Social Actors in Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Fireside Chat on December 9, 1941

Abstract

This study examines President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s historic fireside chat on December 9, 1941, through a three-step model for social actor analysis that incorporates the transitivity system and the social context of the time. Beyond merely identifying the social actors in the speech, the research investigates the underlying ideologies and the communicator’s strategic intentions. The analysis uncovers three central social actors: Americans as a united collective, the U.S. government as a strong and responsible entity, and the Axis powers as aggressors masterminded by Nazi Germany. These representations of social actors illuminate the underlying ideologies that emphasize the government’s authority and Nazi Germany’s pivotal role in intensifying the conflict. The study further reveals President’s intentions to challenge U.S. isolationism and direct public outrage towards Nazi Germany, thereby justifying and legitimizing U.S. entry into World War II. In doing so, this research offers a deeper insight into this time-honoured speech.