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Analysis Of State Of The Union Address By Ronald Reagan

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The aim of this paper is to analyze the speech by President Ronald Reagan at the State of the Union Address in 1985. The speech was delivered from the House Chamber of the U.S. Capitol addressing the Congress and the Nation. The president is introduced by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Thomas P. O’Neill Jr., and his speech is broadcast to the people of America over television and radio.
The goal of a State of the Union address is to deliver a report of the nation’s progress and to give an outline of the legislative agenda that a president is spearheading. The address is delivered by the president because it is his duty and responsibility to report to the people and to the Congress whose task is to cooperate with him on matters …show more content…

The president presents statistics that support his pride for the growth that the country had experienced. The data corroborate the promise he had made to the American people four years ago to invigorate the economy and to revive the industrial giant that the United States is. The speech utilizes metaphors and symbolism representing the revival of the economy, the charge towards space exploration and the advancement of technology. The speech is organized logically moving from what has already been achieved, the current events and successes, and toward what he envisions for the nation. The facts that he refers to at the outset of his speech contribute to the great announcement of the Reagan Doctrine, which is the heart of the address. The transitions are marked by quotations from the Bible and even from words by Abraham Lincoln. The transitions into various subjects are also supported by factual stories from industries and short stories alluding to what people said about topics such as the invention of the …show more content…

The audience interacts with him through by their occasional applause when matters of great concern are raised such as the strengthening of the economy and the tax reform policy. The interaction is effective as it displays the House’s concurrence on matters that the president is addressing. The message is focused on the American people and their interest rather than on the interest of the president himself. No visual aids are used but the president displays a posture of confidence and ease in the delivery of his speech. The president does not use any hand gestures but rather maintains a constant overlook of the house with his hands on his speech pausing for the applause. It is easy to follow his speech because he does not possess any distracting mannerisms; but on close observation, the president seems to pick up his notes whenever the applause begins before he can finish his statement and before he starts again. He maintains contact with the audience, which earns him their

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