A Rhetorical Analysis Of George Bush Speech On 9/11

Speech Analysis Essay
On September 11th, 2001, President George W. Bush addressed the Nation concerning the terrorist attacks that occurred that day. President Bush gave a solemn speech that connected to the audience and was very appropriate for the occasion. I believe that his speech was successful in comforting and encouraging the American people.

During his speech, the President used emotion to connect with the citizens that had been affected by the events. At the beginning of his speech, he said, “The victims were in airplanes or in their offices—secretaries, businessmen and women, military and federal workers. Moms and Dads. Friends and neighbors.” This is directed toward those who were directly affected by the attacks on 9/11. These

words could’ve provided comfort for many and helped them to see that they weren’t alone. President Bush also said, “Terrorist attacks can shake the foundations of our biggest buildings, but they cannot touch the foundation of America.” This provides hope for those who may have felt insecure after the attacks on that day. He could present his speech in this manner because he knew he had the support of governmental agencies such as the Central Intelligence Agency, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, as well as the various Offices of Intelligence and Counterintelligence.

President Bush also presented himself in an official way, reflecting decorum that would be expected from a president on such an occasion.

This was possibly enhanced by his secular education obtained during his Harvard and Yale school years. His tone was appropriate for an occasion where several people had lost their lives, and he had good control over emotion. For example, the president said, “The pictures of airplanes flying into buildings, fires burning, huge structures collapsing, have filled us with disbelief, terrible silence, and a quiet, unyielding anger.” The speaker showed emotion while saying this, but he didn’t get carried away and maintained a steady volume and an even tone of voice. The President was also respectful in saying, “Thousands of lives were suddenly ended by evil, despicable acts of terror.” The President’s choice of words shows that he didn’t take lightly the lives that had been lost. Additionally, his delivery used word repetition. Terms such as evil, grief, safety, and security, served to key in on the specific aspects of the speech he sought to highlight. Evil and grief attributed to the actions taken and caused by the terrorists. Safety and security repeated to reflect what the American people could expect from the American government's response. His emphasis on words and phrases such as justice and freedom could reassure the public in a time where they may have been disheartened and

sad.

September 11th is an infamous day that will be remembered in American history. Overall the President did a fantastic job of giving an effective speech that comforted and encouraged the American people.