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Rhetorical Analysis Of George Bush 9/11 Speech

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A Rhetorical Analysis of President George W. Bush’s “9/11 Address to the Nation” On September 11, 2001 the United States was tragically struck by a series of terrorist attacks that left many people dead and many fearful of the future. The President of the United States at the time, George W. Bush, addressed the nation shortly after the attacks in his “9/11 Address to the Nation,” which was aired across the country to ease any fears amongst citizens and to assure that he was qualified to handle such a dire situation. In his speech, Bush uses organization, tone, and diction to achieve his purpose of connecting to his audience on a more personal level.
In his Address, Bush discusses the events of 9/11 in a chronological and orderly fashion, helping …show more content…
The tone that is understood is very reassuring yet has a sense of urgency about it. President Bush responded to the attack by reassuring the American people by saying, “The functions of our government continue without interruption...Our financial institutions remain strong, and the American economy will open for business as well” (Bush). Essentially, Bush is saying that despite the tragedy, the American way of life must go on and return to any possible norm. In addition, he is assuring his people that the government has not teetered and will remain strong to serve its people. This all adds to a connection between Bush’s Address and American citizens. In the speech’s tone, there is also a large sense of urgency about it. Bush implies that sense of urgency when he says, “Immediately following the first attack, I implemented our government’s emergency response plans…Our first priority is to get help to those who have been injured” (Bush). Bush strongly expresses the urgency of the situation and exactly how he has handled it thus far. Tone is important in this case because Bush is speaking to such an emotional nation, and really world. Therefore, it is absolutely crucial he responds accordingly. By setting a hastened tone, he strengthens the overall appeal of his Address as it becomes much more genuine in the manner of being able to connect on a more personal

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