Analysis of Ronald Reagans First Inaugural Speech Essay

Kathryn Abraham Mr. Schoch English 11 Honors 9/26/2012 A New Day Dawns in this Great Nation Kathryn Abraham Ronald Reagan was an inspirational speaker who planted hope in the minds of Americans through his speeches. He echoed throughout the streets of this democracy what true revolutionary ideas were. His ideas and beliefs rang true within the hearts of our fellow country-men as proven by his landslide second term victory. One of his most famous speeches, his First Inaugural Address, was spoken when he won the race for Presidency in 1980. President Reagan wanted to inspire the American people and inform them of how he planned to run the United States of America. He was not only speaking to his fellow citizens, but†¦show more content†¦He also uses the literary device of parallelism, which means that he uses similar wording in his syntax to make a point, â€Å"I have used the words they and their in speaking of these heroes. I could say you and your because I am addressing the heroes of whom I speak.† In addition, he asks a rhetorical question, a question not meant to be answered aloud but to be pondered silently, â€Å"You and I, as individuals, can, by borrowing, live beyond our means, but for only a limited period of time. Why, then, should we think that collectively, as a nation, we are not bound by that same limitation?† Asking this rhetorical question gets the audience involved in his speech. These are both useful techniques because they both relate him to the audience and keep the audience’s attention by inquiry. These are all strategies that lead to the same outcome, to persuade the audience that he is best fit to be the leader of this nation. In conclusion, President Reagan was operative in convincing his audience that he was the right choice for who should lead the U.S. I firmly believe that Ronald Reagan was the last good President we had in office. He not only kept to his word, but also was able to inspire the American people and remind them what hope was and what it looked and felt like. Shown through this piece, it is evident that he was an eloquent communicator and an overall persuasive orator. By using pathos, rhetorical questioning,Show MoreRelatedComparative Analysis of Woodrow Wilson vs. Ronald Reagan1631 Words   |  7 PagesComparative Analysis of Woodrow Wilson vs. Ronald Reagan Two American Presidents, both very influential in their time and both having had a great impact on history are Ronald Reagan and Woodrow Wilson. Both Presidents were advocates of peace even though they would not have hesitated to enter into a war if war was needed to insure the safety of the United States and Democracy as a whole. By use of small wars and political pressures both Reagan and Wilson, with the exception of Wilsons enteringRead MoreKeynesian Economics For American Fiscal Policy2241 Words   |  9 PagesKeynesian economics for American fiscal policy. Though subtle at first, these ideas of supply-side economics gained traction quickly and reached the national stage with Ronald Reagan’s Inaugural address and promise to end the troubles of stagflation and begin the â€Å"[reawakening of] this industrial giant, to get government back within its means, and to lighten our punitive tax burden.† As the mid 1980s economy began to show, Reagan’s fiscal poli cies, formerly referred to pejoratively by members ofRead MoreBarack Obama3987 Words   |  16 PagesObama The President Of the United States Biography Barack Hussein Obama II, born August 4, 1961, a graduate of Columbia University and Harvard Law School, is the 44th and current president of the United States. For your information, he is also the first African American to hold the office. He was a community organizer in Chicago before earning his law degree. He also worked as civil-rights lawyer and teacher before pursuing a political career. He was later elected to the Illinois State Senate in