The True Essence of a Leader: Can You Dig It? Passion, patriotism, and brotherhood. These are the qualities that a great leader must possess and inspire in others. Cyrus, played by Roger Hill from the 1979 film The Warriors, did just that. In his impassioned speech dubbed “Can You Dig It?”, Cyrus successfully rallies many rival New York gangs to unite and take over the city. Cyrus’s use of all three rhetoric techniques proves that he is a great leader who can inspire others and rally many to his causes. A small time Coney Island gang called The Warriors are invited to a peaceful gathering at Pelham Bay Park in the Bronx. The gathering is hosted by a gang leader named Cyrus. He is the the leader of the Gramercy Riffs, who are the most powerful and notorious gang in all of New York city. The Warriors are skeptical about this meeting, they suspect that someone at the gathering will break the negotiated truce. At the gathering are many gangs from all over New York City. Cyrus makes an …show more content…
Cyrus’s credibility is already established mostly because he is the leader of the Gramercy Riffs, the most notorious gang in New York City. Since it is Cyrus hosting the gathering, and not anyone else, most of the gangs were very interested in what he had to say. He also gains their trust by not threatening the gangs. When Cyrus sent out his invitations to the gathering it wasn't through force, but through wisdom and peaceful tactics. Cyrus also establishes them as “one gang”. His unification would include them all. He states “one gang could run this city! One gang. Nothing would move without us allowing it to happen……because WE got the streets, suckers, can you dig it?”. He makes sure to emphasize the point that they would all run the city. Cyrus didn’t want the other gangs to think that it would just be the Gramercy Riffs taking over everything and nobody could do jack