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Rhetorical Analysis of Speech a Speech by George W. Bush Essay

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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’s speech was directed towards an audience of northern Arizonan republican supporters. Bush continuously uses the rhetorical appeal of pathos, the appeal to the …show more content…

It is another great example the rhetorical appeal of pathos. Again in an emotional appeal to the nation Bush tries to sum up the general feelings of his audience when he refers to the people who lost their lives on Flight 93 while working to save others. Bush recalls the events by exclaiming, “It was a sad, sad moment...”. The use of the word “sad” was a simple but effective way to convey emotion to the audience and rally it to support the speaker. Bush uses the first few paragraphs of his speech to introduce several of the people he is working with. The appeals he makes in these lines are excellent examples of ethos, the rhetorical appeal to character. Bush continuously comments on the character of the people around him. He speaks of them as if he knows them very well, almost like old friends. Through this appeal the audience became able to relate to these people and learn a little bit about their character. Some of the people mentioned have large families and are of an honest and selfless nature. Because the speaker’s purpose is to gain support from the constituents for the candidates represented, the appeal to the character of the candidates is a crucial tool that becomes extremely vital to the swaying of the audience to the purposes of the speaker. In the case of this speech, the appeals to

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