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Rhetorical Analysis Of 9 / 11 Speech

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On September 11, 2001, George W. Bush delivered his 9/11 Address to the Nation at 8:30 PM to all Americans. This speech, broadcasted throughout the nation from within the Oval Office just hours after the terrorist hijacking and the crash on the Twin Towers, reassured American citizens during a time of devastation and need of proper leadership. (Eidenmuller). Through rhetoric intended to convey strength and the actions America had already taken to combat this tragedy, Bush instilled hope in the American people and provided them with a sense of unification. Throughout the speech, a major rhetorical theme are the anaphoric phrases. Wrote Bush, “today, our fellow citizens, our way of life, our very freedom came under attack in a series of …show more content…

From this manipulation of the word evil, one can find the more concealed connection Bush is making; between America and love. As America is the opposite of terrorists, America therefore must also be the opposite of evil, love. Due to these connections and associations, there is a greater emphasis on Bush’s other rhetoric theme, his biblical allusion. He quotes psalm 23 as, “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil for you are with me” (Kohn). From these connections, one can infer that “fearing no evil” represents the terrorists, and Bush is telling the citizens of America to be strong and not concede to fear. From the use of diction and allusions, there is a much larger emphasis of the ideas being conveyed in the speech. Bush uses ethos within his speech to establish himself to the public. Ethos is seen when he states, “Immediately following the first attack, I implemented our government's emergency response plans” (Kohn). Bush clearly establishes himself as a proficient leader. This phrase reflects in Bush’s actions, as both are clear and concise. Another statement in which one can see the same type of establishment is when Bush disclosed, “I have directed the full resources of our intelligence and law enforcement communities to find those responsible and to bring them to justice” (Kohn). In the same way, this statement like the action described is clear cut and portrays Bush as a

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