Blood, Toil, Tears and Sweat

Define

Any time you’re explaining something about a text, you need to cite, or point out, textual evidence to support your ideas. Textual
evidence may be a word, phrase, sentence, or paragraph that led you to make an inference or draw a conclusion. When you
cite textual evidence, someone else can look back at a particular part of a text you read and understand how you came to your
inferences or conclusions.

When you make inferences while reading or analyzing a text, you use the text and your own background knowledge to make
logical guesses about what is not directly stated by the author. When you are explaining these inferences to someone else, it is
important that you use textual evidence to show how and why you analyzed a text in the way that you did.

For example, an analysis of Robert Frost’s poem “The Road Not Taken,” in which the speaker describes coming to a fork on a
forest path and having to choose which one to take, might state:

The difficulty of making choices is an important theme of Frost’s poem.

The same analysis is strengthened by going on to cite textual evidence:

Frost establishes this theme in the first few lines. “Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,” the speaker begins, “and sorry I could
not travel both / and be one traveler, / long I stood . . . .” Immediately, we see that the speaker is faced with a tough choice:
which way to go.

Whether you’re making inferences from a short passage or drawing conclusions based on an entire text, textual evidence is the
most important tool for helping you explain your ideas.

Identification and Application:

As you form questions and develop ideas about an author’s informational text:

●Cite textual evidence to analyze what the text says explicitly.

●Combine what the text says explicitly with your own knowledge and research to make
inferences about a text’s ideas. Identify specific details in the text to support your
inferences.

●Find details that point to an author’s sources of information. Readers must consider
whether or not a source is reliable.

Model

One of the most famous speeches of World War II is Winston Churchill’s “Blood, Toil, Tears and Sweat.” As the new Prime
Minister of Great Britain in 1940, Winston Churchill gave this speech on May 13, his first speech to the British Parliament,
in a time of war. Just days before, Nazi Germany had invaded Belgium, France, Luxembourg and the Netherlands.

What made it such a successful speech? Part of its success had to do with the author’s clear sense of purpose. Based on
the circumstances in which the speech was delivered, a reader can infer that the speech was written with two purposes in
mind: first, to establish the speaker’s authority; and second, to call the people of Britain (including Parliament) to action. To
support these inferences, readers must identify specific textual evidence and apply the evidence to an analysis.

A war cabinet has been formed of five members, representing, with the Labour, Opposition, and Liberals, the unity
of the nation. It was necessary that this should be done in one single day on account of the extreme urgency and
rigor of events. Other key positions were filled yesterday. I am submitting a further list to the king tonight. I hope
to complete the appointment of principal ministers during tomorrow.

The appointment of other ministers usually takes a little longer. I trust when Parliament meets again this part of my
task will be completed and that the administration will be complete in all respects. I considered it in the public
interest to suggest to the Speaker that the House should be summoned today.

Model

To show how much work he has had to do and how quickly, Churchill identifies events in a timeline, including “a single day,” “tonight” and
“tomorrow.” He uses the passive voice when he says “a war cabinet has been formed,” indicating that he had the help of others. He will meet
with “the king tonight,” showing that he and the king are working together. He suggests both “extreme urgency,” but also a spirit of cooperation.
He did not wait to address Parliament until his cabinet was fully formed, and he states his reason: “I considered in the public interest,” he says, to
speak that very day. He has the authority to inspire Parliament to meet, has the support of the king, and is doing all this for the good of the public
in a time of war. Textual evidence supports both purposes, to establish Churchill’s authority and to call people to action.

Churchill also knew that, like any politician, there would be people who questioned his methods and felt that he was not making the right
decisions. He came ready to make his point against their arguments. Let’s look for textual evidence that supports this in the tenth and eleventh
paragraphs:

You ask, what is our policy? I say it is to wage war by land, sea, and air. War with all our might and with all the strength God has given
us, and to wage war against a monstrous tyranny never surpassed in the dark and lamentable catalogue of human crime. That is our
policy.

You ask, what is our aim? I can answer in one word. It is victory. Victory at all costs –Victory in spite of all terrors –Victory, however
long and hard the road may be, for without victory there is no survival.

Churchill is writing a persuasive argument that makes counterarguments to prepare for a response from critics. He uses repetition to strengthen
the tone and support the focus of his argument. First, he asks questions that they would ask. The first is, “what is our policy?” He states the
answer simply and strongly: “to wage war against a monstrous tyranny,” and then uses repetition that echoes his question for emphasis: “That is
our policy.” He asks, as his listeners might ask, “what is our aim?” His answer is repeated three times, “Victory.” The repetition of this word shows
not only his aim, but his determination to win. We can infer that he wants his listeners to believe it’s possible. The textual evidence supports that
idea that repetition of ideas is an important method Churchill uses to persuade his listeners. He uses the word “victory” a fourth time at the end of
the eleventh paragraph, this time as a warning: “without victory, there is no survival.”

Your Turn

Reread this section from “Blood, Toil, Tears and Sweat,” and answer the questions.

The resolution:

“That this House welcomes the formation of a government representing the united and

inflexible resolve of the nation to prosecute the war with Germany to a victorious conclusion.”

To form an administration of this scale and complexity is a serious undertaking in itself. But
we are in the preliminary phase of one of the greatest battles in history. We are in action at
many other points--in Norway and in Holland--and we have to be prepared in the
Mediterranean. The air battle is continuing, and many preparations have to be made here at
home.

Multiple Choice

Part A

What can you infer is Churchill’s main reason for supporting the war?

• 1. He feels the country has already begun its efforts and must fully commit to war to win it.

• 2. He feels that the rest of the world expects them to act.

• 3. He thinks the battle will be easy to win, so they should make an effort.

• 4. He wants to prove himself as the new prime minister.

Multiple Choice

Part B

Which textual evidence from the passage best supports your inference?

• “That this House welcomes the formation of a government representing the united and inflexible resolve”

• "to prosecute the war with Germany to a victorious conclusion."

• “To form an administration of this scale and complexity is a serious undertaking in itself.”

• “We are in action at many other points--in Norway and in Holland--and we have to be prepared in the Mediterranean.”