Question

Pt (15 points)

Read the following passage from "Their Finest Hour, by Winston Churchill. He delivered the speech to
the House of Commons on June 18, 1940, shortly after Great Britain suffered heavy losses at the
Battle of France.
[T]he winter will impose a strain upon the Nazi regime, with almost all Europe
writhing and starving under its cruel heel, which, for all their ruthlessness, will
run them very hard. We must not forget that from the moment when we declared
war on the 3rd September it was always possible for Germany to turn all her Air
Force upon this country, together with any other devices of invasion she might
conceive, and that France could have done little or nothing to prevent her doing
so. We have, therefore, lived under this danger, in principle and in a slightly
modified form, during all these months. In the meanwhile, however, we have
enormously improved our methods of defense, and we have learned what we
had no right to assume at the beginning, namely, that the individual aircraft and
the individual British pilot have a sure and definite superiority. Therefore, in
casting up this dread balance sheet and contemplating our dangers with a
disillusioned eye, I see great reason for intense vigilance and exertion, but none
whatever for panic or despair.
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Explain the comparison that Churchill makes in the last sentence of the passage. How is the content
of the passage similar to a bookkeeper's balance sheet, which is a summary of what a company owns
and owes as well as how much people have invested in the company? Then analyze how the
comparison helps Churchill fulfill his purpose of persuading the British people to stand firm despite
recent setbacks. Support your ideas with specific details from the passage.

Answer 1

In the last sentence of the passage, Churchill compares the situation facing Britain to a "dread balance sheet." This analogy is similar to a bookkeeper's balance sheet, which is a summary of a company's assets and liabilities, and is used to assess its financial health.

Churchill's comparison serves to illustrate the gravity of the situation facing Britain, while also highlighting the importance of taking a clear-eyed view of the risks and challenges ahead. He acknowledges that the balance sheet is a "dread" one, meaning that it contains a number of serious threats and dangers, including the possibility of invasion and the ongoing strain of the war effort.

At the same time, however, Churchill is careful to note that this is not a time for panic or despair. Instead, he stresses the need for "intense vigilance and exertion," drawing on the lessons learned during the war thus far, and the confidence gained from Britain's ability to withstand the Nazi onslaught.

Overall, the comparison to a balance sheet helps Churchill to frame the situation facing Britain in terms that are both stark and familiar. By using a metaphor that resonates with people's everyday experience of assessing financial risk and opportunity, he is able to convey the seriousness of the challenges ahead while also instilling a sense of resolve and determination to see the war through to a successful conclusion.