Read this awesome speech. What rhetorical strategies does Reagan employ to convey his feelings about an event that caught the country so off guard? Complete a rhetorical analysis of the speech.
In his speech, Ronald Reagan used several rhetorical strategies to express his feelings towards the explosion of the Challenger. Throughout his speech, Reagan was able to use strategies in order to aid his argument. The speech used a unique type of diction and appealed to pathos to show the seriousness of the tragic events that took place earlier that day. In the first paragraphs Reagan uses strong words to express his feelings towards the subject. He describes the event as one that is "truly a national loss." He also uses phrases like, "pained to the core," "we cannot bear, as you do, the full impact of this tragedy," and "We mourn their loss as a nation together." Throughout his speech, his diction helps contribute to his appeals to pathos. Reagan builds up emotion in his audience by specifically addressing the families suffering from the loss after the explosion and the children that may have been watching the incident on television. In the beginning, Reagan appeals to pathos and discusses the disposed cry of the event, however, his tone changes and he begins to strike courage and hope for the future into his audience. Reagan also wanted to reassure the children to follow their dreams even if they are scared. He told them, "The future doesn't belong to the fainthearted; it belongs to the brave." By saying this, Reagan reassured all of his listeners about taking chances to follow their dreams and never being afraid to do just that. Reagan also makes a point to say that, "We've grown used to wonders in this century. It's hard to dazzle us." At this point in American history, there were not many frontiers the United States had not yet mastered. However, Reagan then reflects back on this statement in the conclusion by stating that the shuttle crew set out to "touch the face of God," but because of the tragedy "touching the face of God" is one of the final frontiers we have left to achieve, and after we have, we will be "dazzled" again.
Hailee, You did a great job on picking out rhetorical strategies. Analyzing the tone and diction was a great idea, as it shows mush about the speech. I wish you would have further explained some of the quotes in the paragraph, and possibly included ethos and logos, but otherwise it was great. Good job!
Hailee, I liked your explanation of the pathos used in the speech. I also included the use of diction and tone to contribute to pathos. You did a great job of picking up on the change of tone as well. I would have to agree with Catherine about including a bit of logos and pathos just to make it a bit more thorough, but overall great job!
In his speech, Reagan used many rhetorical strategies that properly convince his listeners that space exploration is not a bad thing, as many will feel it is after the horrible tragedy of the Challenger. He makes this argument not only to protect the future of space travel in America, but also to prevent the spread of fear of Americas greatest virtues- the curiosity and determination that leads to greatness. By using strong language, logos, ethos, and pathos, as well as repetition, Ronald Reagan successfully calms America and ultimately changes their point of view on a disaster that could have ended in a loss of more than just lives. Reagan uses repetition and strong language in his speech. Often he repeats the words tragedy, as well as uses words like "pained to the core", bravery, courage, and perhaps the most effective, bravery. By pointing out these virtues, Reagan is arguing that the astronauts who died did more than just get in a spacecraft, they fought for their country. These words indirectly compare the event to that of a war, where soldiers die in battle, but not in vain. By comparing these events, citizens have a different view on the importance and value that the space program holds. Reagan also commonly used logos, pathos, and ethos. He makes a logical appeal to those listening by saying that space travel was still new, that they were still pioneers. And like all other new explorations, accidents are bound to happen. When discovering North America, European explorers sacrificed much in order to finally reach their goals. Americans, he says, will have to do the same. Reagan then mentions the school children. In this appeal to pathos, Reagan inspires young school children to be brave. He mentions them not necessarily for their own benefit, but for those who will listen and remember that the future of these children is on the line. People will stop and think, do we really want our children to grow up afraid of the unknown, or do we want them to be brave enough to try to make our country a better place? Finally, Reagan uses ethos. He mentions his wife to show that he does have a family of his own, and he cannot imagine the horrors of having to lose it. The reference to his wife shows he is not just a man who gives speeches and makes drastic decisions. He is a man with a family, a man just like them
Catherine, You picked out a lot of good rhetorical devices in this speech. I think the repetition was an incredibly strong part of Reagan's argument. I really loved your connection between the astronauts and soldiers in war! I would've suggested that you focus a bit more on how Reagan conveyed his feelings in the speech rather than just his argument overall, but great blog!
