Analysis

This analysis of George W. Bush’s “War on Terror” speech is inspired by the rhetorical pentagram model.

In what follows, we will examine the topic of the speech – the war on terror – looking at how the speaker connects it with universal themes like violence, freedom, and solidarity.

We will present the speaker, George W. Bush, focusing on the way he presents himself through the speech, but also on his background as a politician and US President.

We will look at the audience, formed by US Congress members, the American and global public, paying special attention to the particular categories of the audience that Bush mentions directly in the speech.

We will examine the language of the speech, looking at choice of words, tone, rhetorical devices, and forms of appeal to see how they connect with the speaker’s intentions and how they make his arguments sound more convincing.

We will describe the circumstances of the speech, focusing on the 9/11 attacks and the issues mentioned by the speaker in the address.

We will discuss the speaker’s intention of gaining approval for the measures he intends to take against terrorism, of giving the public an explanation for the attacks, and of encouraging Americans in the given circumstances.

You can find the full analysis of George W. Bush’s speech in the next pages.

Further help

Do you want additional help with analysis of speeches? See our guide to speech analysis: