The Artist Formerly Known as SOAPSTONE

Use this thinksheet to help you break down some of the different things that go into making an argument. Title of text (correctly punctuated!): President Bush Bullhorn Address to Ground Zero Rescue Workers Media format (How was this ORIGINALLY presented to the world?): Broadcast on television news

Speaker

Who is the speaker here? President George W. Bush What do we know about him or her? He is a new president at the time of 9/11/01. He is especially adept at connecting to the common man even though he is a highly educated, wealthy son of a former president. This is a kind of hard one. The occasion is the when, where, and why of the argument. Its the context in which the speech was given. What is the occasion of this argument? He is speaking to the emergency workers at Ground Zero on September 11, 2001. He is assuring them (and Americans that things will be alright. They have survived a horrific tragedy and fallen, but America will get back up.

Occasion Who is the speakers intended audience? The emergency response teams and all Americans Audience What do we know about these people? All of America (especially these workers) are exhausted and stunned at the scale of tragedy they have witnessed. What is the subject of the argument? Mourning and American resilience._______________________________________________________________ Subject Support & Evidence Types ____________________________________________________________________________________ _________ Type: Experience Example: We all watched the World Trade Center fall. Type: Value (American pride) Example: the people who knocked down these buildings will hear all of us soon! Type: Authority Example: The president wants revenge, and he will get it.

Rhetorica l Modes

Type: Classification Example: Victims are the good people of New York City and New Jersey and Connecticut along with the other dead.

Type: Cause and Effect Example: the people who knocked down these buildings will hear all of us soon!

Type: Description as Process Example: Now we are mourning on bended knee but we will rise again.

Aristoteli an Devices

Device:Ethos Example: President

Device: Pathos Example: On bended knee

Device: Logos Example: This is an attack

George W. is with the people and he will mourn and fight for them.

we search for understanding since our world has been shaken.

on America and we will respond.

TONE

Words and phrases that stand out: bended knee, mourn, God bless ______________________________________________________________________________ Diction adjectives heartfelt, stirring, powerful Tone = mournful and unified Shift in tone? From I can hear you! to end

Purpose MEANIN G

What does the speaker hope to accomplish by making this argument? He wants to show that he is also mourning for this tremendous loss of life. Additionally he wants to rally support behind his ideas for what to do next. 1) What is the explicit argument/claim that the speaker makes? (This can be copied from the text) America today is mourning the loss of our citizens but we will not simply sit by and watch this occur._______________________________________________________________________________ 2) What is the implicit argument/claim that the speaker makes and how do you know this? (This should be in your own words) Bush is claiming that he is a legitimate leader that Americans should rally behind. ; Bush was elected in a very close election which challenged the legitimacy of his presidency. _______________________________________________________________________________ 3) What is the speakers over-arching main claim/argument and how do you know this? (This should be in your own words) _______________________________________________________________________________ Bush mourns for all the loss of life but thinks that Americans must unite to fight against this common enemy _______________________________________________________________________________