C301 MAE #1

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California State University, Long Beach *

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301

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Communications

Date

Jan 9, 2024

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docx

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Uploaded by KidVulturePerson541

Provide robust, full sentence responses to each of the following prompts/questions. Organize your response to each question around clear, strong claims. Provide evidence (direct quotes or vivid descriptions) from the speech and explanations/reasoning to support your claims (include the questions/prompts in your response). 1. Reconstructing context : What information is most important to know about the rhetorical situation and rhetor ? On January 21, 2021, Joe Biden, the 46th president of the United States of America, delivered his Inaugural Address. Biden’s Inauguration speech was delivered during a time of political polarization, economic unrest, and a global pandemic. Just a few weeks prior, on January 6, 2021, chaos erupted in the Capitol Building–pro-Trump supporters stormed the building in an attempt to overturn the election results after the former president, Donald Trump, claimed the 2020 election was a fraud. The attempted insurrection was marked by anarchy and violence and resulted in the deaths of five people, including a woman. This major political disruption raised safety and security concerns leading up to President Biden’s Inauguration. During this time, the COVID-19 global pandemic continued to have a significant impact on the United States–as efforts to distribute vaccines against the virus were underway, there were surges in new cases, hospitalizations, and deaths across the country. Economic challenges, such as record-breaking unemployment rates, inflation, and general instability inflicted the nation as a result of the devastating pandemic. Given this context, it is clear that President Biden’s Inaugural Address was delivered at a critical moment in American history. His Inauguration allowed him the opportunity to address the numerous challenges that were plaguing the nation, and to call for healing and unity at such a volatile time. (218) 2. Invention: Identify at least three main topics/issues discussed in Biden's inaugural address and analyze the use of logos in his discussion of each (consider Biden's claims, evidence, & reasoning). In his Inaugural Address, President Joe Biden emphasizes numerous important issues that need to be solved. The three main and vital topics that were discussed in his address were: (1) unity, healing, restoration, and collective action, (2) the COVID-19 pandemic and economic challenges, and (3) the importance of democracy. In his speech, Biden repeatedly stresses the importance of unity and healing the divisions that have deepened due to recent and ongoing tumultuous events. He urges the American people to put aside their superficial differences and come together to address the national challenges that impact everyone. President Biden also acknowledges the significant challenges that have been plaguing the nation, like the pandemic and racial tensions and injustices, and stresses the importance of rebuilding the country, socially and economically, through proactive measures. Biden also repeatedly stresses the importance of democracy, and the “duty and responsibility, as citizens, as Americans, and especially as leaders…to defend the truth and defeat the lies” (Biden 2021). In his speech, the president recognizes the resilience of American democracy and emphasizes the importance of protecting and strengthening it. In order to convey his messages effectively, Biden employs different methods that appeal to reason and logic, or logos. In his speech, Biden provides factual statements and statistics in order to support his argument. For example, he provides data and statistics surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing health crisis. Biden also repeatedly

refutes misinformation and false claims in his speech, specifically condemning the January 6th Capitol riot. Biden appeals to reason and logic by using enthymemes that reinforce unity, democracy, the truth and facts, and healing. (267) 3. Invention: What values and emotions does Biden appeal to, and why? (pathos). President Joe Biden uses pathos in order to activate the emotions and values of the audience while inspiring a sense of hope, unity, and shared purpose within them. Throughout the Inaugural Address, Biden uses inclusive language, such as “we” and “us,” and using “our,” in order to create a sense of unity and belonging amongst the viewers. By doing this, he is able to create and maintain a connection between himself and the American people. Biden appeals to the audience’s emotions by referencing foundational American values such as freedom, justice, and democracy. He frames these values as unifying principles that should evoke feelings of pride, hope, and patriotism. In his speech, Biden is also very empathetic and compassionate, acknowledging the suffering, loss, and struggles many Americans have had to endure. In his speech, it seemed as though President Biden wanted to come across as personable–like he was an “average Joe” who experiences the same sufferings that many Americans experience. By incorporating these elements into his speech, President Biden hoped to appeal to the emotions of hope and unity among his audience. (181) 4. Organization: How did Biden organize his inaugural address, and why? President Joe Biden began his speech traditionally, expressing gratitude to the American people and recognizing the significance of the moment. He sets a solemn and respectful tone for the rest of the address. As he continues, Biden provides historical contexts that reference past challenges that America as a nation has gone through, such as the Civil War, Great Depression, and World War II in order to emphasize the resilience of democracy in the United States. The central theme of Biden’s speech focuses on unity and healing. He dedicates a substantial portion of his address emphasizing the urgent need for unity and healing the divisions that plague America nationwide. Biden also speaks about the importance of democracy and the rejection of misinformation and lies, reinforcing his commitment to democratic values and the truth and facts. Next, Biden speaks of the challenges that the nation was currently facing, such as the pandemic, racial injustices, and economic unrest. Towards the end of his speech, President Biden calls people to action, referencing the shared responsibilities that the American people have and urging them to come together to tackle the nation’s problems and overcome the numerous challenges that are present as a collective. The president ends his speech with a tone of hope, optimism, and inspiration–he makes an oath to “defend our democracy” and inspires the American people to “write an American story” that encourages hope, unity, dignity, and greatness (Biden 2021). (235) 5. Invention: How does Biden construct his (first) persona/ ethos ? How does Biden construct second persona? President Biden constructs his first persona as a unifying, empathetic, and compassionate leader who is dedicated to addressing the pressing challenges that Americans face and healing the divisions that plague the nation. Biden positions himself as a figure who can bring people together, defend and promote democracy, and a beacon of hope who inspires a better future for the American people. It seems as though Biden constructed his

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