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How Did Ronald Reagan Use Rhetorical Devices In Tear Down This Wall

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Michael Andersen Mr. Bolton Public Speaking CIHS 4 April, 2023 Great Speech Analysis: Tear Down This Wall, Ronald Reagan Ronald Reagan, in his persuasive speech, “Tear Down This Wall” (1987) challenges Soviet authority to tear down the Berlin Wall and allow West and East Germany to reunite. Reagan supports his statement by using apostrophe, anadiplosis and anaphora. Reagan's purpose was to prod communist authority in East Germany. Reagan addresses those who were watching television in Europe, North America and especially those that attended his speech live at the Berlin Wall. Ronald Reagan was born in Tampico, Illinois on February 6, 1911. Growing up in Tampico, he graduated from Eureka college. Graduating from college he became a sports …show more content…

Using words that mean the same thing, but said differently doesn’t make a speech sound plain. Repeating the same word could’ve lost the attention of his listeners, thus making anaphora and rhetorical device used in this speech. Apostrophe is another rhetorical device that is used throughout the Tear down this wall speech. Reagan uses it as he says, “Mr Gorbachev, tear down this wall. He is addressing someone who did not attend the speech but says it as though Gorbachev is in the audience. Using an effective tone of voice and body language, Reagan was able to captivate the audience. Reagan also has a good dialect, pronouncing words effectively and precisely. Reagan repeats words at the beginning that he ended his sentences in. Anadiplosis is what is being used throughout the speech. Using this rhetorical device increases the power of persuasion. This secures the audience's attention during the speech. He speaks with a calm and demanding tone, which sounds more persuasive than using a harsh demanding tone. “General Secretary Gorbachev, if you seek peace, if you seek prosperity for the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, if you seek liberalization: Come here to this gate! Mr. Gorbachev, open this gate! Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this

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RONALD REAGAN AND THE BERLIN WALL President Reagan’s address at the Brandenburg Gate was a historic speech to end the cold war. He challenged Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev to destroy the wall. Reagan declared, “Mr. Gorbachev, open this gate! Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!” He challenged Gorbachev to tear down the wall if, he seeks freedom and prosperity for Soviet Union and East Germany.

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The first rhetorical skill that Reagan uses is ethos. In the very first sentence he implies his status and authority by stating, “I'd planned to speak to you tonight to report on the state of the Union, but the events of earlier today have led me to change those plans.” By showing us his power as President of the United States (the

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In June 12th, 1987 Ronald Reagan gave a speech that became to be known as “Tear Down This Wall”. This speech was given during a time of conflict. Ronald Reagan wanted the people of Berlin to know that he is going to help them in convincing the Soviet Union to tear down the Berlin wall and he did that by using acknowledgement, repetition, and rhetoric. One way that President Reagan achieves his purpose of protest is through acknowledgement. The purpose of acknowledgement is for the speaker to acknowledge the situation and for the speaker to let the audience to know he or she knows what they are talkng about.

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Being personal is a good way to unify people. In this speech President Regan uses a rhetorical canon; which is style, effectively. President Reagan personalizes his speech by talking directly to the families of the fallen heroes. Personalizing the speech was a good choice because it is a more effective way of talking about the situation rather than just talking about the incident an informing what happened. Also his choice of using the words “us” and “we” triggers unity among the nation.

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Knowing President Reagan’s past is something that is not spoken and written of enough. In the Writing the Life of Ronald Reagan: An Impossible Mission? it helps to bring light to his past and why he was able to use these forms of rhetoric to speak to the harsh realities of the Berlin Wall and its impact on many people around the world. It is important to note that President Reagan “published two (ghostwritten) autobiographies. The first one was published in 1965, just before he entered politics in California; it is entitled Where’s the Rest of Me?”

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Rhetorical Analysis Essay Many citizens knew former President Ronald Reagan as a strong leader who protected their country and fought in many battles to keep America standing, but Margaret Thatcher knew him as a kind and loyal friend who was “the great cause of cheering us all up”(12). In her eulogy for former President Ronald Regan, former prime minister Margaret Thatcher uses anaphora and striking evocative diction to inform the American People of the passing of Ronald Reagan. In the eulogy honoring former President Ronald Reagan, Margaret Thatcher uses anaphora to better connect with the citizens of the United States.

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Strong usage of diction was beneficial in the presentation of Johnson, large amount of pausing within the speech was the most common usage of diction. Known as a man of few words, Johnson had much to say when provoked. Carrying himself with dignity, using periodic pausing through the presentation of the speech “We Shall Overcome” to create depth and captivate the audience throughout his presentation. Pausing when he changes tone holds significant throughout the speech; his tone varies duringing the speech. Serious and desperate tones are implicated to call his audience to action.

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Reagan used pronouns to include the audience throughout his speech. One example of Reagan’s speech being inclusive of the entire nation was when he said, “ We’ve grown used to the wonders in this century” (4). He is saying that as a whole country we are used to finding new wonders everyday. Reagan was very confident in NASA and wanted to continue to receive support, so he said, “We’ll continue our quest into space” (6). He believed that America could keep the space program going strong despite the recent tragic events.

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In his speech, he uses pathos to get to your feelings and make you feel something.¨Their mission was one of the most difficult and daring of the invasion¨ (¨Ronald Reagan¨). He used that sentence to show you what their mission was actually like, he tells you how risky the mission was Another persuasive technique that he uses is repetition. ¨But we try always to be prepared for peace, prepared to deter aggression, prepared to negotiate the reduction of arms, and yes, prepared to reach out again in the spirit of reconciliation¨ (¨Ronald Reagan¨). He uses the word prepared over and over, he shows how everyone tries to be prepared but you can never be prepared for everything. He also used logos a lot in his speech to show the truth of what happened that day.

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Rhetorical Criticism of Ronald Reagan’s “Tear Down This Wall” Ronald Reagan’s “Tear Down This Wall” speech was presented at the Brandenburg Gate in Germany in 1987 during the Cold War. This was a period in time when there was a tense conflict between the United States and the Soviet Union. This tension prevailed from the end of World War II (1945) until the descent and collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. The Soviet Union produced the Berlin Wall in 1961 in demand to divide the communist East and democratic West of Berlin. Reagan gave this speech in 1987 when the tensions between the two were very high.

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In that year, Reagan spoke at Germany 's Berlin Wall. He told Gorbachev to tear it down and over two years later, Gorbachev gave in and the wall was torn down. Reagan 's leadership brought the international nightmare of the Cold War to a conclusion. Reagan also implemented the Reagan Doctrine. This provided aid to anti-communist movements in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.

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On January 20, 1981, Ronald Reagan gave his “First Inaugural Address” with the United States listening; some people were able to experience firsthand Ronald Reagan’s passion and views for our country, in Front of the Capitol Building, while others tuned in to listen on the momentous occasion. Ronald Reagan sets the stage for his presidency using logos through logical sentences that are meant to bring the audience a better perspective on his point of view. Diction was a key factor in showing Ronald Reagan’s strong sense of nationalism; he chose powerful, hopeful words and phrases that were intended to unify the people. He shows syntax through anaphora, repetition, and parallelism. By using these rhetorical devices, he states key phrases more than once to create an urgency and therefore grab listener’s attention.

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