Nehring Lisa Nehring Writing 2010 February 25, 2014 Rhetorical Analysis of the 2014 Sate of the Union

of the U S since 1!"0, a s#eech has been #resente$ by the sitting #resi$ent to a %oint session of congress &his s#eech has co'e to be (no)n as the State of the Union, )hich is inten$e$ to $eli*er the current con$ition of the Unite$ States as )ell as an agen$a for future #ro#ositions to +ongress Recently, the #resi$ent utili,e$ the #o)er of e'otion, e*i$ence, an$ reassurance not only to e-#lain ho) the Unite$ States is functioning, but ho) the fla)s in go*ern'ent are causing $ysfunction as )ell, an$ )hat goals he has for i'#ro*ing the fla)s When it ca'e to re#orting the analysis of the current con$ition of a nation, the #resi$ent use$ rhetorical $e*ices, )hich #lay are large role in his s#eech &hese tools are (no)n as #athos, ethos, an$ logos, )hich are constantly foun$ in a$*ertising, argu'ent essays, an$ 'ost recently. the State of the Union Address. /n this a$$ress, the #resi$ent uses these rhetorical $e*ices in or$er to #resent to the au$ience, congress, an$ citi,ens of the U S , )ith the current con$ition of the nation as )ell as #ersua$e sai$ au$ience to su##ort the #resi$ent0s future agen$a &he 'ost #re*alent rhetorical $e*ice use$ in the State of the Union )as #athos, )hich is associate$ )ith a##eal to)ar$ e'otion For's of #athos inclu$e a story, either 'eta#horical or literal, as )ell as e'otionally charge$ )or$ing or #assionate $eli*ery of the s#eech A *ery co''on for' of #athos use$ in this s#eech gi*en is story telling When the #resi$ent s#ent ti'e a$$resssing changes that ha*e been #re*iously 'a$e in the U S he also share$ #ersonal stories of citi,ens )ho )ere affecte$ by these changes For e-a'#le, )hen $iscussing ho) the success of #eo#le shoul$n0t be $ue to acci$ental birth rights, but instea$ base$ on the )or( ethic an$ #ersonal as#irations, he sai$. 1&hat0s )hat $re) our forebears here /t0s ho) the $aughter of a factory )or(er is +23 of A'erica0s largest auto'a(er4 ho) the son of a bar(ee#er is S#ea(er of the 5ouse4 ho) the son of a single 'o' can be

Nehring 6resi$ent of the greatest nation on 2arth 7 &his in*o(es e'otion into the au$ience because it is relatable in as#ects of reality for both #arties, )hich inclu$e financial strain an$ e'otionally $ifficult situations, as )ell as $rea'ing, because it this state'ent gi*es light to #ossible $rea's of e*eryone, es#ecially those )ho gro) u# in har$ ti'es Another e-a'#le of the use of #athos through a story is )hen he ga*e e-a'#les of i'#ro*e'ent in the U S by stating that 1&o$ay in A'erica, a teacher s#ent e-tra ti'e )ith a stu$ent )ho nee$e$ it, an$ $i$ her #art to lift A'erica0s gra$uation rate to its highest le*el in 'ore than three $eca$es an$ in tight8(nit co''unities across A'erica, fathers an$ 'others

)ill tuc( in their (i$s, #ut an ar' aroun$ their s#ouse, re'e'ber fallen co'ra$es, an$ gi*e than(s for being ho'e fro' a )ar that, after t)el*e long years, is finally co'ing to an en$ 7 &his e-a'#le of #athos is also effecti*e $ue to its #ersonal nature 6athos is effecti*ely use$ here )ith the intent to con*ince the au$ience that although har$ )or( is nee$e$, #rogress can be 'a$e &his is $one by not only gi*ing e-a'#les of ho) #rogress is 'a$e, but also by #ro*i$ing #ersonal stories, that are 'ore relatable to the a*erage citi,en 9ue to its relatable characteristics, these stories a##eal to the au$ience through e'otion because of the ease in )hich the au$ience coul$ #lace the'sel*es into the situation an$ i'agine the success of har$ )or( an$ li*ing in a ti'e )here #ersonal achie*e'ent hel#s i'#ro*e the nation as a )hole Not only $oes relatable story telling a##eal to the feeling of an au$ience, but e'otionally $ense )or$ choice also influences the #ersuasion of a to#ic &his coul$ be both #assionate an$ strong )or$ choice, but co'forting an$ reassuring )or$ choice as )ell With an uneasy nation int eh 21st century, the #resi$ent has see'ingly chosen to #ro*i$e the au$ience )ith co'fort an$ reassurance in his s#eech that inclu$e the au$ience in the i'#ro*e'ent effect For e-a'#le, )hen #resenting the #ur#ose of this year0s State of the Union Address, 6resi$ent 3ba'a state$ that 1&onight, this cha'ber s#ea(s )ith one *oice to the #eo#le )e re#resent. you, our citi,ens, )ho 'a(e the state of the union strong 7 5e also state$ that 13##ortunity is )ho )e are An$ the $efining #ro%ect of our generation is to restore that

