Unique way of being informal yet authoritative Very influential, by instilling fear into audience Uses many metaphors to indirectly insult the Soviet Union To make it look like he’s not directly insulting Abortion = Communism UP: Memory Loses many examples in history Relates back to the asses No one wants something like that to happen again How the USSR killed its own citizens Refers to the American myth’s We were meant to lead We were meant to protect the weak We do not restrict individual liberties Conclusion Sum it all up!
In his “Evil Empire” speech, Reagan organizes and structures his debate using arioso rhetorical devices in order to depict the Soviet Union as an enemy of the United States. In presenting his address, Reagan makes use of his role in office in his “Evil Empire” speech. By holding a high position such as the leader of the United States, one of the two superpowers during the Cold War, he establishes his authority and ensures trust in the audience.
His credibility and the American publics assurance in his words are supported by the incident in which Reagan was worshipped by the people outside of the East Room of the White House during a meeting. As a result of the event, Reagan assumes himself to be an entity similar to that of God. Reagan speaks with a style of informality, but maintains his authority throughout the entire speech. This is backed by the laughter in paragraphs 5, 6, 9 and 10. Humor can be used to break down barriers, but it can also instill certain emotions in people’s hearts.
Reagan does this in order to make the audience feel what he wants them to feel?fear, anger, and disbelief. After the tone shift of a whimsical approach to a more serious one in paragraph 10, he begins to introduce the true repose of his speech?the rivalry between the United States and the “evil” Soviet Union. Reagan uses a variety of metaphors in which the negative subject of the comparison is a direct representation of the totalitarianism and lack of religious faith in the Soviet Union. For example, he Inserts the issue of abortion.
This seems rather random; however he describes the act as infringing the life, liberty and pursuit of happiness in the unborn child. This directly correlates to the communism in the Soviet Union, where the style of government removes the freedom, will or individual thoughts of others. The philosophical premises used to justify abortion on demand would ultimately be used to justify other attacks on the sacredness of human life [… L” Here Reagan states that if the communism were to continue, the country would soon use it as an excuse for the demise of their own citizens.
Another metaphor of his is the correlation of communism to the apple in the Garden of Eden. Marxism-Leninism or the snake promised the citizens “Ye shall be Gods”, the promise being the apple in the Garden of Eden. By adopting the form of government, they would be defying the usual system of a President, n which going back to the beginning Reagan describes as a God-like position. Now, the communists would “stand alone without “God”. ” These two metaphors allow Reagan to portray the Soviets as disbelievers of religious faith, which give the audience, the National Association of Evangelicals, a sense of disgust.
In order to ensure the memorabilia and impact of his speech, Reagan uses examples in history and the American myth’s as a tactic to justify his actions against the Soviet Union. He goes back to the statements of Alexis De Destructive to support the idea that America is good. Destructive, a skeptic of the American democracy, even understood the greatness and genius of America. Therefore, any action that America executes is automatically justified. As champions of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, these rights must be secured.
Reagan describes America as protectors of the weak, as “There is sin and evil in the world, and we’re enjoined by Scripture and the Lord Jesus to oppose it with all our might. ” It is stated in the Bible, that the good were meant to fight the evil. And so, he uses what the Holy Book states as a means of influencing the very religious audience in order for them to understand that the military actions of the US government are vindicated in terms of protecting the people who cannot protect themselves.
