Question

Read the excerpt from Greta Thunberg’s speech at the United Nations Climate Action Summit.

My message is that we’ll be watching you.

This is all wrong. I shouldn’t be up here. I should be back in school on the other side of the ocean. Yet you all come to us young people for hope. How dare you!

You have stolen my dreams and my childhood with your empty words. And yet I’m one of the lucky ones. People are suffering. People are dying. Entire ecosystems are collapsing. We are in the beginning of a mass extinction, and all you can talk about is money and fairy tales of eternal economic growth. How dare you!

How does the exclamation "How dare you!” make the speaker’s claim persuasive?

It appeals to authority by showing the speaker as a knowledgeable figure.
It appeals to logic by blaming those who have caused the most damage.
It appeals to emotions by emphasizing how enraged the speaker is.
It appeals to a sense of time by expressing a desire for immediate change.

Answer 1

The phrase 'How dare you!' in Greta Thunberg's speech serves as an emotional appeal, or pathos, making her argument more persuasive by expressing indignation and moral outrage.

Step-by-step explanation:

The exclamation "How dare you!" in Greta Thunberg's speech is a powerful example of using emotional appeal to make her message more persuasive. This rhetorical strategy, known as pathos, is designed to stir the emotions of the audience, creating a sense of urgency and moral outrage at the state of inaction on climate change.

By expressing her indignation in such a forceful manner, Thunberg effectively conveys her deep frustration and holds her audience accountable for their lack of meaningful action, aiming to compel them to acknowledge the gravity of the situation and act accordingly.