Winston Churchill's Rhetorical Analysis: The Diary Of A Young Girl

War, as defined by Merriam-Webster: Dictionary and Thesaurus, is a “state of hostility, conflict, or antagonism” (Merriam-Webster.com). Positivity, buoyancy, and optimism are on the complete other side of the spectrum. Yet, optimism is the best response to conflict, especially in a time of war. War is grim and brings out desperation; positivity is a response that serves to contrast with the brutal reality of war. A positive response will drastically change any mood, no matter how heavy or pessimistic; this is effortlessly shown in Winston Churchill's speech: Blood, Toil, Tears and Sweat. In his speech, Churchill uses optimism to convince a nation to fight for their beliefs; the hope and confidence he shows in his country convinces his fellow
In an entry, Frank describes adjusting to her new life in the annex. “It's more like being on vacation in some strange pension” (Frank par. 18). Frank’s description points out the optimistic view of her new living conditions. Rather than contrasting the “damp and lopsided” annex with her multiple-story home, Frank chooses to compare it to a boarding house, and states that she feels as if she is on a vacation. Her positivity is what helped her cope with the drastic change. An entry from her diary stated, “Father, Mother, and Margot still can't get used to the chiming of the Westertoren clock...Not me, I liked it from the start; it sounds so reassuring, especially at night” (Frank 18). This quote from Frank shows the difference a positive attitude can make. Rather than finding the chiming of the clock annoying like the rest of her family, Anne Frank found it reassuring; she took something unbearable and made it soothing with her positivity. Frank’s response to the clock compared to her family’s response to the clock serves as a metaphor comparing a negative response to conflict to a positive response to conflict: Frank’s family is hindered from the conflict because of their negative attitudes, while Frank barely lets it affect her at all because of her positive attitude. Eventually, her family would have to overcome the problem, but Frank never had to worry about it because she had a positive attitude. Studies show that positive thinking can lower rates of distress and increase coping skills during times of stress and hardship. Mayo Clinic states that positive thinking will give you “Better psychological and physical well-being” (http://www.mayoclinic.org). This is clearly shown in Anne Frank’s entries as she made her experience in the annex bearable with her positive