Analysis Of Norman Rockwell's Freedom Of Speech

In 1941, at the height of the Second World War Franklin Delano Roosevelt gave a State of the Union Address on the four freedoms: freedom from want, freedom from fear, freedom of worship, and freedom of speech. This speech was given at a time when the basis of the American identity was being challenged all around the world. FDR’s goal was to inspire the people of the United States to fight for and protect these freedoms from the fascist powers abroad. Inspired by Roosevelt’s rousing speech and passion for the war effort, the great American painter Norman Rockwell created a collection dedicated to these freedoms. This collection gave birth to his painting for the freedom of speech, which depicts a fundamental body of American identity. The freedoms

Norman Rockwell’s oil painting on the freedom of speech shows that anyone can voice their opinions and be respected by the people around them no matter class or era in this jingoistic painting.
The success behind the Four Freedoms painting comes from Rockwell’s ability to capture such a universal and commonplace activity such as the expression of freedom of speech. For the Freedom of Speech painting, the first of the set, Rockwell went through many different compositions. The most famous of which showed a working-class man in his work clothes with an empty bench in front of him. Rockwell made this in an attempt to invite the observer into the picture, but he later scrapped this for the painting we have today. The Freedom of Speech depicts what seems to be a farmer in his work clothes. He is the only one standing in the middle

Roosevelt gave a speech on four freedoms that he believed were intrinsic to the American identity. At this time in American history, the foundations of the United States were being tested. This test was against the differing policies of the fascist regimes overseas. Despite the fact that the U.S was not involved in the war at the time FDR knew that American life was being challenged and that the U.S. would have to join the war sooner or later throwing away their isolationism. In his State of the Union he addressed this point along with the four freedoms that would inspire Rockwell. In his speech, Roosevelt said, “In the future days, which we seek to make secure, we look forward to a world founded upon four essential human freedoms. The first is freedom of speech and expression–everywhere in the world” (Roosevelt). The meaning behind Norman Rockwell’s four freedoms lay much deeper than just expressing the American identity each of them holds. Rockwell was inspired by the state of the union address FDR gave and the context of the works unequivocally effect their purpose. The world was in turmoil during this time and FDR was used by the U.S. government for propaganda to inspire the war effort. The Four Freedoms painting were made with the mindset to be used to rouse the American people into protecting their identity all over the world