Rhetorical Analysis Essay On 9/11

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Rhetorical Analysis Essay (Final Draft) 9/11 was a national crisis that led the nation into panic, causing the President of the United States to create a powerful speech to calm and reassure the people. The 43rd president, George W. Bush, announces in his speech “9/11 Address to the nation,” to collect and reassure the people of the nation of the events that took place in New York’s Trading Center. The event took place on September 11, 2001. It was a terrorist attack involving four planes getting hijacked; two of them crashing into the twin towers. This took almost 2,996 lives, injured many, and caused a lot of damage to the buildings in the area. George W. Bush states the people will recover and overcome the situation in the nation. Bush …show more content…

He tries to explain the situation to the people of the nation through his speech calmly and directly, using the rhetorical device of Imagery. Bush tried to describe the situation and the event to the people, to talk about how serious the situation is from the amount of damage that the attack caused. Bush says that “The pictures of airplanes flying into buildings, flying buildings, huge - huge structures collapsing have failed us in disbelief, terrible sadness, and a quiet, unyielding anger” (Bush 1). This statement shows how the people are in confusion and terror at the sight of the buildings falling, fires erupting from them, and debris everywhere. Seeing how the situation is being played out, causes chaos to unfold from the people and the current situation. He also claims, “The victims were in airplanes or their offices; Secretaries, businessmen and women, military and federal workers, moms and dads, friends and Neighbors” (Bush 1). This is significant because he describes to the people that it could be almost anyone we know or see daily—anyone, whether adults, children, or just people who had their own lives taken from them. The people we love or know are taken from us by unfortunate timing, giving them a sense of concern and …show more content…

Making references as his way of reinsuring the people of their fears using the rhetorical device of allusion. In the speech, he explains that “Psalm 23: Even though I walked through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil for you is with me.” (Bush 2). In this statement, he refers to the Bible as a way of making people feel safe. Making them feel that they can recover and be brave until this is over. By using a quote from the bible to make the people feel safe and united after everything that was lost in the event. Another quote that he uses states, “America has stood down enemies before, and we will do so this time” (Bush 2). However, he refers to America's battles before other enemies, which always end in victories. Telling the people that they are confident that they could win against anything, including if this attack led to