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Rhetorical Analysis Of Ronald Reagan's Speech At The Brandenburg Gate

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In his speech at the Brandenburg Gate, President Ronald Reagan attempted to do something that seemed almost impossible at the time; unite Europe. He uses several words and phrases to support this analysis, such as: “To those listening throughout Eastern Europe, I extend my warmest greetings and the good will of the American people. To those listening in East Berlin, a special word: Although I cannot be with you, I address my remarks to you just as surely as to those standing here before me. For I join you, as I join your fellow countrymen in the West, in this firm, this unalterable belief: Es gibt nur ein Berlin.” (American Rhetoric) The last phrase that he spoke in German means “There is only one Berlin.” He says this specifically to try and show that no matter what the two different names of the cities are, East and West Berlin, there is still really only one Berlin. He also refers to the wall as a scar to all Germans but also to all Berliners. Ronald Reagan expressively shows that he wants the conflicts in Eastern Europe to stop. He is not subtle with his statements, he wants to be clear and to the point by showing that he wants change. …show more content…

The change that pushed the people that he leads out of an era of depression. It is for that same reason that he longs for the same impacts with Germany. Since America survived a civil war, why couldn’t Germany do the same? The similarities between the two countries stemmed from years of hatred but resulted in countries of love and compassion. “In the West today, we see a free world that has achieved a level of prosperity and well-being unprecedented in all human history.” He sees the progress made by Americans and wants Berliners and Germans to see that it is possible to unite back

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Furthermore, Ronald Reagan started his argument with uses of word choices and appeals of emotions which creates strong feelings that effectively helps him to persuade the Soviet Union as well as the president Gorbachev. As he mentioned in paragraph two “standing before the Brandenburg gate, every man is a German, separated from his fellow man, every man is a Berliner forced to look upon a scar” here Reagan expressed the feeling of not being able to be connected to the other part of German. Those emotional appeal makes the Soviet Union to think about how the people were not connected to the other side of the berlin wall, which creates an eagerness inside them to bring down the

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On one side the President offers reduction of arms. On the other side deterrence is addressed by upgrading forces in Europe. The Power of Economic could use the same logic. Offering Soviet trade options and access to the European market on one side, and a threat of further isolation and sanctions on the other side. A wider use of Economic Power would probably reduce some of the risks in the strategy by enabling more means to the way of economic growth, not just in East Berlin, but also in East

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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.

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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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Tragedies, they will happen without a hint of awareness but they cannot be stopped or answered for. When they do occur it leads people to shock and grief. However tragedies brings forth something that gives people unity, hope, and direction. This something is called a leader and throughout history many people have embodied this quality. There are many instances where people have stood up an embodied this quality.

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In Ronald Reagan’s Remarks at the Brandenburg Gate on June 12, 1987, he discussed the Berlin Wall and how it is a universal symbol (Kostka, 2009, p. 90). When President Reagan gave this remark, it was the 750th anniversary of the founding of Berlin (Kostka, 2009, p. 90). As President Reagan spoke to those in Berlin, he stated, “Every man is a Berliner, forced to look upon a scar” (American Rhetoric). President Reagan’s use of the metaphor ‘Every man is Berliner’ allowed him to explain how and why the Berlin Wall is a universal symbol that brings so many different countries together (American Rhetoric). President Reagan appealed to those he was speaking to first so that they knew he was with them.

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The United States of America is faced with many problems and concerning topics every year. Every citizen holds on tightly to their own beliefs and viewpoints, ultimately hoping the nation’s leader can lead the country in the right direction. Every election year, the next presidential candidate gives an important speech, known as the inaugural address. In this address, the candidate informs the nation of his or her intentions as the president. In these inaugural speeches, the upcoming presidents use many different rhetorical strategies to get their main points to the citizens of the country.

