Jimmy Carter Speech Analysis

U.S. President Jimmy Carter creates a moving argument to urge Americans to support the preservation of America's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in order to protect "America's last truly great wilderness" from oil drilling. He builds his argument by starting off with a first-hand experience, pointing out other sources of support, explaining the harmful effects on the native people, and gives the audience a clear list of benefits for preserving the refuge.

Carter begins with an anecdote of his camping experience in the Arctic Refuge. He uses grand imagery such as "This magnificent area is as vast as it is wild, from the windswept coastal plain where polar bears and caribou give birth, to the towering Brooks Range where Dall sheep cling to cliffs and wolves howl in the midnight sun." to illustrate the beautiful wilderness that he witnessed. Giving his point of view, gives his words credibility to the audience as he physically visited the area and makes the readers more sympathetic to his argument. When the audience is introduced to the value of the Arctic Refuge with a first-hand experience, they are more willing to cooperate and agree with Carter.

Further into the speech, Carter gives examples of past presidents "both Republican and Democratic " who took steps in protecting the Arctic Refuge showing that "The extraordinary
He also mentions the harmful injustice it would do to future generations and how not worth it the trip would be. Carter builds a persuasive argument to preserve the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge by using colorful language to bring an image to the audience, driving home the benefits and costs, bringing in other credible sources, and giving the reader a sense of unity and responsibility to protect America's last