I love how you said that Reagan spoke for the preservation of American virtues: curiosity, motivation, bravery, etc. Ultimately, discovery will only happen if courageous individuals are willing to venture into unexplored territory. Overall, you developed a strong thesis statement, employed devices of rhetorical question and parallelism, and completed a profound analysis of such a heartfelt speech. Nice work.
Catherine, You did a great analysis of Reagan's speech. I thought it was great how you included his use of repitition along with other rhetorical devices. I did not even notice how important his use of repitition was until you included it in your argument.
In his address to the nation on January 28, 1986, President Ronald W. Reagan employs various rhetorical strategies to achieve his purpose, that is, to commemorate the lives of the seven NASA crew members who died in the explosion of the space shuttle Challenger, and to inspire those who will continue to sustain space exploration in the future. Reagan's articulation maintains a solemn, sincere, and optimistic tone, which provides a sense of hope for the many Americans who so desperately need it. His diction is emotionally overflowing with words like "pain, anguish, accident, tragedy, loss, mourning, and remembering." In spite of the catastrophic situation, President Reagan is able to unite the nation by reassuring that the spirits of the seven astronauts will endure: "The Challenger crew was pulling us into the future, and we'll continue to follow them." By acknowledging that he cannot understand the tragedy nor "bear the full impact" as the victims' families must do, he cements his credibility as a speaker. It is important to note that he was scheduled to report on the state of the Union, but instead he realized the need to recognize these courageous individuals, which conveys his sincerity and furthers his appeal to ethos. In addition, Reagan exhibits an appeal to logos through his reference to a historian's words regarding the great explorer Sir Francis Drake: "He lived by the sea, died on it, and was buried in it." The President parallels the dedication, perseverance, and accomplishment of Sir Francis Drake to that of the seven crew members, who will be remembered with honor and admiration. The speech is also comprised of connotative language, particularly through the use of the word "pioneer." Reagan exclaims, "We've grown used to the idea of space, and perhaps we forget that we've only just begun. We're still pioneers. They, the members of the Challenger crew, were pioneers." It is symbolic of the brave and noble manner in which the astronauts lived their lives as they sought to venture into unexplored territory. Ultimately, President Reagan demonstrates reverence and esteem for the seven explorers who lost their lives as a result of an unfortunate tragedy; yet, through his use of rhetoric, he transforms the American frame of mind from one of fear and sadness to one of great hope and optimism.
Jared, Your description of his diction "emotionally overflowing" was perfect. He truly felt a great deal of sorrow for the seven crew members who perished in the explosion. I also liked where you pulled the quote from the speech where it showed President Reagan uniting the nation to reassure that the crew was pulling us into the future. Great job of finding all three appeals to ethos, pathos, and logos and elaborating on those. Good work.
Jared, I thought you did a great analysis of Reagan's speech. You were able to clearly identify important rhetorical strategies and examples of ethos, logos, and pathos. I especially liked how you discussed Reagan's reverence towards the tragedy. I thought your final sentences were a great way to tie everything together.
Jared, Your analysis of Reagan's speech was great. I didn't realize that the fact that he delivered the speech instead of another was so important. Your ideas were really good, and the quotes you used backed them up nicely. Good work.
