rhetorical analysis of challenger speech

to you tonight to report on the state of the Union, but the events of earlier today have led me to change those plans. Today is a day for mourning and remembering. Nancy and I are pained to the core by the tragedy of the . We know we share this pain with all of the people of our country. This is truly a national loss.

, , , , , , and

We mourn their loss as a nation together.

For the families of the seven, we cannot bear, as you do, the full impact of this tragedy. But we feel the loss, and we're thinking about you so very much. Your loved ones were daring and brave, and they had that special grace, that special spirit that says, "Give me a challenge, and I'll meet it with joy." They had a hunger to explore the universe and discover its truths. They wished to serve, and they did. They served all of us.

We've grown used to wonders in this century. It's hard to dazzle us. But for twenty-five years the United States space program has been doing just that. We've grown used to the idea of space, and, perhaps we forget that we've only just begun. We're still pioneers. They, the members of the Challenger crew, were pioneers.

And I want to say something to the schoolchildren of America who were watching the live coverage of the shuttle's take-off. I know it's hard to understand, but sometimes painful things like this happen. It's all part of the process of exploration and discovery. It's all part of taking a chance and expanding man's horizons. The future doesn't belong to the fainthearted; it belongs to the brave. The Challenger crew was pulling us into the future, and we'll continue to follow them.

I've always had great faith in and respect for our space program. And what happened today does nothing to diminish it. We don't hide our space program. We don't keep secrets and cover things up. We do it all up front and in public. That's the way freedom is, and we wouldn't change it for a minute.

We'll continue our quest in space. There will be more shuttle flights and more shuttle crews and, yes, more volunteers, more civilians, more teachers in space. Nothing ends here; our hopes and our journeys continue.

I want to add that I wish I could talk to every man and woman who works for NASA, or who worked on this mission and tell them: "Your dedication and professionalism have moved and impressed us for decades. And we know of your anguish. We share it."

There's a coincidence today. On this day three hundred and ninety years ago, the great explorer Sir Francis Drake died aboard ship off the coast of Panama. In his lifetime the great frontiers were the oceans, and a historian later said, "He lived by the sea, died on it, and was buried in it." Well, today, we can say of the Challenger crew: Their dedication was, like Drake's, complete.

The crew of the Space Shuttle Challenger honored us by the manner in which they lived their lives. We will never forget them, nor the last time we saw them, this morning, as they prepared for their journey and waved goodbye and "slipped the surly bonds of earth" to "touch the face of God." 1

1 P hrases in quotation marks found in the poem High Flight by John Gillespie Magee, Jr .

Also in this database : George W. Bush: "Columbia" Disaster Address

See Also : Off-site audio clip explaining cause of Shuttle Challenger disaster

Audio and Images #1 and #3 (Screenshots) Source : The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation & Library

Images of Challenger Crew Source : wikimedia.org

U.S. Copyright Status : Text, Audio, Image #1 and #3 of Reagan = Property of A merican R hetoric.com. Additional Images = Public domain.

Address to the Nation on the Explosion of the Space Shuttle Challenger

January 28, 1986

Ladies and gentlemen, I'd planned to speak to you tonight to report on the state of the Union, but the events of earlier today have led me to change those plans. Today is a day for mourning and remembering. Nancy and I are pained to the core by the tragedy of the shuttle Challenger. We know we share this pain with all of the people of our country. This is truly a national loss.

Nineteen years ago, almost to the day, we lost three astronauts in a terrible accident on the ground. But we've never lost an astronaut in flight; we've never had a tragedy like this. And perhaps we've forgotten the courage it took for the crew of the shuttle. But they, the Challenger Seven, were aware of the dangers, but overcame them and did their jobs brilliantly. We mourn seven heroes: Michael Smith, Dick Scobee, Judith Resnik, Ronald McNair, Ellison Onizuka, Gregory Jarvis, and Christa McAuliffe. We mourn their loss as a nation together.

For the families of the seven, we cannot bear, as you do, the full impact of this tragedy. But we feel the loss, and we're thinking about you so very much. Your loved ones were daring and brave, and they had that special grace, that special spirit that says, ``Give me a challenge, and I'll meet it with joy.'' They had a hunger to explore the universe and discover its truths. They wished to serve, and they did. They served all of us. We've grown used to wonders in this century. It's hard to dazzle us. But for 25 years the United States space program has been doing just that. We've grown used to the idea of space, and perhaps we forget that we've only just begun. We're still pioneers. They, the members of the Challenger crew, were pioneers.

And I want to say something to the schoolchildren of America who were watching the live coverage of the shuttle's takeoff. I know it is hard to understand, but sometimes painful things like this happen. It's all part of the process of exploration and discovery. It's all part of taking a chance and expanding man's horizons. The future doesn't belong to the fainthearted; it belongs to the brave. The Challenger crew was pulling us into the future, and we'll continue to follow them.

I've always had great faith in and respect for our space program, and what happened today does nothing to diminish it. We don't hide our space program. We don't keep secrets and cover things up. We do it all up front and in public. That's the way freedom is, and we wouldn't change it for a minute. We'll continue our quest in space. There will be more shuttle flights and more shuttle crews and, yes, more volunteers, more civilians, more teachers in space. Nothing ends here; our hopes and our journeys continue. I want to add that I wish I could talk to every man and woman who works for NASA or who worked on this mission and tell them: ``Your dedication and professionalism have moved and impressed us for decades. And we know of your anguish. We share it.''

There's a coincidence today. On this day 390 years ago, the great explorer Sir Francis Drake died aboard ship off the coast of Panama. In his lifetime the great frontiers were the oceans, and an historian later said, ``He lived by the sea, died on it, and was buried in it.'' Well, today we can say of the Challenger crew: Their dedication was, like Drake's, complete.

The crew of the space shuttle Challenger honored us by the manner in which they lived their lives. We will never forget them, nor the last time we saw them, this morning, as they prepared for their journey and waved goodbye and ``slipped the surly bonds of earth'' to ``touch the face of God.''

Note: The President spoke at 5 p.m. from the Oval Office at the White House. The address was broadcast live on nationwide radio and television.

Speech on the Challenger Disaster

• Political Culture
• January 28, 1986

No study questions

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Ladies and Gentlemen, I’d planned to speak to you tonight to report on the state of the Union, but the events of earlier today have led me to change those plans. Today is a day for mourning and remembering. Nancy and I are pained to the core by the tragedy of the shuttle Challenger. We know we share this pain with all of the people of our country. This is truly a national loss.

Nineteen years ago, almost to the day, we lost three astronauts in a terrible accident on the ground. But, we’ve never lost an astronaut in flight; we’ve never had a tragedy like this. And perhaps we’ve forgotten the courage it took for the crew of the shuttle; but they, the Challenger Seven, were aware of the dangers, but overcame them and did their jobs brilliantly. We mourn seven heroes: Michael Smith, Dick Scobee, Judith Resnik, Ronald McNair, Ellison Onizuka, Gregory Jarvis, and Christa McAuliffe. We mourn their loss as a nation together.

For the families of the seven, we cannot bear, as you do, the full impact of this tragedy. But we feel the loss, and we’re thinking about you so very much. Your loved ones were daring and brave, and they had that special grace, that special spirit that says, “give me a challenge and I’ll meet it with joy.” They had a hunger to explore the universe and discover its truths. They wished to serve, and they did. They served all of us.

We’ve grown used to wonders in this century. It’s hard to dazzle us. But for twenty-five years the United States space program has been doing just that. We’ve grown used to the idea of space, and perhaps we forget that we’ve only just begun. We’re still pioneers. They, the member of the Challenger crew, were pioneers.

And I want to say something to the schoolchildren of America who were watching the live coverage of the shuttle’s takeoff. I know it is hard to understand, but sometimes painful things like this happen. It’s all part of the process of exploration and discovery. It’s all part of taking a chance and expanding man’s horizons. The future doesn’t belong to the fainthearted; it belongs to the brave. The Challenger crew was pulling us into the future, and we’ll continue to follow them.

