COMP1120

Journal: Brainstorm Your Rhetorical Analysis

Step 1:

1. Selecting the Artifact:

• The artifact I chose is a speech by Richard Nixon, Address to the Nation on the War in Vietnam. It’s an address to the nation that Nixon made on Nov. 3, 1969, where he discusses the reasons he believes America has for staying in the war.

2. Rhetorical Concepts:

• Nixon uses ethos, pathos, and logos throughout this address. Ethos plays a very prominent role here; as this address is being delivered by the highest power in the United States, it carries a weight and sense of authority with it. Nixon appeals to pathos by posing North Vietnamese forces as against the American people, telling the civilians of this country that “this enemy hates you – you should hate them back”. Logos is shown in Nixon’s argument that if the US withdraws from Vietnam, the “enemies of America will see this weakness and push forwards in their own goals.

Step 2: Understanding Your Audience and Purpose

1. Primary Audience:

• This address was intended to reach the entire American public and thus the entire public is the audience. The audience meant to be most effected by this message was likely anti-war protesters, as Nixon spends a lot of time explaining WHY he wants to stay in the war, and why the audience should want the USA to as well.

2. Features and Elements:

• Nixon uses simple language to make his point, and this allows him to get his point across to the lowest common denominator of viewer. This address was also broadcast on TV for viewers.

Step 3: Reflecting on Your Choices

1. Artifact Connection:

• I chose this artifact as I’ve been interested in the history of US involvement in foreign conflicts for a long time. Nixon’s decision to keep the US in the Vietnam war and actually increase the amount of troops on the ground has shaped US foreign policy since.

2. Analytical Approach:

• The speech lends itself to a standard rhetorical analysis, with perhaps the additional lens of deconstructing American propaganda of the time that lead people to initially support the US involvement in the war.

3. Challenges and Questions:

• I cannot think of any challenges or areas requiring clarification.