Ronald Reagan A Time For Choosing Rhetorical Analysis
On October 27, 1964 Ronald Reagan delivered a speech that is considered to be timeless, and even thought to have set Reagan’s political career in motion. The speech was given during a very tense time in American history, when the United States was not only in the middle of the Cold War, but also at war in Vietnam. Reagan addresses this in the first minute of his speech but that is not what makes the “A Time for Choosing” speech compelling. The speech was so compelling because of Reagan’s use of rhetoric. More specifically, his use of ethos appealing to certain ideas, sometimes in a joking manner, to draw the audience in, and logos to solidify his points by making the audience think rationally about them.
Reagan gave his “A Time for Choosing” …show more content…
speech on behalf of the Republican Presidential nominee Barry Goldwater. Although Goldwater did not win, or even come close to winning, the speech still raised more money than any previous televised speech ever (Cannon). Not only was the speech on behalf of Goldwater, but it was also given to raise awareness of the situation the United States was in. Reagan said, “We’re at war with the most dangerous enemy that has ever faced mankind…,” meaning the Soviet Union, but also alluding to the war in Vietnam. The wars the United States was in weren’t the only topics covered in “A Time for Choosing” by far.
Throughout the speech, Reagan refers to taxes, stating “37 cents out of every dollar earned in this country is the tax collector's share;” foreign affairs, saying that the government shares “material blessings” with other nations, then jokes about how inconsiderately these “blessings” are given, revealing “We bought a thousand TV sets for a place where they have no electricity” (Reagan). Out of context the humor might not be there, but Reagan uses this method of painting a picture to the audience to appeal to ideas such as irresponsibly spending money, and then concreting his points by using facts throughout the entire speech.
Reagan accomplishes his method of painting a picture through his use of ethos. By providing rhetoric to the audience through the voice of a third party, Reagan is able to captivate the audience's attention to his designated points. He used an anecdote from a Cuban refugee who had come to America to escape Castro. In short, two of Reagan’s friends were talking to this man about his escape, and exclaimed how lucky they were to live in America. In reply, the man said “How lucky you are? I had someplace to escape to” (Reagan). Fidel Castro was the Prime Minister of Cuba during the Cold War, and that is why Reagan included the anecdote (Pettina). The audience was able to connect to what was being said, and through the statement given by the Cuban refugee, Reagan proposes the audience to think about electing someone who will change the country, and more importantly make it better.
Another point made during the speech questioning the character of the current elected government was about the idea of freedom. According to Senator Clark of Pennsylvania, the best way for the government to meet the people’s needs is for it to have full power over the “masses” (Clark). The way this statement appeals to the audience is by making the people recognize the way they are viewed by their leaders. Reagan is using the negative ethos of current elected officials to steer the audience away from the ideas of the government, and toward the new thinking of Goldwater.
Leading into the usage of logos in the “A Time for Choosing” speech is another use of ethos.
Throughout the speech, Reagan uses facts to back up his ideas, and in this case, uses humor to keep the audience hooked. He took advantage of the idea that United States officials thought they could solve the high school dropout rate, by sending teenage students to specialized camps, in his speech. He starts by addressing where the students will be placed, and how this “youth feature” might seem like a good idea (Reagan), but immediately leads into his strategy of adding facts to strengthen his opposing point. Reagan informs his audience that it would cost $4,700 a year for one student’s room and board at one of these camp, but why send them to a camp when they could be sent to Harvard for only $2,700 a year (Reagan)? Continuing with his argument about the way the government was handling poverty, he informs the audience that approximately forty-five billion dollars a year is supposed to go towards reducing poverty. At first that amount of money might seem like a lot, but by “doing a little arithmetic,” it becomes apparent that with $45,000,000,000 poverty could be eliminated (Reagan). These facts exemplify to the audience that the government isn’t doing what it should with the money, and whoever is incharge, shouldn’t
be.
Logos is used to evoke the audience to think in a specific, rational direction, and appears once again when Reagan indicates “No nation in history has ever survived a tax burden that reached a third of its national income” (Reagan). He introduces this statement to show what the past two Democratic presidents have done to the country. Although this statement appears to be criticizing, it does so in a way that doesn’t directly point out a culprit, yet points the audience in the direction of one.