I’ve always had great faith in and respect for our space program, and what happened today does nothing to diminish it. We don’t hide our space program. We don’t keep secrets and cover things up. We do it all up front and in public. That’s the way freedom is, and we wouldn’t change it for a minute. We’ll continue our quest in space. There will be more shuttle flights and more shuttle crews and, yes, more volunteers, more civilians, more teachers in space. Nothing ends here; our hopes and our journeys continue. I want to add that I wish I could talk to every man and woman who works for NASA or who worked on this mission and tell them: “Your dedication and professionalism have moved an impressed us for decades. And we know of your anguish. We share it.”

There’s a coincidence today. On this day 390 years ago, the great explorer Sir Francis Drake died aboard ship off the coast of Panama. In his lifetime the great frontiers were the oceans, and a historian later said, “He lived by the sea, died on it, and was buried in it.” Well, today we can say of the challenger crew: Their dedication was, like Drake’s, complete.

The crew of the space shuttle Challenger honored us by the manner in which they lived their lives. We will never forget them, nor the last time we saw them, this morning, as they prepared for the journey and waved goodbye and “slipped the surly bonds of earth” to “touch the face of God.”

Three days later, President Reagan delivered the following remarks at a memorial service held in Houston following the Challenger disaster, Jan. 31, 1986.

We come together today to mourn the loss of seven brave Americans, to share the grief we all feel and, perhaps in that sharing, to find the strength to bear our sorrow and the courage to look for the seeds of hope.

Our nation’s loss is first a profound personal loss to the family and the friends and loved ones of our shuttle astronauts. To those they have left behind – the mothers, the fathers, the husbands and wives, brothers, sisters, and yes, especially the children – all of America stands beside you in your time of sorrow.

What we say today is only an inadequate expression of what we carry in our hearts. Words pale in the shadow of grief; they seem insufficient even to measure the brave sacrifice of those you loved and we so admired. Their truest testimony will not be in the words we speak, but in the way they led their lives and in the way they lost those lives – with dedication, honor and an unquenchable desire to explore this mysterious and beautiful universe.

The best we can do is remember our seven astronauts – our ChallengerSeven – remember them as they lived, bringing life and love and joy to those who knew them and pride to a nation.

They came from all parts of this great country – from South Carolina to Washington State; Ohio to Mohawk, New York; Hawaii to North Carolina to Concord, New Hampshire. They were so different, yet in their mission, their quest, they held so much in common.

We remember Dick Scobee, the commander who spoke the last words we heard from the space shuttle Challenger. He served as a fighter pilot in Vietnam, earning many medals for bravery, and later as a test pilot of advanced aircraft before joining the space program. Danger was a familiar companion to Commander Scobee.

We remember Michael Smith, who earned enough medals as a combat pilot to cover his chest, including the Navy Distinguished Flying Cross, three Air Medals – and the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry with Silver Star, in gratitude from a nation that he fought to keep free.

We remember Judith Resnik, known as J.R. to her friends, always smiling, always eager to make a contribution, finding beauty in the music she played on her piano in her off-hours.

We remember Ellison Onizuka, who, as a child running barefoot through the coffee fields and macadamia groves of Hawaii, dreamed of someday traveling to the Moon. Being an Eagle Scout, he said, had helped him soar to the impressive achievement of his career.

We remember Ronald McNair, who said that he learned perseverance in the cotton fields of South Carolina. His dream was to live aboard the space station, performing experiments and playing his saxophone in the weightlessness of space; Ron, we will miss your saxophone and we will build your space station.

We remember Gregory Jarvis. On that ill-fated flight he was carrying with him a flag of his university in Buffalo, New York – a small token he said, to the people who unlocked his future.

We remember Christa McAuliffe, who captured the imagination of the entire nation, inspiring us with her pluck, her restless spiritof discovery; a teacher, not just to her students, but to an entire people, instilling us all with the excitement of this journey we ride into the future.

We will always remember them, these skilled professionals, scientists and adventurers, these artists and teachers and family men and women, and we will cherish each of their stories – stories of triumph and bravery, stories of true American heroes.