Ronald Reagan used a variety of rhetorical strategies to convey his feelings about a tragic situation. Reagan's speech about the Challenger mainly employed pathos to show his sorrow for the astronaut that were killed, the families of the astronauts, and the failure of the shuttle altogether. He employs rhetorical strategies in his speech not only to express his sadness, but to lift Americans back up once again. I believe the most obvious of Ronald Reagan's appeals in this speech is pathos. To convey his emotions as well as sympathize with others, he uses melancholy tone and diction. By naming each of the astronauts that died in their mission, Reagan brings emotion from the audience and shows that he cares about the American people. Throughout his speech, he uses a repetition of words such as "pain," "tragedy," and "mourn" to express his sorrow. He also mentions his wife, Nancy, to remind Americans that he has a family, and he can sympathize with their loss of family. However, Reagan also implements diction to uplift his audience. He repeats words such as "courage," "pioneers," and "brave" to give America a message of hope. His strong tone tells them that they must continue with the work that those "pioneers" had begun because their bravery should not have been for nothing. By telling his audience that he will not withhold information from them, he appeals to their emotions and strengthens their ties to him. His honesty lets them know that they can trust him. Lastly, his use of "American" terms such as freedom and bravery, stir up emotions related to the love of their country. While they are used with less frequency in his speech, President Ronald Reagan utilizes logos and ethos to appeal to his audience. To argue for a continuation of progress in the space program even though there was a great loss, Reagan logically argues that it is just the beginning of the space program, and to make it better, they must continue. Also, his argument that discontinuing the program will mean that the sacrifice of the astronauts was for nothing contributes logic to his speech. Lastly, the ethos of Ronald Reagan as the United States President and family man aids his speech. He uses anaphora in the sentence stating "There will be more shuttle flights and more shuttle crews and, yes, more volunteers, more civilians, more teachers in space. Nothing ends here; our hopes and our journeys continue." By stating it as a fact rather than a question, Reagan contributed ethos to strengthen and uplift the American people.
I like how you interpreted the contrast of diction, particularly how Reagan was sympathetic with words such as "pain, tragedy, etc." but how he was also optimistic and patriotic with terms like "pioneer, bravery, etc." Way to go with pinpointing anaphora as well. You identified an underlying appeal by realizing that Reagan promised to not withhold any information. However, I think that corresponds to ethos more than pathos because it makes him a credible source. Overall, you provided a very good rhetorical analysis.
Jenna: You analyized this speech in a nice way. I think you did a good job realizing that the appeal to pathos was his most profound device. I like how you said that by bringing his wife into it, he can relate this tragedy to family. I enjoyed reading your analysis of this because you gave us direct quotes to back up what you said and that was good. This was well done.
President Ronald Reagan presents us with an outstanding speech following the tragedy of the shuttle Challenger. As President of the United States, he is obligated to address the nation when tragedy strikes. Throughout the speech, Reagan uses a number of rhetorical strategies such as pathos, ethos, anaphora, alliteration, and tone to speak to a crowd that is in mourning.
The strongest rhetorical strategy that President incorporates into his speech is the appeal to pathos. This tragedy took an emotional toll on the people of the American nation. In his opening paragraph, Reagan states clearly that today is a day for mourning and remembering. He does this right away setting the tone for the rest of his speech. He appeals to the emotions of his Americans and tries to ease their suffering by reminding them that the entire nation shares their suffering together.He continues to use the pronoun "we" reminding everyone that we are together as one. His appeal to pathos is also whenever he connects his family into the speech as he mentions his wife. He continues his use of pathos as he mentions the families of the victims and their need for support. After he mentions the families, President Reagan lists the victims of this tragedy and this is significant. Not only does he list the names of these individuals, but he calls them heroes. This is the strongest appeal to pathos, in my opinion, because personally if I lost a loved one to such a horrific tragedy and the president put such a title to them,it would effect me emotionally. The entire speech has a significant appeal to pathos, which is an important strategy used, especially while considering the audience he is speaking to. Another strategy that President Reagan used was alliteration in the speech. Alliteration was found in the line, "and they had that special grace, that special spirit that says" as he used special, special, spirit, and says in the same line. That part was when Reagan was discussing the victims. Another rhetorical strategy one could take from this speech was anaphora. The anaphora was used in the following sentence: There will be more shuttle flights and more shuttle crews and, yes, more volunteers, more civilians, more teachers in space. He uses the anaphora to make sure everyone knows that the space program is going to continue even after the tragedy has happened. It is also important for one to take in the tone in which Reagan presents this speech. He uses a more solemn, emotional tone which is appropriate for the situation. Overall, this speech was filled with rhetorical devices. We must not forget that ethos was also a huge component, but personally, I think his authority and credibility was not needed in the paper, because it was found simply in his presence. Ronald Reagan was the President of the United States, and he knew that his people would receive his speech well. When tragedy like this happens we expect our leader to step up and address his nation, and President Reagan did just that with this effective and appropriate speech.
