Rhetorical Analysis Of Lyndon Baines Johnson's Speech

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As a president of America, the credibility of Lyndon Baines Johnson is well-established. He did not have to establish his credibility as everyone already knows it and he is a trustworthy source. But, as his audiences are young adults, so he still try to boost his credibility at the beginning of the speech with the joke about coeducation college student partying to let the students know he has been there too. 2.3.2 Pathos This speech can be said as an emotional roller coaster as the emotional elements have its ups and downs. It arise when the president stated Americans ' previous achievements where he said "For a century we labored to settle and to subdue a continent. For half a century we called upon unbounded invention and untiring industry …show more content…

As example, “The Great Society is a place where (…)”, and the other five lines stated “it is a place(…)”. The speaker makes the audience imagine how the Great Society is. Moreover, he also asked his audiences to believe in the possibility when the Great Society becomes a reality and all things are good. As example, “every child can find knowledge”and “renew contact with nature”. 3.8 Alliteration It is the repetition of the same letter or sound in close proximity that makes an idea more memorable. As example, in this speech, “Your imagination, your initiative and your indignation will determine(…)”, “expansion is eroding(…), and “They require us to create new concepts of cooperation, a creative federalism, between the National Capital and the leaders of local communities.” 4.0 CONCLUSION In the Great Society speech that was delivered during graduation day of Michigan University, the speaker, Lyndon Baines Johnson delivers his speech very successfully. His speech consists of all five rhetoric canons which are invention, arrangement, style, memory and delivery. This speech also contains appeals such as ethos, pathos and logos. The speech is convincing as it has all the persuasive elements and the speech is delivered by a person that has high credibility and considered as trustworthy