On the day of the disaster, our nation held a vigil by our television sets. In one cruel moment, our exhilaration turned to horror; we waited and watched and tried to make sense of what we had seen. That night, I listened to a call-in program on the radio: people of every age spoke of their sadness and the pride they felt in `our astronauts.’ Across America, we are reaching out, holding hands, finding comfort in one another.

The sacrifice of your loved ones has stirred the soul of our nation and, through the pain, our hearts have been opened to a profound truth – the future is not free, the story of all human progress is one of a struggle against all odds. We learned again that this America, which Abraham Lincoln called the last best hope of man on Earth, was built on heroism and noble sacrifice. It was built by men and women like our seven star voyagers, who answered a call beyond duty, who gave more than was expected or required, and who gave it with little thought to worldly reward.

We think back to the pioneers of an earlier century, and the sturdy souls who took their families and the belongings and set out into the frontier of the American West. Often, they met with terrible hardship. Along the Oregon Trail you can still see the grave markers of those who fell on the way. But grief only steeled them to the journey ahead.

Today, the frontier is space and the boundaries of human knowledge. Sometimes, when we reach for the stars, we fall short. But we must pick ourselves up again and press on despite the pain. Our nation is indeed fortunate that we can still draw on immense reservoirs of courage, character and fortitude – that we are still blessed with heroes like those of the space shuttle Challenger.

Dick Scobee knew that every launching of a space shuttle is a technological miracle. And he said, if something ever does go wrong, I hope that doesn’t mean the end to the space shuttle program. Every family member I talked to asked specifically that we continue the program, that that is what their departed loved one would want above all else. We will not disappoint them.

Today, we promise Dick Scobee and his crew that their dream lives on; that the future they worked so hard to build will become reality. The dedicated men and women of NASA have lost seven members of their family. Still, they too, must forge ahead, with a space program that is effective, safe and efficient, but bold and committed.

Man will continue his conquest of space. To reach out for new goals and ever greater achievements – that is the way we shall commemorate our seven Challenger heroes.

Dick, Mike, Judy, El, Ron, Greg and Christa – your families and your country mourn your passing. We bid you goodbye. We will never forget you. For those who knew you well and loved you, the pain will be deep and enduring. A nation, too, will long feel the loss of her seven sons and daughters, her seven good friends. We can find consolation only in faith, for we know in our hearts that you who flew so high and so proud now make your home beyond the stars, safe in God’s promise of eternal life.

May God bless you all and give you comfort in this difficult time.

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Reagan's "Challenger Address": A Three-Page Rhetorical Analysis

This analysis applies Kenneth Burke's dramatistic pentad to Ronald Reagan's "Challenger Address." First, I explain the rhetor's construction of the pentadic terms, and then I describe the dominant ratio in the speech: agency-agent. The expressed purpose of President Reagan's speech is "mourning and remembering" the seven astronauts who died on the space craft. However, the implicit act to which Reagan calls the nation is continued space exploration in the near future. The questions are who will explore and how?

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Tuesday, october 5, 2010, ronald reagan’s challenger speech analysis.

On January 28th, 1986, the Space Shuttle Challenger exploded upon takeoff killing astronauts; Michael Smith, Dick Scobee, Judith Resnik, Ronald McNair, Ellison Onizuka, Gregory Jarvis, and school teacher Sharon Christa McAuliffe . This event was viewed by many, including schoolchildren, who tuned in to watch the takeoff. This unfortunate tragedy called for former President, Ronald Reagan, to address the issue. Reagan answered the call with his famous speech, "Shuttle `Challenger' Disaster Address", which he not only addressed the issue, but he comforted those who viewed it, commemorated the brave astronauts for their service, and encouraged future space quest. Ronald Reagan was candid in delivering the focus of his message, while still exhibiting empathy in his tone. He shows empathy in many aspects of his demeanor. The first and most noticeable sign of empathy in his speech was when he said, " Nancy and I are pained to the core by the tragedy of the shuttle Challenger." He addresses not only himself, but his wife also, in an attempt to bring the speech on a more personal basis. He then says that, "We share this pain with all off the people of our country." He broadens his viewpoint to cover all Americans, by delivering it this way, he paints himself as a leader and also as a person that feels pain. He goes on to talk about the significance of this accident and how we the American people have never had to experience anything like this in the last 19 years. He is candid when he argues that the challenger seven knew what they were getting into; "But they, the challenger seven, were aware of the dangers". He says this, to show that this event was not completely impossible. Later on in his speech when he says, "We're still pioneers" and "But sometimes painful things like this happen. It's all part of the process of exploration and discovery." He is candid in alluding to the idea that this event is not as devastating as it may seem.