Ronald Reagan's speech about the destruction of the space shuttle Challenger employs many rhetorical strategies to to get across his point. The main reason for the speech was to commemorate the astronauts that were killed in the wreck. The main and most obvious rhetorical strategy that the president used was pathos, he used pathos thought out the speech to show his regret and sorrow for this topic. He attempts to reach out to the families of the deceased, and show his regret. This is also an extension of pathos, because everyone else thinks he is a really good guys and really care about those people, thereby strengthening his argument. Ronald Reagan choice of words though out the speech display a tone of seriousness and sorrow for those who were killed in the space shuttle. He talks about the rarity of these types of events, and the courage of the astronauts go through to get on a vessel with a chance of death to everyone on board with the smallest error. Reagan also reaches out to the next generation and attempts to not be discouraged by this event, and it can always a side effect of discovery. Reagan then reaffirms that the space program will continue, and it will not be dissuaded by this catastrophe. Finally Reagan talks about historical events to establish his ethos. He talks about two events with every similar circumstances. The First was when a rocket failed to successfully launch, and killing several American astronauts. The second was a well known explorer, Sir Francis Drake, who died while at sea. He died doing what they loved to do, just like the astronauts.
Mitchell, Your thoughts about the tone of Presidnet Reagan used in his speech was on point. He definitely showed great sorrow for the death of the seven crew members, but he was very serious when addressing the event. Also good connection with the historical event, which strengthened his point.
Mitchell: I know you are familiar with this speech because you are a history guy. I think what you wrote was pretty good, but in your blog you said that he expressed "regret". I do not think that regret would be the correct word in this situation becuase President Reagan was not exactly at fault. You made some good points throughout the blog, nice work.
Mitchell, I would have to agree with Gabe on "regret", I do not think that was the correct term to use. Other then that you analyzed the speech very well and made some good observations.
On January 28, 1986, President Ronald Reagan addressed the nation on the tragedy of the explosion of the space shuttle Challenger. Throughout his speech, President Reagan uses several rhetorical strategies which makes his speech so powerful and moving. The purpose of the speech is to commemorate the people lost in the tragedy, and show his compassion for the families and everyone affected by this horrific event. Also to offer hope for the American people who continue to explore space. Throughout the entire speech, his strongest rhetorical strategy was the appeal to pathos. He used a very somber tone, and used words to show how sympathetic he was towards everyone affected. President Reagan's use of words such as tragedy, mourn, anguish, etc. set the mood of the speech, which is very melancholy but at the same time keeping a serious tone. President Reagan also appealed to ethos when he says "For the families of the seven, we cannot bear, as you do, the full impact of this tragedy. But we feel the loss, and we're thinking about you so very much." By doing this, he makes himself a credible source by admitting weakness and understanding he cannot comprehend what the families are going through. He also goes on by appealing to logos when he quotes a historian on Sir Francis Drake saying "He lived by the sea, died on it, and was buried in it." This is where he parallels Drake and the crew members saying that there great dedication will always be remembered like Drake's was. This is also the use of deductive reasoning when President Reagan conveys that if Drake is remembered with honor while dying exploring his frontier, the seven who perished in the Challenger will also be remembered with great honor. Overall, Reagan's speech kept the hope of future space exploration in tact, and conveyed to Americans his sympathy towards the crew members and their families.
Ronald Reagan uses several rhetorical strategies in his speech. Throughout his speech he uses different type of diction and he uses many pathos to show how traumatic the explosion of the Challenger was. "Nancy and I are pained to the core by the tragedy of the shuttle Challenger. We know we share this pain with all of the people of our country. This is truly a national loss." When Ronald Reagan says this he is appealing to pathos because he shows that he has sympathy for the loss and that it is not only him that is hurt about it but he whole nation. Also Reagan said "The future doesn't belong to the fainthearted; it belongs to the brave." he said this to the children and his tone during the speech at this point changed to a more encouraging tone. He was encouraging children that the future is made up of the brave men and women that take chances and succeed in life. Reagan gave a great speech and made many good rhetorical strategies.
In his speech, Ronald Reagan used several rhetorical strategies to express his feelings towards the explosion of the Challenger. Throughout his speech, Reagan was able to use strategies in order to aid his argument. The speech used a unique type of diction and appealed to pathos to show the seriousness of the tragic events that took place earlier that day.
