Rhetorical Devices In Donald Trump's Speech

In President Bush’s Address to the Nation Speech the day after September 11 (9/11) in 2001, President Bush wants to inform the country of this tragic event and what was going to happen for the country. President Bush uses rhetorical devices to captures the audience’s attention and to reach this purpose. President Bush mainly use pathos, logos, anaphoras, and personifications to achieve his purpose.

Bush uses appeals throughout his formal speech to help advance the argument he proposes. While doing this Bush takes his listeners on a roller coaster of emotion, appealing to pathos and to logos, then to ethos and back to

In this paper I am going to discuss the rhetorical appeals, as well as the argumentative structure, audience and purpose set forth by George W. Bush in his September 27 speech in Flagstaff, Arizona. More specifically I will refer to the rhetorical appeals of ethos, pathos and logos, and explain how they are used to gain the support and attention of the audience and further the further the purpose of the speech. As I explain these appeals I will also give an insight into the argumentative structure and why it is apparent in this particular speech.

President Bush is reaching out to a variety of audiences within this brief speech. The general audience he is speaking to is the people of the United States. Within that audience are

When Bush addressed the nation, he had to assure the American people of their country’s strength, which would undoubtedly triumph through this unthinkable misfortune. George W. Bush states, “These acts of mass murder were intended to frighten our nation into chaos and retreat. But they have failed. Our country is strong (Eidenmuller).” This shows how Bush is trying to create an emotional connection to the audience by instilling in Americans that our country must remain unified and strong during this time of terror. Bush also states, “These acts shatter steel, but they cannot dent the steel of American resolve (Eidenmuller). This statement testifies that our country cannot be broken, and our country will prevail. About one-in-five Americans cite the country’s response to the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, as the time in their lives when they felt most proud of their country (Gramlich). This indicates just how powerful our country can be if everyone works together. The terrorist attacks on the United States will forever be burned into the memories of Americans. That being the case, Bush’s attempt at creating an emotional connection to the audience was successful because he brought the country together with words of strength.

On September 11th 2001, the Islamic extremist group al-Qaeda hijacked four airplanes and carried out terrorist attacks against the United States. Two planes were flown into the World Trade Center twin towers. The third hit the Pentagon outside Washington, and the final plane crashed in a field in Pennsylvania. Nearly 3,000 people were killed as a result, and this tragic event defined the presidency of George W. Bush (History.com Staff). Shortly after the attacks, President Bush delivered a powerful speech that helped unify the American people, defy the terrorists, and call the citizens to action. In his 9/11 speech, President Bush successfully uses rhetorical devices to address the terrorism, unite people, and give hope to his audience.

In his State of the Union Address for 2016, Barack Obama uses logical and ethical arguments to emphasize shared ground rather than partisan disputes. He also taps into the audience’s desire to feel better about themselves and their country. By using humor and irony, Obama paints his opponents into corners, out of which it would require outrageous extremism to effectively squirm away. At its best, this approach demonstrates how much Americans actually have in common in a culture dominated by ideologically polarized cable-news channels, Facebook, and cultural tribes that increasingly live and socialize apart from one another. The president's technique throughout the speech is to frame issues through a rhetorical jujitsu to persuade his opponents,

Demonstrating the care he has for his family gets the audience considering their own families, and their next generation, and what they might go through if something is not done about this issue.

      Moreover, he gives a religious reason for his speech. He says, “ Beyond the calling of race or nation or creed is deeply concerned especially for his suffering and helpless and outcaste children, I come tonight to speak for them.” He justifies his speech by saying that it was the will of

He speaks the thoughts of the audience. In an attempt to defense himself from the attack of his opponents he said, “I have no desire to get rid of safety nets for people who need them. I have a strong desire to get rid of programs that create dependency in able-bodied people.” In the audience were mostly republican. One of their beliefs is individuals need to work hard for what they get. However, in these recent past year under the lead of President Obama, taxes had been brought (back) up to a very high level. Which include Income tax, Income Payroll tax, Capital Gain tax, etc. And they believe that most of their taxes money had gone into what they called “The Obamacare” and some other welfare programs. Most important thing is, some of the people who are receiving money from these welfare programs are totally capable of working and making their own living. This made the audience feel like he understands and feels what they feel.

He formally addresses the people of the nation by saying “your tranquility... your peace… your prosperity” all in an effort to create a sense of ownership that can be felt by the people. Repetition combined with encouraging diction gives the American people a sense of pride to have a nation run “by the people and for the people,” just as the constitution states. He continues to expand upon these democratic beliefs in the later part of the speech. He compares the United States to surrounding nations by focusing on how opposing nations are “tied together by similar governments” and how their governments are “inauspicious to liberty.” In this he looks to convey to the American people that they are fortunate to live in a free nation, and not be citizens of a monarchy like that of the nation they freed themselves

Inauguration day marks a new beginning. Every four years, Americans officially welcome a new president. Each president has to address the plans, goals and ideas for the future. Therefore, the inaugural speech is meant to be an emotional and hopeful ceremony for all Americans. The inaugural speech sets the tone for the president’s first weeks in the white house. Ideally this speech will encourage those who voted to believe and trust that the right leader is in the office. On January 20, 2017 Donald Trump gave his inaugural speech and through the use of hyperboles, repetitions, and metaphors he aimed to unify the nation and give hope for the future.

Donald Trump, a once controversial political candidate, gave his 2017 Inaugural address on January 20th, 2017 when he was inaugurated as the 45th president of the United States. Through appeals such as syntax and diction, religion and patriotism, and logic, Donald Trump was able to generate a unifying speech toward his audience. Amidst the growing violence and repercussions of the 2016 election, Donald Trump, in his 2017 Inaugural address, sends the message that he will put America and its citizens first to unite the country and change America for the better.

Bush consistently employs several rhetorical strategies in order to establish his credibility throughout his address. The primary way that Bush establishes this credibility is by using his speech to

Another very effective rhetorical strategy used in this speech is allusion. The first allusion Trump makes is about The Marshall Plan. He mentions the pillars of The Marshall Plan: Peace, sovereignty, security and prosperity. He also states that “The Marshall Plan was built on the noble idea that the whole world is safer when nations are strong, independent, and free.” The reason he alludes to The Marshall Plan is