Figure 1 Ronald Reagan delivering the "Challenger Speech" Photograph. 28 Jan. 1986 Ronald Reagan Library Web. 4 Oct. 2010

Ronald Reagan states that, "For the families of the seven, we cannot bear, as you do the full impact of this tragedy." He puts himself at the same level as family to show that his sympathy is just as heartfelt as the family of the seven. He goes on to talk about how they, the astronauts, died a brave and courageous death while doing something they love; they died as "pioneers". The nature he used when he expressed his feelings caused him to sound like a chaplain—empathetic yet encouraging. Afterwards, he addresses the youth that were watching; "And I want to say something to the schoolchildren of America who were watching the live coverage of the shuttle's take-off." He acknowledges them because the youth are the next-generation workers of this country. Also by addressing the schoolchildren, he creates a sense of comfort to his audience. The main point of his massage was to offer condolences to those affected by the accident, remind us that this is just part of the process of exploration, and to advocate future space quest. He supported this claim when he said, "We'll continue our quest in space." And also when he says, "Nothing ends here; our hopes and our journeys continue." He goes on to talk about the connection between Sir Francis Drake and the astronauts, to show that their dedication, even though it led to their death, was not in vain. It was a stepping stone for future exploration. Overall, throughout his whole speech he is empathizing with those affected by this event, while still getting his main message across. He indicates that we are pained because of the lost, we recognize the loss, and we will move on from this event and look on toward the future.

Reagan, Ronald Wilson. "Challenger Speech." White House. 28 Jan. 1983. American Rhetoric . Web. 4 Oct. 2010.

Fackelman, Mary Anne "Photograph of Ronald Reagan Delivering the Challenger Speech." 28 Jan. 1986 Ronald Reagan Library Web . 4 Oct. 2010

Work Consulted

The British Antarctic Study, et al. "Space Shuttle Challenger." solcomhouse . Ed. Charles Welch. The Ozone Hole Inc, 4 Oct. 2010. Web. 4 Oct. 2010. <http://www.solcomhouse.com/spaceshuttle.htm>.

Ronald Reagan's Presidency

Student Question

What are the tone and mood of Reagan's "Space Shuttle 'Challenger' Tragedy Address"?

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Tone is based on vocabulary and other parts of diction (grammar, syntax , concrete vs abstract, formal vs informal). Tone conveys the speaker's/writer's, we'll say speaker's, attitude toward and emotion about the topic being addressed. Mood is a very different thing. Mood is the feeling within the text itself. Mood is based on setting, people/characters, we'll say people, and descriptions. Mood is the feeling the listener/reader, we'll say listener, gets from within the text itself. In some case the tone and mood may be very different while in some, they may be very like each other. For example, if a speaker were giving a Halloween speech intended to fit in with the spirit of Halloween and scare listeners, it is possible the speaker's tone might be bright and happy even though the mood of the scary ghost story might be dark and frightening. Conversely, a speaker might feel sympathetic about the subject, like at a speech explaining the need for a new children's hospital, and the mood sympathetic and sentimental. Ronald Reagan's speech about the Challenger tragedy is of the latter (second) kind: his tone is sorrowful, sympathetic, and supportive while the mood is also sorrowful, sympathetic, and supportive. Since both speaker's tone and text mood are alike (they match), it may seem harder to tell them apart. Let's analyze them. TONE Vocabulary: the words are simple and direct, no sophisticated word. Syntax: mostly simple sentences with some compounds and a few adverbial clauses or phrases:

• Today is a day for mourning and remembering.
• I know it's hard to understand, but sometimes painful things like this happen.
• Your loved ones were daring and brave, and they had that special grace, that special spirit that says, "Give me a challenge, and I'll meet it with joy."

