Speech

There are speeches, and then there are speeches.

Some speeches are given in person to great roaring, cheering audiences—peep Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" for a great example. These kinds of speeches are generally meant to inspire, to energize, and to rally.

But the "First Fireside Chat," (which is neither a) a literal chat nor b) told around a s'mores-ready campfire), was motivated by the same thing that motivates the telling of a bedtime story. It was meant to make people feel safe, secure, and cozy-wozy.

After all, it was read into a microphone and sent to the nation over the airwaves to be received by quiet, intently listening families. While the audience for FDR's radio speech was incredibly large (almost 90% of Americans owned a radio in 1933), it wouldn't have felt like you were part of a large crowd while listening with your siblings and parents in your living room.

The "First Fireside Chat" wasn't meant to get people on their feet yelling and screaming, but it was still quite definitely powerful. After listening to FDR for fourteen minutes, millions of Americans looked at their precious family members and smiled, and perhaps started life the next day with a new sense of hope.

Good speechwriting includes short, powerful statements. It includes clear, simple to understand language. It includes frequent pauses, and a tone of voice meant for conveying information. "First Fireside Chat" has all of these, and more. FDR invokes powerful imagery through his word choice ("phantom of fear" [46] and "epidemic of bank failures" [32] are some examples), and backs up his conviction with a tone of voice that makes his words more vivid and real to the listener.

Also, FDR's speech was a novel experience in the early 30s. People had just experienced the boom of new mass produced technology, and being able to hear your president through a wooden box in your living room must have been pretty exhilarating for everyone involved.

How it Breaks Down

Banking 101

Roosevelt begins his speech with a handy-dandy econ lesson. Sure, it's may not be the most thrilling subject for most people, but during the Great Depression people were hungry for knowledge of what was going on with their hard-earned cash.

He calmly and logically explains how people's money in the banks is used for investment, which grows the economy…meaning it's better to keep your money in the bank than under your mattress at home.

What Happened

Americans were mad that their banks had unexpectedly closed. After all, credit cards and ATMs didn't exist back then so the only way to get money—the only way—was to go to an open bank. FDR explains that the "bank holiday" (he made it sound so fun) was to allow the government to get some money, and then restock the banks with cash.

The Plan

Now that the prez has calmed the public and explained what happened, he launches into his plan.

Banks will begin to open over a series of days, cautiously and with heavy government oversight. He explains which cities and areas will open first…and reminds the public that rushing the bank and hoarding money are steps backwards, not forwards.

FDR's Final Points

To end his speech, Roosevelt provides words of confidence and a feeling of self-assuredness. He proclaims his faith in the American people, and asks for their faith in him. He's honest, saying that the country has experienced extreme difficulties, but that by working together and trusting in each other, America can push forward.