ReplyDeleteIn the first paragraphs Reagan uses strong words to express his feelings towards the subject. He describes the event as one that is "truly a national loss." He also uses phrases like, "pained to the core," "we cannot bear, as you do, the full impact of this tragedy," and "We mourn their loss as a nation together."
Throughout his speech, his diction helps contribute to his appeals to pathos. Reagan builds up emotion in his audience by specifically addressing the families suffering from the loss after the explosion and the children that may have been watching the incident on television. In the beginning, Reagan appeals to pathos and discusses the disposed cry of the event, however, his tone changes and he begins to strike courage and hope for the future into his audience. Reagan also wanted to reassure the children to follow their dreams even if they are scared. He told them, "The future doesn't belong to the fainthearted; it belongs to the brave." By saying this, Reagan reassured all of his listeners about taking chances to follow their dreams and never being afraid to do just that.
Reagan also makes a point to say that, "We've grown used to wonders in this century. It's hard to dazzle us." At this point in American history, there were not many frontiers the United States had not yet mastered. However, Reagan then reflects back on this statement in the conclusion by stating that the shuttle crew set out to "touch the face of God," but because of the tragedy "touching the face of God" is one of the final frontiers we have left to achieve, and after we have, we will be "dazzled" again.
Hailee,
DeleteYou did a great job on picking out rhetorical strategies. Analyzing the tone and diction was a great idea, as it shows mush about the speech. I wish you would have further explained some of the quotes in the paragraph, and possibly included ethos and logos, but otherwise it was great. Good job!
Hailee,
DeleteI liked your explanation of the pathos used in the speech. I also included the use of diction and tone to contribute to pathos. You did a great job of picking up on the change of tone as well. I would have to agree with Catherine about including a bit of logos and pathos just to make it a bit more thorough, but overall great job!
In his speech, Reagan used many rhetorical strategies that properly convince his listeners that space exploration is not a bad thing, as many will feel it is after the horrible tragedy of the Challenger. He makes this argument not only to protect the future of space travel in America, but also to prevent the spread of fear of Americas greatest virtues- the curiosity and determination that leads to greatness. By using strong language, logos, ethos, and pathos, as well as repetition, Ronald Reagan successfully calms America and ultimately changes their point of view on a disaster that could have ended in a loss of more than just lives.
ReplyDeleteReagan uses repetition and strong language in his speech. Often he repeats the words tragedy, as well as uses words like "pained to the core", bravery, courage, and perhaps the most effective, bravery. By pointing out these virtues, Reagan is arguing that the astronauts who died did more than just get in a spacecraft, they fought for their country. These words indirectly compare the event to that of a war, where soldiers die in battle, but not in vain. By comparing these events, citizens have a different view on the importance and value that the space program holds.
Reagan also commonly used logos, pathos, and ethos. He makes a logical appeal to those listening by saying that space travel was still new, that they were still pioneers. And like all other new explorations, accidents are bound to happen. When discovering North America, European explorers sacrificed much in order to finally reach their goals. Americans, he says, will have to do the same. Reagan then mentions the school children. In this appeal to pathos, Reagan inspires young school children to be brave. He mentions them not necessarily for their own benefit, but for those who will listen and remember that the future of these children is on the line. People will stop and think, do we really want our children to grow up afraid of the unknown, or do we want them to be brave enough to try to make our country a better place? Finally, Reagan uses ethos. He mentions his wife to show that he does have a family of his own, and he cannot imagine the horrors of having to lose it. The reference to his wife shows he is not just a man who gives speeches and makes drastic decisions. He is a man with a family, a man just like them
Catherine,
DeleteYou picked out a lot of good rhetorical devices in this speech. I think the repetition was an incredibly strong part of Reagan's argument. I really loved your connection between the astronauts and soldiers in war! I would've suggested that you focus a bit more on how Reagan conveyed his feelings in the speech rather than just his argument overall, but great blog!
