After 9/11 Rhetorical Analysis Essay

British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, in his speech Following September 11, 2001, describes terrorism. Blair’s purpose is to persuade the reader that our nation should work together. Blair’s speech was effective in persuading American citizens to unite as an American nation because connotation, pathos, and anaphora. To begin with, Blair effectively uses connotation throughout his speech. For example, in Blair’s speech, he states connotation which says,”But alongside the values we know we need a hard headed pragmatism- a realpolitik- required to give us any chance of translating those values into the practical world we live in”(1). Blair uses words such as “need”, “required”, and “any chance” to give the reader a sense of urgency. Blair uses these words so that his solution appears necessary. Blair’s use of connotation is just one use of a rhetorical device out of many more.

For example, Blair states pathos in his speech which says,”One is utilitarian: each nation maximises its own self interest. The other is Utopian: we try to create a better world. Today I want to suggest that more than ever before those two views are merging”(2). Blair states words such as “create a better world”, and “those two views are merging” to give the reader a sense of emotion. Blair states these words in order for American citizens to become emotionally connected with his speech. Blair uses pathos many times throughout his speech to create emotion to the American citizens, but there are more rhetorical devices he uses in his