For thousands of years people have been persuading others to do what they want. Aristotle, a Renaissance Man from Athens, developed three simple ways to get one's point across effectively, and in “A Time for Choosing,” two of those ways stand out. Reagan’s use of ethos and logos is methodical and effective. The points made throughout the speech were well thought out, as shown by the way Reagan develops an idea from each one, and uses it to shape his argument. This is proven by the way he does not use one form of persuasion without accompanying it with the other. There is humor sporadically throughout the speech as well that benefits from the use of ethos and logos because although amusing, it is exhibited in a way that assists the underlying debate. This form of persuasion is what advocated for the success of “The Speech.”
Reagan gave his “A Time for Choosing” …show more content…
speech on behalf of the Republican Presidential nominee Barry Goldwater. Although Goldwater did not win, or even come close to winning, the speech still raised more money than any previous televised speech ever (Cannon). Not only was the speech on behalf of Goldwater, but it was also given to raise awareness of the situation the United States was in. Reagan said, “We’re at war with the most dangerous enemy that has ever faced mankind…,” meaning the Soviet Union, but also alluding to the war in Vietnam. The wars the United States was in weren’t the only topics covered in “A Time for Choosing” by far.
Throughout the speech, Reagan refers to taxes, stating “37 cents out of every dollar earned in this country is the tax collector's share;” foreign affairs, saying that the government shares “material blessings” with other nations, then jokes about how inconsiderately these “blessings” are given, revealing “We bought a thousand TV sets for a place where they have no electricity” (Reagan). Out of context the humor might not be there, but Reagan uses this method of painting a picture to the audience to appeal to ideas such as irresponsibly spending money, and then concreting his points by using facts throughout the entire speech.
Reagan accomplishes his method of painting a picture through his use of ethos. By providing rhetoric to the audience through the voice of a third party, Reagan is able to captivate the audience's attention to his designated points. He used an anecdote from a Cuban refugee who had come to America to escape Castro. In short, two of Reagan’s friends were talking to this man about his escape, and exclaimed how lucky they were to live in America. In reply, the man said “How lucky you are? I had someplace to escape to” (Reagan). Fidel Castro was the Prime Minister of Cuba during the Cold War, and that is why Reagan included the anecdote (Pettina). The audience was able to connect to what was being said, and through the statement given by the Cuban refugee, Reagan proposes the audience to think about electing someone who will change the country, and more importantly make it better.
Another point made during the speech questioning the character of the current elected government was about the idea of freedom. According to Senator Clark of Pennsylvania, the best way for the government to meet the people’s needs is for it to have full power over the “masses” (Clark). The way this statement appeals to the audience is by making the people recognize the way they are viewed by their leaders. Reagan is using the negative ethos of current elected officials to steer the audience away from the ideas of the government, and toward the new thinking of Goldwater.
Leading into the usage of logos in the “A Time for Choosing” speech is another use of ethos.
Throughout the speech, Reagan uses facts to back up his ideas, and in this case, uses humor to keep the audience hooked. He took advantage of the idea that United States officials thought they could solve the high school dropout rate, by sending teenage students to specialized camps, in his speech. He starts by addressing where the students will be placed, and how this “youth feature” might seem like a good idea (Reagan), but immediately leads into his strategy of adding facts to strengthen his opposing point. Reagan informs his audience that it would cost $4,700 a year for one student’s room and board at one of these camp, but why send them to a camp when they could be sent to Harvard for only $2,700 a year (Reagan)? Continuing with his argument about the way the government was handling poverty, he informs the audience that approximately forty-five billion dollars a year is supposed to go towards reducing poverty. At first that amount of money might seem like a lot, but by “doing a little arithmetic,” it becomes apparent that with $45,000,000,000 poverty could be eliminated (Reagan). These facts exemplify to the audience that the government isn’t doing what it should with the money, and whoever is incharge, shouldn’t
be.
Logos is used to evoke the audience to think in a specific, rational direction, and appears once again when Reagan indicates “No nation in history has ever survived a tax burden that reached a third of its national income” (Reagan). He introduces this statement to show what the past two Democratic presidents have done to the country. Although this statement appears to be criticizing, it does so in a way that doesn’t directly point out a culprit, yet points the audience in the direction of one.
For thousands of years people have been persuading others to do what they want. Aristotle, a Renaissance Man from Athens, developed three simple ways to get one's point across effectively, and in “A Time for Choosing,” two of those ways stand out. Reagan’s use of ethos and logos is methodical and effective. The points made throughout the speech were well thought out, as shown by the way Reagan develops an idea from each one, and uses it to shape his argument. This is proven by the way he does not use one form of persuasion without accompanying it with the other. There is humor sporadically throughout the speech as well that benefits from the use of ethos and logos because although amusing, it is exhibited in a way that assists the underlying debate. This form of persuasion is what advocated for the success of “The Speech.”