A Rhetorical Analysis Of George W Bush Speech On 9/11

Speeches are given for a variety of reasons, yet many result from infamous events that mark history forever. Following the shocking terrorist attacks of September 11th, 2001, former president George W. Bush gave an uplifting and comforting speech to the American people. Prior to these attacks, Bush’s presidency was rather uneventful and unremarkable. Being the first major crisis he has to respond to as president, Bush faces a great deal of pressure to give a powerful address which will calm the masses, as many people are frightened and extremely worried about what is to come. By strategically ordering his topics, distinctively choosing select pronouns, and referencing religious text, Bush is able to produce a convincing speech which portrays a sense of national unity and

By using “our” he also shares the possession and control of the country, in a figurative way. While he shares his love of America and overall sense of hope quite a bit while speaking for the masses, he also uses “I” many times. His first usage of this pronoun occurs when he shares that “immediately after the first attack [he] implemented [the] government’s emergency response plan.” This sudden change of pronouns is to take ownership and show authority, as well as his strength as a president. As opposed to crediting the work of other civil servants who also make this possible, he uses “I” in order to reassure the American people that their very own president is accountable and trustworthy. By using several different choices of pronouns, Bush is able to shift between them, changing his tone as he goes; pronouns can be just as powerful as using different voices, as they signify different