4) The Response

Let's ...!

The purpose of a pep-talk is to gather the energy of a group for a certain cause through certain means. The response represents the final stage of the pep-talk. In this last part, the gathered energy of the group is supposed to be released or directed towards a concrete object.

• "Our language suggests that the emotional intensity surpasses our rational powers of restraint: the adrenalin is flowing, we are out of control, we can't hold back, we've reached the breaking point." (Rank 158)

• frequent phrases: "last straw", "final insult", "crossed the line", "had enough"

• claim for specific action at the end (phrases such as "Let's do something" are no longer used)

• call for
  • fight/struggle ("Let's get going" etc)

  • endurance ("Hold on", "No matter how long", "Stick to it"; common metaphors: "over my dead body", "to the gates of hell"; historical allusions: "When the going gets tough, the tough get going." the Spartans at Thermopylae "They shall not pass")

• response has to appear reasonable and appropriate

 --> action must lead to reaction