In a period of crisis, following the devastating aftermath of the tragic events taken place on September 11, 2001 (9/11), President George W. Bush assures the citizens of the United States that they will continue to prosper in his “9/11 Address to the Nation.” During his speech, he explains that the United States is the most powerful nation in the world, and that it will not crumble to the hands of the diabolic terrorists that attempt to steal their freedom. Bush’s designs his speech to motivate the people of the United States to keep a positive outlook for the future.
To achieve his purpose, President Bush uses multiple accounts of pathos (emotion) throughout his entire speech to relate to the struggling audience. Notably, Bush uses emotion to assure the audience that they are not alone in the process of healing. To shift the focus to the audience, he sympathizes with the communities and points out the people who are grieving with the loss of family and
…show more content…
On the day of the attack, Bush stresses that “Our fellow citizens, our way of life, our very freedom came under attack,” when those terrorist acts occurred (Bush 1). The repetition of the word “Our” creates a sense of unity that enables the audience to feel as if they are not alone. This anaphora emphasizes how the attack affects multiple aspects of the life in America. Later in his speech, Bush calls upon everybody to stand against terrorism. To help confront some of the problems that the nation is facing, Bush asks for “Prayers for all those who grieve, for the children whose worlds have been shattered, for all whose sense of safety and security have been threatened,” (Bush 1). This use of anaphora aids Bush in comforting the citizens who have lost their worlds by calling upon the community to come together as one. Bush’s use of anaphora results in the unity of the American population in the fight against