Rhethorical Analysis Of George W. Bush’s Speech On 9/11

On the evening of September 11, 2001, after the terrorist attacks in New York, Washington D.C., and Pennsylvania, President George W. Bush gave a speech not only to the American people, but to the world as well. It had two different purposes. To the American people, he explained the events of the day and the action that was taken; he also attempted to strengthen the outlook of Americans, assuring the public that both government and business would continue without interruption. President Bush also reminded the world of the greatness and resolve of America and warned those who threatened its peace that they would face consequences. Bush effectively utilized rhetorical strategies to support his speech and comfort the American people.

Bush used the rhetorical strategy of logos to provide factual reasons as to why and how the country would remain strong. In his detailed explanation of what had occurred, he described the “airplanes flying into buildings, fires burning, huge – huge structures collapsing”. In addition, he informed the audience about the actions taken by the country after the attacks, stating how he “immediately implemented our government's emergency response plans”. This statement appeals to logic and helped citizens remember that they were still secure in their homes, and that the government was protecting their safety. Taking into consideration the feeling of vulnerability throughout the nation, this portion of the speech was able to provide facts that people could hold onto to reassure themselves that they were safe and secure from outside enemies.

Bush also used logos to remind Americans of the strength of the country throughout its history. He used an allusion in the speech to reference America’s past victories against its enemies. He reminded the nation that “America has stood down enemies before, and we will do so this time.” The president used this reference to suggest his confidence that America would be able to fight against the terrorists and bring peace to the nation. By reminding the country of its strength against enemies in the past, he was able to comfort Americans and make them trust in the next steps and actions that would soon be taken.

The use of ethos gave credibility to the speech in order to further reassure the people of their security. Due to the fact that Bush was the President- the highest ranking position in the American government – he already possessed significant credibility. However, he took his authority a step further in the speech by using specific words and diction to establish ethos. For instance, Bush repeated words such as “our”, ”us”, and ”we” to assure the American people that they were unified as one, and that he stood by them. On the other hand, he also used phrases such as, “I appreciate so very much the members of Congress who have joined me”. This statement further established ethos for the president because it validated his position as the country’s leader and built trust among the people. It served to bring the various branches of government together as well. The carefully chosen diction by President Bush provided him with a double image: on the one hand he was an American citizen just like those he was speaking to, however by contrast, he was also an authority figure – the authority figure, who would protect his nation. This established his credibility because it demonstrated that he was an American like everyone else, while also gaining Americans’ trust and ensuring that he would lead the country to a united front.

Bush also used ethos by embedding an allusion within the speech. The president referenced the Bible in order to gain credibility from outside his political position. Bush quoted Psalm 23, in the hope that it would comfort those affected by the terrorist attacks. He preached “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil for you are with me”. This was an important reference, as it reminded the audience about the power of faith, while also serving as an allusion to the Christian values prominent in American society. By quoting from the Bible, Bush was able to successfully gain credibility from Christian viewers across the country and bring a higher power into play.

Despite the fact that ethos and logos are both used effectively in the speech, the most obvious use of rhetorical appeal comes in the form of pathos. Bush used rhetoric with such strong emotion and meaning that upon hearing it, one is naturally uplifted. He continually used comforting diction and words such as “strong”, “justice”, and “peace” to create a sense of security and reassurance for his country. All of these words carry a positive connotation and represent fundamental American ideals. Furthermore, he also used phrases like, “terrorist attacks can shake the foundations of our biggest buildings, but they cannot touch the foundation of America”. This statement used the pathos driven idea that the terrorists could hurt the country physically, but Americans were still united as a nation and would move forward and continue to be a world force to be reckoned with. Naturally, this provided comfort for a nation that was shocked and feeling extremely insecure at the time. There are many other uses of pathos in the speech as well.

Bush continued to use emotion to comfort Americans throughout the speech by using symbolism and metaphors. He demonstrated the strength of the country by reminding everyone that 'these acts shattered steel, but they cannot dent the steel of American resolve'. In this statement, the 'steel' of American resolve is not literal steel but America's strength as a country. Bush was implying that even though terrorists created physical damage, the country would remain strong and would not waiver during that tragic time. This emotional statement allowed Bush to succeed in reaching his goal of comforting the nation by uniting Americans as one, and inspiring them with resolve.

Through the use of rhetorical strategies, Bush delivered an extremely effective speech. Although a great tragedy had occurred, the President’s powerful words brought the country together and made Americans feel strong and united as one. The country was on edge and unsure of what might lie ahead after the attacks, but Bush’s speech reassured Americans and helped them to visualize how the country should act and react moving forward. This included sending military to defend the nation against terrorism, which is still an ongoing situation today. The nation will never forget the events of that day, but the way Americans came together as a country and responded will be remembered even more. President Bush’s speech gave the country the momentum for setting the tone of comfort and unity in the ensuing days and months following the tragedy.