Grammar: perfective tense/aspect, alternating between past perfective, "I'd [I had] planned to speak to you ...," and present perfective, "events of earlier today have led me to change"; simple present and past tense, "Today is a day for mourning and remembering. Nancy and I are pained to the core ..."; conclusion is future tense: "We will never forget them, ...." Abstract/Concrete: mostly concrete words with some abstract. Concrete: planned, speak, tonight, report, etc. Abstract: mourned, pained, courage. Formalism/Informalism: formal, though simple syntax; no colloquial speech, no slang, no idioms. Therefore, we can say that Reagan's tone is serious, earnest, formal, yet sorrowful, sympathetic and supportive. When the content subject matter, the death of astronauts in an aerial accident, is combined with the vocabulary, grammar/syntax, and qualities of abstraction and formality, the analysis leads to the above understanding of his tone. MOOD Setting: White House Oval Office, most important office in the country; national flags in the background. Characters/Person(s): the persons are the President of the United States, astronauts' families and friends in the audience, school children of the US and all people of the US in the audience.   Descriptions: weighty and important events and circumstances; moral character; abstract notions of space pioneering; metaphor of heroic Drake; tragedy; etc.   We may say the mood within the text is formal, serious, sorrowful, and supportive and matches the speaker tone. Thus it can be seen that, while very different components of textual construction, tone and mood in this case match and complement each other.

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Further Reading

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_Shuttle_Challenger
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_Shuttle_Challenger_di...

Cite this page as follows:

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Extra Credit: Analyzing the Rhetorical Situation in Reagan’s “Challenger Speech.”

The emergence of the space race in the 1960s threw the United States’ space program into the national spotlight, where space exploration became a cause that was near and dear to the hearts of many Americans. The program served as a symbolic indicator of American values and new possibilities for exploration and expansion. However, the illusion of progress and prestige that the space program held was shattered on January 28th of 1986 when the space shuttle Challenger exploded shortly after take-off, completely obliterating the vessel and instantly killing all seven crew members on board.

President Ronald Reagan was presented with the difficult task of effectively responding to the rhetorical situation at hand. There were three primary exigencies that shaped the Challenger disaster. Naturally, Reagan had to console those who were mourning the loss of the seven crew members while also celebrating their lives, bravery, and dedication to space exploration. Additionally, Reagan needed to restore faith in the space program, as a disaster as tragic as this would certainly cause politicians to be skeptical of whether or not the space program should be funded. Finally, Reagan had to remind people that the American values often associated with the space program–innovation and progress–were not completely lost after one setback.

The unique circumstances presented by the Challenger tragedy required Reagan to effectively respond to the occasion. Reagan, who was an expert in comforting the nation through his political rhetoric, mentions several different audiences that he was addressing in his Challenger speech. To the families of the fallen astronauts, he offers his condolences and gratitude for the astronauts’ sacrifices to their country. To NASA, he thanks them for their dedication and professionalism, and tells them that the country shares their anguish. To the nation, but more specifically, the schoolchildren of the nation, he explains that setbacks are a natural part of progress and exploration and that the future belongs to the brave, those who are willing to take chances.

Reagan has tremendous ethos as a comforter to express his shock and grief to America while simultaneously preaching of hope and reassuring the nation that dreams of exploration and discovery are not lost. Reagan presents his speech with modesty, eloquence, and sincerity, which further establishes his credibility to address the nation during a time of grieving and discouragement.

Reagan’s speech was very effective in managing the constraints and opportunities presented by the elements of the rhetorical situation. Due to the circumstances surrounding the Challenger tragedy, Reagan was responsible for comforting a hurting nation, instilling faith in the space program, and reminding Americans that their core patriotic values were not lost after one unfortunate setback. Reagan did an excellent job of capitalizing on the exigencies provided by the situation, reaching out and addressing several different audiences within his speech, and establishing his own ethos as a shoulder to lean on during a time of sadness and confusion. Through his words, Reagan was able to restore a hurting nation’s faith in America and everything the country stands for.