Catherine,
DeleteI love how you said that Reagan spoke for the preservation of American virtues: curiosity, motivation, bravery, etc. Ultimately, discovery will only happen if courageous individuals are willing to venture into unexplored territory. Overall, you developed a strong thesis statement, employed devices of rhetorical question and parallelism, and completed a profound analysis of such a heartfelt speech. Nice work.
Catherine,
DeleteYou did a great analysis of Reagan's speech. I thought it was great how you included his use of repitition along with other rhetorical devices. I did not even notice how important his use of repitition was until you included it in your argument.
Catherine,
DeleteNice work on your blog!! Your analysis was really well done. You had some things that I didn't even see in the speech.
In his address to the nation on January 28, 1986, President Ronald W. Reagan employs various rhetorical strategies to achieve his purpose, that is, to commemorate the lives of the seven NASA crew members who died in the explosion of the space shuttle Challenger, and to inspire those who will continue to sustain space exploration in the future.
ReplyDeleteReagan's articulation maintains a solemn, sincere, and optimistic tone, which provides a sense of hope for the many Americans who so desperately need it. His diction is emotionally overflowing with words like "pain, anguish, accident, tragedy, loss, mourning, and remembering." In spite of the catastrophic situation, President Reagan is able to unite the nation by reassuring that the spirits of the seven astronauts will endure: "The Challenger crew was pulling us into the future, and we'll continue to follow them."
By acknowledging that he cannot understand the tragedy nor "bear the full impact" as the victims' families must do, he cements his credibility as a speaker. It is important to note that he was scheduled to report on the state of the Union, but instead he realized the need to recognize these courageous individuals, which conveys his sincerity and furthers his appeal to ethos. In addition, Reagan exhibits an appeal to logos through his reference to a historian's words regarding the great explorer Sir Francis Drake: "He lived by the sea, died on it, and was buried in it." The President parallels the dedication, perseverance, and accomplishment of Sir Francis Drake to that of the seven crew members, who will be remembered with honor and admiration. The speech is also comprised of connotative language, particularly through the use of the word "pioneer." Reagan exclaims, "We've grown used to the idea of space, and perhaps we forget that we've only just begun. We're still pioneers. They, the members of the Challenger crew, were pioneers." It is symbolic of the brave and noble manner in which the astronauts lived their lives as they sought to venture into unexplored territory. Ultimately, President Reagan demonstrates reverence and esteem for the seven explorers who lost their lives as a result of an unfortunate tragedy; yet, through his use of rhetoric, he transforms the American frame of mind from one of fear and sadness to one of great hope and optimism.
Jared,
DeleteYour description of his diction "emotionally overflowing" was perfect. He truly felt a great deal of sorrow for the seven crew members who perished in the explosion. I also liked where you pulled the quote from the speech where it showed President Reagan uniting the nation to reassure that the crew was pulling us into the future. Great job of finding all three appeals to ethos, pathos, and logos and elaborating on those. Good work.
Jared,
DeleteI thought you did a great analysis of Reagan's speech. You were able to clearly identify important rhetorical strategies and examples of ethos, logos, and pathos. I especially liked how you discussed Reagan's reverence towards the tragedy. I thought your final sentences were a great way to tie everything together.
Jared,
DeleteYour analysis of Reagan's speech was great. I didn't realize that the fact that he delivered the speech instead of another was so important. Your ideas were really good, and the quotes you used backed them up nicely. Good work.
Ronald Reagan used a variety of rhetorical strategies to convey his feelings about a tragic situation. Reagan's speech about the Challenger mainly employed pathos to show his sorrow for the astronaut that were killed, the families of the astronauts, and the failure of the shuttle altogether. He employs rhetorical strategies in his speech not only to express his sadness, but to lift Americans back up once again.
ReplyDeleteI believe the most obvious of Ronald Reagan's appeals in this speech is pathos. To convey his emotions as well as sympathize with others, he uses melancholy tone and diction. By naming each of the astronauts that died in their mission, Reagan brings emotion from the audience and shows that he cares about the American people. Throughout his speech, he uses a repetition of words such as "pain," "tragedy," and "mourn" to express his sorrow. He also mentions his wife, Nancy, to remind Americans that he has a family, and he can sympathize with their loss of family. However, Reagan also implements diction to uplift his audience. He repeats words such as "courage," "pioneers," and "brave" to give America a message of hope. His strong tone tells them that they must continue with the work that those "pioneers" had begun because their bravery should not have been for nothing. By telling his audience that he will not withhold information from them, he appeals to their emotions and strengthens their ties to him. His honesty lets them know that they can trust him. Lastly, his use of "American" terms such as freedom and bravery, stir up emotions related to the love of their country.