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Overall, Reagan used the rhetorical device ethos to express his knowledge, and integrity in order to persuade the audience of knocking the Wall of Berlin down. Besides the rhetorical device ethos, Reagan also used logos to influence the readers of no longer having the Wall of Berlin. Reagan states, “And now the Soviets themselves may, in a limited way, be coming to understand the importance of freedom.” (2) The quote explains how the Soviets have started to progress their comprehension of the significance of freedom. Reagan proposed knocking down the Wall of Berlin, and how this would spread freedom; therefore, since the Soviets started to realize the significance of freedom, then it would only be logical to knock down the wall in order for the Soviets and others to fully comprehend the importance of freedom, rather than understand it in a limited way.

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Reagan urged us to change our ways for the better and pray. It would definitely benefit our nation and everywhere else to not be so hateful towards each other. Reagan also was completely against communism. He believed that it was very sinful and evil and he begged for us to not be lead into temptation. Reagan talked about our problems with the Soviet Union.

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Although Ronald Reagan’s speech about the Challenger explosion was given during a time of great sorrow, the speech was successful for being a way to unite the country as one to deal with the loss as a whole, and to bear the weight of such a horrific tragedy together. With the Challenger disaster being the first one of the space program to have deaths in flight, the United States was completely shocked by the misfortune of the shuttle. Ronald Reagan’s speech on the disaster was a way to have the nation not blame the space program for the deaths of the astronauts, but a way to have the nation face the disaster with strength and push through the event with more courage than before and to continue exploration into space. Ronald Reagan begins his speech by addressing the nation and stating how he is exempting the State of the Union

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Washington emphasized the danger of factions, whether by geography, political party, or petty differences. Washington furthered suggested, “The name of American, [sic] must always exalt the just pride of patriotism more than any appellation derived from local discriminations.” Likewise, Reagan emphasized the danger the factions of communism and democratic ideologies. Reagan suggested, “Standing before the Brandenburg Gate, every man is a German separated from his fellow men.”

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Reagan sets America on a higher level than any other country when he says, “Freedom and the dignity of the individual have been more available and assured here than in any other place on earth.” He then goes on to add, “We will again be the exemplar of freedom and a beacon of hope for those who do not now have freedom.” These hopeful words such as freedom and dignity set America apart from the rest of the world. Ronald Reagan is tactfully creating a sense of nationalism and unification in his audience, giving them a sense of pride. People want to preserve and remake America in this way, because believing that we have more freedom and more opportunities than others, makes us

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850 Words | 4 Pages

Former President of the United States, Ronald Reagan, in his address to the nation about the Challenger explosion, distinguishes the terrifying news of the explosion of the space shuttle. Reagan's purpose is to remember the lives lost in this painful accident and to ensure that space program will keep our faith with its future in space. He adopts a sorrowful tone in order to acknowledge all the courage and breakers that those seven astronauts expressed to his nation. Reagan opens his tribute to the Challenger astronauts by recognizing that this accident delayed his State of the Union address and by showing the pain of him and his wife’s grief. He appeal to the emotions of the listeners by expressing that “today is a day for mourning and remembering” (Reagan, 1986), that he and his wife are “pained to the core” (Reagan, 1986), and that we all know that this accident is “truly a national loss” (Reagan, 1986).

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The rhetorical elements, logos and pathos, included in Ronald Reagan’s speech, “ Tear Down This Wall” assist Reagan and his words to convince Gorbachev, along with the people of Berlin, that the wall between eastern and western Berlin must be dismantled. Logos is an appeal to logic, or a way of persuading an audience by reason. Reagan provides details of how other countries have reached a state of freedom, at the same time have maintained a strong financial background. In “Tear Down This Wall” logos is used to show that countries who are not separated by a wall are thriving economically. For example, Reagan explained, “in the West today, we see a free world that has achieved a level of prosperity and well-being unprecedented in all human history.”

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On 19th June 2013 Barack Obama, who is the current president of America, held a speech in front of the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin. It brought thousands of people there and millions around the world in front of the televisions. Its purpose is to inform the world about the beginning of negotiations with Russia aimed at ending the two nations` Cold War military posture and a reduction of nuclear arms by up to one third. The American president starts the speech by simply saying "Hello Berlin!

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