Nehring #ro'ise :y using )or$s such as 1you7, 1)e7, an$ 1our7, the #resi$ent inclu$es his au$ience, the citi,ens of the U S in the s#eech, not only engaging in each *ie), but by 'a(ing each #erson feel as if they are an i'#ortant #iece of the #u,,le for i'#ro*ing the nation &his for' of in*ol*ing the au$ience in the con*ersation is a *ery strong use of #athos because the )or$ choice 'a(es the *ie) feel i'#ortant, )hich can lea$ to a *ery strong sense of su##ort for the #resi$ent, as )ell as the $uty of each citi,en to the nation, calle$ on by the #resi$ent hi'self &he ne-t rhetorical $e*ice the 6resi$ent use$ in his State of the Union Address is logos, )hich is #ri'arily relate$ to logic an$ factual e*i$ence &he )ays in )hich the #resi$ent use$ logos in his s#eech is through general statistics regar$ing the nation &his inclu$es statistics about e$ucation, une'#loy'ent, as )ell as the heath an$ )ell8being of a$olescents 3ne e-a'#le in #articular that is blatant about the intentions of the #resi$ent is 1Fe$erally8fun$e$ research hel#e$ lea$ to the i$eas an$ in*entions behin$ ;oogle an$ s'art #hones &hat0s )hy +ongress shoul$ un$o the $a'age $one by last year0s cuts to basic research so )e can unleash the ne-t great A'erican $isco*ery < )hether it0s *accines that stay ahea$ of $rug8resistant bacteria, or #a#er8thin 'aterial that0s stronger than steel 7 Rather than using a tactic to hel# con*ince the au$ience through #sychological 'ani#ulation, 'uch li(e #athos, the #resi$ent si'#ly states that by fun$ing research, technological a$*ances ha*e increase$ significantly &his clai' is use$ as $irect reasoning to #ersua$e the au$ience to su##ort his #ro#osal to fun$ 'ore research for further $e*elo#'ent Another e-a'#le of logos that is being use$, )hich is 'ore =uantitati*ely base$ is 1&he >oining Forces alliance or train nearly 400,000 *eterans an$ 'ilitary s#ouses has alrea$y encourage$ e'#loyers to hire

&he White 5ouse %ust organi,e$ a college

3##ortunity Su''it )here alrea$y, 150 uni*ersities, businesses an$ non#rofits ha*e 'a$e concrete co''it'ents to re$uce ine=uality in access to higher e$ucation 7 &his state'ent hel#s su##ort the

6resi$ent0s clai' by offering u# har$ e*i$ence )hich can be use$ as an effecti*e for' of logos in or$er to #ersua$e the au$ience

Nehring &he thir$ an$ final rhetorical $e*ice use$ in the State of the Union Address is ethos &his rhetorical strategy is the ;ree( )or$ for 0character0, ho)e*er 'o$ern inter#retation of this is co''only relate$ to co'#etence or reliability &he #resi$ent uses this rhetorical $e*ice s#ecifically )hen $iscussing )hat his #lan is for the nation For e-a'#le he sai$ that 1As 6resi$ent, /0' co''itte$ to 'a(ing Washington )or( better, an$ rebuil$ing the trust of the #eo#le )ho sent us here 7 :y reaffir'ing his #olitical status, the #resi$ent also establishes the =ualifications he has that allo) hi' to s#ea( )ith such authority 5e also 'entions ho) he #lans to better the country, an$ this also #ro*i$es a sort of co'#etence because )hat he sai$ see's as if it )ere %ustifiable an$ realistic For e-a'#le, he state$ that 1?y a$'inistration )ill (ee# )or(ing )ith the in$ustry to sustain #ro$uction an$ %ob gro)th )hile strengthening #rotection of our air, our )ater, an$ our co''unities 7 :y asserting his #o)er by gi*ing an e-a'#le of ho) he has influence$ the nation, it gi*es his o#inion a larger sense of co'#etence &he 6resi$ent0s authority an$ co'#etence a$$s to the legiti'acy of his clai', )hich hel#s con*ince the au$ience of his clai's Rhetorical $e*ices use$ in the 2014 State of the Union Address provide se*eral clai's an$ state'ents )ith con*incing #resentation :y a##roaching the s#eech )ith the intent to #ersua$e not only +ongress but the A'erican #eo#le of the i'#ro*e'ent of the union as )ell as changes that nee$ to be 'a$e, the #resi$ent inclu$es e'otional a##eal as )ell as =uantitati*e reasoning, an$ an assertion of legiti'acy to his #o)er 6athos, logos, an$ ethos are the three rhetorical $e*ices use$ in the State of the Union in or$er to con*ince the au$ience of the 6resi$ent0s #oint of *ie)