Rhetorical Analysis Of Ronald Reagan's Challenger Address

The rhetorical criticism of Reagan’s Challenger address Background On the morning of Janurary 28th 1986, the world witnessed in shock and horror what was known as the Challenger disaster as the space shuttle exploded only 73 seconds after its launch, killing all seven crew members onboard including one teacher Christa McAuliffe. Approximately 17 percent of Americans watched the live broadcast of this launch, many of them schoolchildren including those from McAuliffe’s school. From this grave moment emerged an exigency that demands immediate action by the president. Later on that same day, President Ronald Reagan delivered his Challenger address to the nation. This essay will attempt to analyze Ronald Reagan’s Challenger address within the theoretical …show more content…

As discussed earlier, approximately 17 percent of Americans witnessed the explosion of the space shuttle on live broadcast and the rest soon learned about the tragic event through newspaper, radio or television. The whole country was in shock, grief and fear. That’s why Reagan chose to address to all of American people at the beginning of this speech “we share this pain with all of the people of our country” and “this is truly a national loss.” Reagan then turned towards a specific sub-audience whose loss and trauma were greater than anyone else – the families of the Challenger crew. Reagan began by acknowledging that “we cannot bear, as you do, the full impact of this tragedy”. He highly praised the courage and adventurous spirit of the crew members and defined their mission as a service to the country (“they served all of us”). Another sub-audience who needed more guidance and consolation were the schoolchildren, especially those watched the disaster live. He briefly changed his tone to that of a parent and tried to ease the children’s fear by explaining “sometimes painful things like this happen”, but nonetheless we will continue our space exploration because “the future doesn’t belong to the …show more content…

He spoke from the Oval Office at the White House and his address was broadcast live on national radio and television. Which category of occasion does Reagan’s Challenger address fit into? According to Zarefsky, the occasion of a speech can be ceremonial, deliberative or forensic. A eulogy fits into the category of a ceremonial speech in a way that “it reaffirms a community’s common bonds and values, strengthening ties between individuals and the group”. The Challenger address was first and foremost a eulogy because it was meant to honor and commemorate the deceased Challenger crew; however, there were also deliberative elements in this speech. As Zarefsky stated in his book, deliberative speaking aims to answer the question “What shall we do?” in confrontation with an exigency. In his speech, Reagan deliberately embedded a message regarding “what we shall do” in the wake of the Challenger tragedy and that message was reinforced several times during the address. By calling the Challenger crew “pioneers” and emphasizing “we’ll continue to follow them” and “we’ll continue our quest in space”, the message Reagan wanted to deliver was crystal clear: although what happened to Challenger was tragic, it was part of the cost to all great adventures, and the United States would not cease its space operations

Rhetorical Analysis Of Reagan's Farewell Address

Due to the rapidly changing America, in his farewell address, Ronald Reagan expresses the need for unification of America, and America’s culture. In Reagan’s address, he uses many rhetorical devices to advance his purpose of unifying America, for instance, Reagan utilizes tone, syntax, and pathos to portray his pride, hopefulness, and patriotism for America. He uses these devices to show Americans of the unification America needs.

Ronald Reagan: Challenger Speech Essay

• 2 Works Cited

Reagan adds his feelings of faith and respect in our space program and the people at NASA who make it possible. He goes on to assure that space exploration will continue. While addressing the school children who were watching, Reagan states that "the future belongs to the brave." He also states unfortunately painful things like this sometimes happen and sadly it is all part of the process of exploration and discovery(Reagan)”. He ends his speech with a beautifully articulated conclusion. ”The crew of the space shuttle Challenger honored us by the manner in which they lived their lives. We will never forget them, or the last time we saw them, this morning, as they prepared for their journey and waved goodbye and “slipped the surly bonds of earth to touch the face of God(Reagan).” “The last line was taken from a sonnet written by WWII pilot John Gillespie Magee titled "High Flight", but was a very memorable way to end the speech.

