Analyzing Captain America's Letter (Original)

 

Captain America: The Rhetorical Soldier

Near the end of Captain America: Civil War, Tony Stark (aka Ironman) reads a letter from Steve Rogers (aka Captain America, or Cap for short). The letter is delivered by FedEx to Tony at the Avengers’ compound. (Full text of the letter is included at the end of this essay.) In the letter, Cap shares his honest feelings about Tony, talks about his partnership with Tony’s parents, and shares his hope for the future of the Avengers. In analyzing the text of this letter, I see that its purpose is to show Cap’s true feelings about his relationship with the Avengers and with Tony personally. Cap’s audience in this letter is Tony, of course. But also, the people who watch this movie are part of the audience as they listen to Cap's voice saying the words of the letter. Having been a member of this larger audience, I would say the letter achieves its purpose by continuing Stark’s involvement in the story of the Avengers. The reason it succeeds rhetorically with the moviegoers is the same reason it succeeds with Stark: the letter is honest, humble, and actionable.

Honesty

Cap has always been honest in his character; that never has been an issue for him. But there was a serious competition between Cap and Tony in this movie. At one point in the movie, Cap wasn’t honest. He didn’t tell Tony the whole truth about the relationship with his parents. This letter is effective rhetorically, because it corrects his dishonesty. Cap shows honesty by saying, “I know I hurt you Tony. I guess I thought by not telling you about your parents I was sparing you, but… I can see now I was really sparing myself.” 

This quote from Cap really shows that he cares about Tony. He shows he had a history with Tony’s dad. Cap didn’t know Tony when he served in WWII, because Tony wasn’t born back then. But when Cap and Tony had some issues with each other, Cap felt it was the right thing to show honesty and respect to Tony and his parents in the form of a letter. 

Honesty is a rhetorical factor that is one of the most vital parts of leadership communication. Without honesty, a leader cannot be trusted, because his teammates don’t know if he/she is telling the truth. It was important for Cap to tell the truth to Tony because Tony felt betrayed. After Cap tells the truth, Tony continues with the Avengers. The letter achieved its purpose.

Humility

The Avengers have egos that sometimes get in the way of them being a strong team. In the movie, the Accords (aka Sokovia Accords) were a law that said the Avengers would no longer be a private organization. Instead, they would report to the United Nations. All of the Avengers had issues with the Accords, and the characters picked sides based on what they felt was right for them. Cap also had an opinion on the Accords, but he stepped back from agreeing to the terms which the government imposed. Cap wanted to agree with the Accords, because there were a few things he felt were acceptable. But his experience working with the government made him edgy to trust the government. 

So when he addressed the Accords in his letter to Tony, Cap swallowed his pride. He showed humility by saying, “I wish we agreed on the Accords, I really do. I know you were only doing what you believe in, and that’s all any of us can do. It’s all any of us should.” Cap didn’t show pridefulness in his response to Tony. He didn’t put Tony down. He respected Tony’s choice.

Humility is a rhetorical stance to create a bond with the audience. It’s a type of ethos that gives the writer more credibility. It was important for Cap to show that he was not proud or arrogant. This is what made Tony feel like he could rejoin the team. 

Action

A third strength in Cap’s letter was its emphasis on action. Cap has been that way since he first became Captain America. In this letter, Cap emphasizes action in three ways. First are the words themselves. Cap closes his letter with a call to action by saying, “So no matter what, I promise if you — if you need us, if you need me, I’ll be there.” Cap is not just asking for Tony’s help, but offering help as well. 

Second, Cap emphasizes action by the way the letter was sent. He didn’t send it by regular mail. He sent it by FedEx. This shows that he wanted Tony to get the message as quickly as possible. Not just the letter, but the way it was delivered, communicates urgency. This shows holistic language in a way where the meaning comes from not just the text.

Third, another part of holistic communication is the phone that was sent in the FedEx package with the letter. The phone symbolizes action because it was a line of instant communication. With one phone call, Tony could join the Avengers, which was exactly what Cap hoped to achieve with his letter.

Conclusion
With all these rhetorical factors Cap uses in his letter to Tony, the message was effective. Cap knew that to be a good soldier, he needed to show human traits that would earn Tony’s respect. Cap needed to be honest to gain Tony’s trust. He needed to be humble to gain Tony’s respect. Finally, Cap needed to show action by his words and the way the message was sent. These factors played a major role in convincing Tony to rejoin the Avengers. They also convince the moviegoing audience that the message was successful and that Captain America can be an effective leader.

APPENDIX

Full text of Cap’s letter:

Tony, 

I'm glad you're back at the compound. I don't like the idea of you rattling around a mansion by yourself. 

We all need family. The Avengers are yours. Maybe more so than mine. I've been on my own since I was 18. I never really fit in anywhere, even in the army. 

My faith is in people, I guess. Individuals. And I'm happy to say that, for the most part, they haven't let me down. Which is why I can't let them down either. Locks can be replaced, but maybe they shouldn't. 

I know I hurt you, Tony. I guess I thought by not telling you about your parents I was sparing you, but I can see now that I was really sparing myself, and I'm sorry. Hopefully one day you can understand. 

I wish we agreed on the Accords, I really do. I know you're doing what you believe in, and that's all any of us can do. That's all any of us should. 

So no matter what, I promise you, if you need us... if you need me... I'll be there.