Rhetorical Analysis Rough Draft
A man in a suit starts off a televised address with a solemn “Good evening.” Not a cheerful hello to his audience or even one that makes one feel happy and confident in oneself. The man in the suit’s “Good evening” is one that he says with a negative connotation, and he sounds tired and saddened as he talks. Even a child can understand that what the man has to say is probably not going to be happy or forgettable.
The date of this speech is September 11, 2001, one of the most unforgettable days in the American identity. The man, of course, is none other than President George W. Bush. And his tone is one of solemnness, for he has to address the American people about the occurrence of a tragedy, of something that not just took away his people’s countrymen, but also their peace of mind and confidence of the invulnerability of his (and their) nation. Bush tells America “our citizens, our way of life, and our very freedom came under attack in a series of deliberate and deadly terrorist acts.” Bush slowly gets angrier as he progresses along in his speech, tagging on statements with regard to how common Americans, people much like his populace, died innocently and were killed by “despicable acts of terror.” Bush tries to keep his anger under control, so as not to seem overly emotional and lose his cool, but he wants his people to see that he too is angered by the tragic loss of everyday Americans. Bush repeatedly comments on the horror of the events of 9/11, but his goal is not to scare Americans or report miserable statistics to them; Bush’s goal is to inspire his people, the American people, who are much like his children, to fight back and stay motivated and proud and, most of all, American, in the dire hours of September 11.
The terrorists chose the targets of their attack very well. The World Trade Center was a symbol of American beauty, confidence, and economic power in one of the most American cities in the world, New York City. The terrorists, true to their name, terrified Americans all over the country with their despicable hatred and dispatched great uncertainty and fear into the previously fearless American people. Americans, in the moments of despair in between the attacks and Bush’s address lost their resolve. But Bush, knowing this, got it back for the people he loved. Bush conveys several commonplaces and ideologies to his listeners to reinvigorate them with the glory of the United States. “Our country is strong,” followed immediately in Bush’s no longer solemn, but rather confident voice by “A great people have been moved to defend a great nation” certainly makes Americans feel good about the state of themselves and their nation.
Bush’s voice throughout the entire speech adds not only the idea of emotional connectivity with his constituents, but also adds credibility to his speech. He is the leader of all Americans, which means he is one of the strongest people in the world. His voice is firm and he is in the Oval Office, proving his legitimacy. The fact that he is even in the Oval Office, not tucked away safely in some remote, unknown government location builds his credibility to the American people, as he stayed with them during the toughest of times and went so far as even to risk himself to be with them in their time of need. This move of Bush’s to actually stand with the American people lets his people also feel an emotional sense of camaraderie, as they feel that Bush is simply one of them, not some distant politician who has no touch or connection with the American people. This was a critical political move for Bush as well; Bush vacationed throughout almost all of August of 2001, and many political pundits and critics condemned his heavy vacationing. Bush’s decision, even with the political ramifications taken into account, is still a rhetorical strategy and not a political power play at its heart; it was a brave move made by a caring leader who had to do his duty.
Bush’s speech also has the objective of telling America what he plans to do with his country’s resources. Logos is behind all of his motivational comments on America’s strength, because in 2001, America’s might was a very real concept. Bush gives America a very short and sweet statement with respect to her military might: “Our military is powerful, and it’s prepared.” This direct quotation from the address is quite possibly the only statement that is not boisterous and heavily pro-American. America’s military at the time is not just powerful and prepared, it is the most dominant fighting force in the history of the planet, and is quite the force to be trifled with. It is a failure of rhetoric on the part of Bush to not emphasize the extreme military power to his angry, ready-to-retaliate citizens.
Bush’s other discussions on the uses of the resources of the powerful American government, on the other hand, are rather effective. Bush makes it exceptionally clear that the primary immediate concern of the American government is to safeguard and support the American people who need the most attention, specifically the injured and those who lost people close to them in the attacks. Announcing that he is giving aid and support to the weak and the wounded quite literally helps his purpose in the fields of ethos, pathos, and logos. It is logical, caring, and makes Bush look like a very respectable leader when he takes care of his weak to make his country strong and well-supported.
The decision to open up the entire government as if nothing happened is, however, a double-edged sword. The little opposition Bush saw immediately following the attacks felt that acting like nothing had happened to the country was unfeeling and disrespectful to the victims of the tragedy. His supporters (most of the country) on the other hand, saw his decision to keep everyday life going come September 12 as an act of defiance and one of progression because it made the terrorists see that their effort was in vain and that America was strong.
Bush has several pro-American sentiments and commonplaces scattered throughout his speech, but the end of his speech is the true place where he uses kairos and commonplaces to make Americans feel truly good about themselves in light of a tragedy. Bush, knowing that America needs spiritual peace and is a traditionally Christian country, “[asks] for [the people’s] prayers for all those who grieve, for the children whose worlds have been shattered, for all whose sense of safety and security has been threatened.” Calling for prayer is a very good (if cliché) way to unite people and to make them feel respectful, appreciative, and proud of what they have. Pathos also comes into play with prayers because it is such an emotional activity, opening oneself to God or the higher power completely.
Bush repeats a psalm at the end of the address and adds commonplace credibility to his purpose once more by being able to do something all Americans should do: repeating the words of God with precision and in the correct context. The words of the Bible coming from the American commander-in-chief also cause tears in the eyes of many people and gives one final emotional spur to the American people to get through the rest of the day. Overall, Bush uses rhetoric very well to spur the American people through the heartbreak of the attacks on America on September 11, 2001.