking a stance contrary to what the speaker had intended. In other words, a speaker must have exemplary persuasive skills while also using proper evidence to compel their audience to take action on the matter given. Greta Thunberg’s speech at the Climate Summit in 2019 addresses the lackluster care regarding the effects of climate change on the environment by implementing statistics, word choice, and personal connections. By utilizing these techniques, she condemns the United Nations for their sub-par care of the environment, while also advocating limiting the effects of climate change. 

As a main focal point in Thunberg’s speech, the form and structure of how it was given contributed to it being delivered concisely. Foremost, her identity shapes how people viewed the message. Most advocates who talk about issues like climate change are younger adults to middle -aged people. However, Thunberg was 16 years old at the time, which grabs the attention of the audience. Her giving this speech versus someone older emphasizes how much of an impact climate change was going to have on further generations. Regarding form, her condemning tone used to give the speech also makes a difference in how the audience receives it. The intended group she was attempting to reach were the foreign leaders on the Board of The United Nations who just recently failed to agree on what measures were going to combat the effects of heating on ecosystems. In response, Thunberg’s tone expresses her frustration toward their inability to take a course of action toward climate change. She goes on to say the leaders, “Knew the effects of climate change but didn’t act… they would be evil”, thus suggesting they do not care about the environment and how climate change will affect future generations (Thunberg). Along with lack of care, Thunberg’s tone hints to the leaders they have a lack of integrity toward the climate crisis. 

Along with structure and form, Thunberg’s meaningful purpose demonstrates her cognitive understanding of how important climate change is. The purpose of her speech was to denounce the actions of the United Nations collectively after they did not agree on how to counteract the effects of climate change on Earth and the negative impacts they would bring to future generations of the world. Along with the United Nations not addressing climate change in 2019, millions of children were also protesting for a change in how the issue was being addressed on a global scale (Greta Thunberg Gives Power Speech at UN Climate Summit). More specifically, Thunberg knew since she was delivering it at the Climate Summit, it was going to be aired live on television and Youtube, which could make it go viral and engender more global support. Also since it was aired live, she may have thought delivering such a moving speech live rather than off-air was a more effective way of catching the eyes of the leaders who it was truly intended for. Collectively, her strategy for addressing the world and the United Nations was thought out while also considering multiple factors to ensure it reached as many people as possible. 

In coherence with her purpose, Thunberg incorporates a plethora of persuasive techniques to influence the audience. Specifically, she uses Pathos or an emotional appeal to advocate for action toward climate change while also criticizing the United Nations. For example, she states the leaders have, “Stolen my dreams and childhood with empty words”, saying their words hold no weight in the grand scheme of the issue since they choose to not take action. (Thunberg). She appeals emotionally to the audience because she presents her argument by proposing their failure to act has forced her and others into not enjoying their years of childhood and focusing on advocating for climate change as a result of bad leadership. Furthermore, she indicates the United Nations are more concerned about talking about, “Fairy tales of eternal economic growth”, versus paying close attention to preserving the fragile environment they live in (Thunberg). By saying this, Thunberg wants the United Nations to feel at fault for focusing on selfish endeavors inferior to the climate crisis. 

Along with her words, Thunberg’s body language and actions on stage appeal emotionally to the audience. The speech is given partly while she is crying. This alone appeals emotionally to the audience because they feel a sense of pity toward her since she is a young girl who is crying while giving such a moving speech. This connects to why a speaker needs to be skilled in how they deliver information to the audience. Thunberg stands out to the audience not because of what she is presenting, but also on how she acts and carries herself. Her actions coupled with her words help the audience easily resonate to the climate crisis. 

In addition to Pathos, Thunberg incorporates Logos to advocate for action toward climate change. More specifically, she utilizes statistics to show the looming effects of climate change if steps are not taken to counteract these issues. She says the idea of, “Cutting our emissions in half in 10 years gives a fifty percent chance of staying of staying below a 1.5-degree global temperature increase”, showing the need for more preventative ways to decrease the number of emissions to stop global heating (Thunberg). This statistic makes the audience reason with the chilling facts of the situation while indirectly calling on them to make changes to their plan of reducing global warming. In response to this statistic, she reasons with the audience by saying, “A fifty percent chance is not acceptable to us…we who have to live with the consequences”, thus insinuating it is unacceptable for her generation to be left with having to live in an environment which has been decimated by the effects of heating (Thunberg). She presents the situation the world is in to make the audience aware of how important their choices are in addressing the issue, while also begging them to consider what environment they will leave for coming generations. 

Moreover, another way Logos is seen in her speech is when she directly condemns her audience and challenges their morals. Thunberg is angry with them and outwardly shows her frustration by exclaiming, “How dare you!”, in response to them turning a blind eye (Thunberg). In continuation with statistics she presented, this statement attempts to reason with the audience and make them reflect on their actions. Furthermore, to emphasize the magnitude of the situation they are in, she says the world is approaching, “Mass Extinction”, thus showing the impact the crisis is having on the world (Thunberg). She uses these phrases to indirectly make the audience review their moral compass, while also ensuring they understand how important it is to make the right decisions regarding this issue. 

Lastly, a continuation of young women advocating for widespread issues in the early 2020s era is seen through the Kwanzaa Foundation. Founded by Kopano Tsengiwe and Nwabisa Mpotulo, the two women fought the world hunger initiative by providing food to people in Johannesburg South Africa when they were under lockdown (6 Ways Young People stepped Up to Make the World Better in 2020). Despite world hunger being a global issue, these individuals chose to make a difference in their hometown and help people in tough times. Similar to Thunberg, Tsengiwe and Nwabisa decided to not stand by and let people, in this case, suffer (6 Ways Young People stepped Up to Make the World Better in 2020). Instead, they were proactive and found a solution to solve the local hunger problem.

Today, Thunberg is the centerpiece of the climate movement. Since her speech at the climate summit in 2019, she has spoken at numerous political functions including the World Economic Forum, the British Parliament, and the United States Congress (Greta Thunberg on the State of the Climate Movement and the Roots of Her Power as an Activist). She has continued her mission to raise awareness for the climate crisis since 2019 and has garnered more support from her speeches. Ultimately, the youth of today have the opportunity to be the most outspoken in advocating for awareness of the environment. Consequently, Generation Z  individuals should take it upon themselves to advocate more than the previous generation since they will be living in this world whose environments are at risk of destruction by climate change.