ipl-logo

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

489 Words2 Pages

In the speech at the Brandenburg Gate, President Ronald Reagan implements repetition, german, and rhetorical questions in order to inform the people Germany about the injustices surrounding them ultimately encouraging the destruction of the wall separating west and east and uniting the people. First, Ronald Reagan portrays himself as one of the people through german and repetition to comfort them in order to gain their trust in that tearing down the wall is the right thing to do. Take, for example how, Mr. Regan talks in both German and English when talking about how “... whatever [he does]: Ich hab noch einen Koffer in Berlin[I still have a suitcase in Berlin].” The implication that Reagan's home “suitcase” belongs in Berlin manifests a feeling of comfort. By insinuating that no matter where every he is his true home is in Berlin exemplifies the idea that he goes through their struggles as well. Saying those inspiring words in German gave additional reassurance because it is the native language of the audience. Additionally, Regan …show more content…

The audience is living with “... barbed wire, … dog runs, and guard towers.” This compels the audience to look at their unwarranted condition and drive them to question how to resolve the situation. Furthermore, Regan reminds the audience that the Soviets are to blame. By insisting that the changes in the Soviet state” ... intended to raise false hopes?” Regan has the German people recollect who is responsible for their dire situation. The placement of blame focuses anger onto one source rather than anger that has no direction. Direct anger can be channeled into energy needed to resolve the problem rather than senseless anger. In a time where spirits are low, initiating someone would falsely raise hopes sparks a fire. This fire is then used to take action and tear down the wall, ultimately uniting the

Show More
Related
537 Words | 3 Pages

There is a great deal of risk in the strategy spoken by President Reagan because of the imbalance between ends, ways and means. Lykke provides a conceptual framework and vocabulary for describing risk in strategy in his “three-legged stool” model. His main point is that a balanced strategy is solid, but if ends, ways, or means are not aligned, the strategy incurs risk (Reading C203 D, p. 4). In the spoken strategy there is especially an imbalance between the ends, ways and means to the desired end of a unified and free Europe. The ways in the strategy is only directed towards the city of Berlin.

Read More
256 Words | 2 Pages

The language is with a lot repeats. By repeating” YOU” it makes the audience feel important, and it makes them feel, that George is one of them, and makes them remember the message in the speech. He makes them feel, that he knows, what kind of situation there are in. To get the message of the speech out so wide as possible he uses repetition. He keeps repeating the important messages.

Read More
642 Words | 3 Pages

In the 1930’s there were many controversies within society as a whole. With the Great Depression just beginning, people all around were losing hope and needed guidance as to where to go. In order to shed some light on this predicament, Franklin Delano Roosevelt shared a very valuable speech to the citizens on March 4, 1933. This speech was called the First Inaugural Address. During this speech, he spoke about how even though taxes are rising, trade is completely frozen in all areas, and unemployment has reached an extreme level, everyone needs to remain calm and remember who and what America truly is.

Read More
400 Words | 2 Pages

In Reagan’s eulogy Thatcher uses pathos to unite herself with the audience, through the mutual feelings of grief and sorrow over losing a friend. In the opening lines of the eulogy Thatcher creates pathos by using diction. In lines one and two Thatcher said that a “Great President… Great American… Great man….” has died. Her choice of using the word great instead of good or any other adjective, effects the audience by showing what kind of man Reagan was. Since death is a universally known topic, it is safe to say that everybody has experienced the pain of losing a great person to death.

Read More
873 Words | 4 Pages

One minute and thirteen seconds. The last entry on the flight transcript: LOSS OF ALL DATA. On January 28, 1986, the Challenger Space Shuttle exploded 73 seconds into its flight. Aboard were five astronauts, one of whom, Christa McAuliffe, was ready to become the first school teacher in space. Sadly, none of the five survived.

Read More
1123 Words | 5 Pages

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.

Read More
895 Words | 4 Pages

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.

Read More
688 Words | 3 Pages

On December 8th, 1941 Franklin Delano Roosevelt delivered a speech to the House of Representatives, Members of the Senate, the House Speaker, to the Vice President, and to the American people. Franklin spoke of the incident of the attack on Pearl Harbor the day after it occurred. Mr. Roosevelt was stern and concise. He spoke on the occasion of tragedy to inform the House and the American people what the Japanese have done.

Read More
421 Words | 2 Pages

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.

Read More
474 Words | 2 Pages

The speech conducted by former President Ronald Reagan titled “Evil Empire” was to address the National Association of Evangelicals. The speeches main topic is to focus on the evil that is among us. Former President Reagan conducted this speech at the time Congress was debating on a resolution for nuclear freeze. The speech’s main point is to inform and give hope to Christians to make sure America stays a free and great country.

Read More
1270 Words | 6 Pages

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

Read More
694 Words | 3 Pages

Breaking Boundaries The Berlin Wall was built to separate the Communist east from the Democratic west. This ominous divider was was twelve feet of concrete that stretched for one hundred miles around West Berlin. The infamous symbol of the Cold War was guarded by electric fences and guard posts stationed along it.

Read More
722 Words | 3 Pages

Margaret Thatcher, the British Prime Minister at the time, gave a eulogy to the grieving American people in honor of the late Ronald Reagan on June 11th, 2004. In her speech, Thatcher used rhetorical techniques to show the strength and principles of Reagan and project those values onto the American people. To project the ideas of strength and firm ideals, Thatcher used repetition, elevated syntax and the tone of optimism and sincerity to convey her message. In the beginning of the speech, Thatcher used repetition to show what Reagan had accomplished in his lifetime.

Read More
1089 Words | 5 Pages

To present his main points he will put into action during his presidency, Reagan uses logos on several occasions in his speech. Logically structured sentences that show his stance on the old government and a renewed one helps the audience to better understand why he believes what he does. For example, Reagan states, “Those who do work are denied a fair

Read More
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).

Read More

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

Related Topics

Open Document