While they are used with less frequency in his speech, President Ronald Reagan utilizes logos and ethos to appeal to his audience. To argue for a continuation of progress in the space program even though there was a great loss, Reagan logically argues that it is just the beginning of the space program, and to make it better, they must continue. Also, his argument that discontinuing the program will mean that the sacrifice of the astronauts was for nothing contributes logic to his speech. Lastly, the ethos of Ronald Reagan as the United States President and family man aids his speech. He uses anaphora in the sentence stating "There will be more shuttle flights and more shuttle crews and, yes, more volunteers, more civilians, more teachers in space. Nothing ends here; our hopes and our journeys continue." By stating it as a fact rather than a question, Reagan contributed ethos to strengthen and uplift the American people.
Jenna,
DeleteI like how you interpreted the contrast of diction, particularly how Reagan was sympathetic with words such as "pain, tragedy, etc." but how he was also optimistic and patriotic with terms like "pioneer, bravery, etc." Way to go with pinpointing anaphora as well. You identified an underlying appeal by realizing that Reagan promised to not withhold any information. However, I think that corresponds to ethos more than pathos because it makes him a credible source. Overall, you provided a very good rhetorical analysis.
Jenna:
DeleteYou analyized this speech in a nice way. I think you did a good job realizing that the appeal to pathos was his most profound device. I like how you said that by bringing his wife into it, he can relate this tragedy to family. I enjoyed reading your analysis of this because you gave us direct quotes to back up what you said and that was good. This was well done.
President Ronald Reagan presents us with an outstanding speech following the tragedy of the shuttle Challenger. As President of the United States, he is obligated to address the nation when tragedy strikes. Throughout the speech, Reagan uses a number of rhetorical strategies such as pathos, ethos, anaphora, alliteration, and tone to speak to a crowd that is in mourning.
ReplyDeleteThe strongest rhetorical strategy that President incorporates into his speech is the appeal to pathos. This tragedy took an emotional toll on the people of the American nation. In his opening paragraph, Reagan states clearly that today is a day for mourning and remembering. He does this right away setting the tone for the rest of his speech. He appeals to the emotions of his Americans and tries to ease their suffering by reminding them that the entire nation shares their suffering together.He continues to use the pronoun "we" reminding everyone that we are together as one. His appeal to pathos is also whenever he connects his family into the speech as he mentions his wife. He continues his use of pathos as he mentions the families of the victims and their need for support. After he mentions the families, President Reagan lists the victims of this tragedy and this is significant. Not only does he list the names of these individuals, but he calls them heroes. This is the strongest appeal to pathos, in my opinion, because personally if I lost a loved one to such a horrific tragedy and the president put such a title to them,it would effect me emotionally. The entire speech has a significant appeal to pathos, which is an important strategy used, especially while considering the audience he is speaking to.
Another strategy that President Reagan used was alliteration in the speech. Alliteration was found in the line, "and they had that special grace, that special spirit that says" as he used special, special, spirit, and says in the same line. That part was when Reagan was discussing the victims. Another rhetorical strategy one could take from this speech was anaphora. The anaphora was used in the following sentence: There will be more shuttle flights and more shuttle crews and, yes, more volunteers, more civilians, more teachers in space. He uses the anaphora to make sure everyone knows that the space program is going to continue even after the tragedy has happened. It is also important for one to take in the tone in which Reagan presents this speech. He uses a more solemn, emotional tone which is appropriate for the situation.
Overall, this speech was filled with rhetorical devices. We must not forget that ethos was also a huge component, but personally, I think his authority and credibility was not needed in the paper, because it was found simply in his presence. Ronald Reagan was the President of the United States, and he knew that his people would receive his speech well. When tragedy like this happens we expect our leader to step up and address his nation, and President Reagan did just that with this effective and appropriate speech.
Ronald Reagan's speech about the destruction of the space shuttle Challenger employs many rhetorical strategies to to get across his point. The main reason for the speech was to commemorate the astronauts that were killed in the wreck.
ReplyDeleteThe main and most obvious rhetorical strategy that the president used was pathos, he used pathos thought out the speech to show his regret and sorrow for this topic. He attempts to reach out to the families of the deceased, and show his regret. This is also an extension of pathos, because everyone else thinks he is a really good guys and really care about those people, thereby strengthening his argument.
Ronald Reagan choice of words though out the speech display a tone of seriousness and sorrow for those who were killed in the space shuttle. He talks about the rarity of these types of events, and the courage of the astronauts go through to get on a vessel with a chance of death to everyone on board with the smallest error. Reagan also reaches out to the next generation and attempts to not be discouraged by this event, and it can always a side effect of discovery. Reagan then reaffirms that the space program will continue, and it will not be dissuaded by this catastrophe.
Finally Reagan talks about historical events to establish his ethos. He talks about two events with every similar circumstances. The First was when a rocket failed to successfully launch, and killing several American astronauts. The second was a well known explorer, Sir Francis Drake, who died while at sea. He died doing what they loved to do, just like the astronauts.
Mitchell,
DeleteYour thoughts about the tone of Presidnet Reagan used in his speech was on point. He definitely showed great sorrow for the death of the seven crew members, but he was very serious when addressing the event. Also good connection with the historical event, which strengthened his point.
Mitchell:
DeleteI know you are familiar with this speech because you are a history guy. I think what you wrote was pretty good, but in your blog you said that he expressed "regret". I do not think that regret would be the correct word in this situation becuase President Reagan was not exactly at fault. You made some good points throughout the blog, nice work.
Mitchell,
DeleteI would have to agree with Gabe on "regret", I do not think that was the correct term to use. Other then that you analyzed the speech very well and made some good observations.
On January 28, 1986, President Ronald Reagan addressed the nation on the tragedy of the explosion of the space shuttle Challenger. Throughout his speech, President Reagan uses several rhetorical strategies which makes his speech so powerful and moving. The purpose of the speech is to commemorate the people lost in the tragedy, and show his compassion for the families and everyone affected by this horrific event. Also to offer hope for the American people who continue to explore space.
ReplyDeleteThroughout the entire speech, his strongest rhetorical strategy was the appeal to pathos. He used a very somber tone, and used words to show how sympathetic he was towards everyone affected. President Reagan's use of words such as tragedy, mourn, anguish, etc. set the mood of the speech, which is very melancholy but at the same time keeping a serious tone. President Reagan also appealed to ethos when he says "For the families of the seven, we cannot bear, as you do, the full impact of this tragedy. But we feel the loss, and we're thinking about you so very much." By doing this, he makes himself a credible source by admitting weakness and understanding he cannot comprehend what the families are going through. He also goes on by appealing to logos when he quotes a historian on Sir Francis Drake saying "He lived by the sea, died on it, and was buried in it." This is where he parallels Drake and the crew members saying that there great dedication will always be remembered like Drake's was. This is also the use of deductive reasoning when President Reagan conveys that if Drake is remembered with honor while dying exploring his frontier, the seven who perished in the Challenger will also be remembered with great honor.
Overall, Reagan's speech kept the hope of future space exploration in tact, and conveyed to Americans his sympathy towards the crew members and their families.
Ronald Reagan uses several rhetorical strategies in his speech. Throughout his speech he uses different type of diction and he uses many pathos to show how traumatic the explosion of the Challenger was. "Nancy and I are pained to the core by the tragedy of the shuttle Challenger. We know we share this pain with all of the people of our country. This is truly a national loss." When Ronald Reagan says this he is appealing to pathos because he shows that he has sympathy for the loss and that it is not only him that is hurt about it but he whole nation.
ReplyDeleteAlso Reagan said "The future doesn't belong to the fainthearted; it belongs to the brave." he said this to the children and his tone during the speech at this point changed to a more encouraging tone. He was encouraging children that the future is made up of the brave men and women that take chances and succeed in life. Reagan gave a great speech and made many good rhetorical strategies.