Analysis Of Ronald Reagan's Speech

Ronald Reagan is known as “The great communicator” and it shows in his speech, he is able connect to the audience and this works very well for him, his speech “Address to the national challenger” it is a drastically emotional and important speech for the American people at the time it became one of Reagan’s great speeches and it was crucial to the American’s as they were all in such pain due to the accident which was the Challenger disaster. Instead of doing his report on the state union, he talks about the disaster and honors the members who had passed on board and he wishes that the United States will not stop its space exploration due to this. When listening to the speech is it distinguishable that is the speech is not something to joke about and the tone had an emotional and solemn feel with great respect to all involved being felt.

Rhetorical Analysis Of President Ronald Reagan's Speech

Hours after the national disaster, President Reagan sat behind his desk, and steadfastly delivered a set-piece speech from the Oval office. He invited the American audience to listen with a formal, but respectful introduction “Ladies and Gentlemen”. His tone was firm, and as he calmly addressed the tragic events from earlier in the day. The opening lines set a somber tone for the rest of the speech as he stated this “day for mourning and remembering” and declaring the tragedy a “national loss”, But President Reagan did not want his fellow Americans to just dwell on this tragedy. He used it an opportunity remind the next generation to

Rhetorical Analysis Of Ronald Reagan Speech

Imagine telling millions of people that seven United States citizens were killed in a fatal accident that could have easily been prevented. On January 28, 1986, Ronald Reagan made an address to the nation over the explosion of the space shuttle Challenger in the oval office. At 11:38 am on a chilly Saturday morning the shuttle Challenger set out for its adventure for space. No one knew that the lives of Americans nationwide would change dramatically in just one minute. The shuttle exploded at 11:39 am, ending the lives of seven brave men and women. Later that evening, Ronald Reagan made an address to the nation over the tragic event. Ronald Reagan employs the rhetorical appeals of pathos and ethos, combined with a heavy hearted tone to show sympathy for the Challenger accident.

Ronald Reagan Rhetorical Devices

In the Ronald Reagan’s eulogy, many rhetorical strategies appear. Some of the most notable ones are pathos, logos, ethos, repetition and even contrasting type of rhetorical strategies like antithesis helped, Margaret Thatcher, the author, portray Ronald Reagan as a trusting, loving president. In the eulogy, Thatcher is able to convey her love and appreciation to towards Reagan with adequate diction, syntax and soothing and appreciative tone.

Challenger Rhetorical Analysis Essay

Reagan begins his address to the nation by stating he postponed his State of the Union address to pay tribute to the Challenger Seven. He also appeals to the audiences pathos by stating he and his wife, Nancy, are “pained to the core” by this horrific tragedy. By stating this he appeals to the audience’s sorrowful emotions. He also declares “today is a day for mourning and remembering” and “this is truly a national tragedy,” which delves deeper into the audience’s sorrowful emotions. He, then, joins the nation in mourning this loss, to further unify the nation, and meekly admits that “we share this pain with all of the

What Is The Importance Of Reagan's Ethos In The Space Shuttle Challenger Speech

In the speech that Ronald Reagan gave about the Space Shuttle Challenger gave peace of mind to the nation that was mourning about such a devastating event that they witnessed. The Space Shuttle Challenger was the first space shuttle that had a normal person on it and was going to be a huge leap forward for the space program. But the shuttle had a malfunction and blew up during the employment of going into space. They were not sure what exactly happened when it blew up, they just knew that the whole nation just witnessed a tragic event live on the radio and television. It was Ronald Reagan’s job to address the grieving public about what happened and to express their condolences, but also express their strength that would carry the nation through.

Ronald Reagan Inaugural Address Rhetorical Devices

In 1981, a time that was recovering and healing from the Vietnam War, Ronald Reagan was elected president and gave his first Inaugural address. Despite what many Inaugural addresses tend to do, Reagan decided to not just talk about his plans for the country, but take the country by the reins and lead it triumphantly into conservatism. Ronald Reagan’s first Inauguration address, evoked and pointed out that the United States’ greatest weapon is far from a gun, but rather “Freedom” (Woolley). Through the use of allusion and repetition, along with sudden pauses and nostalgic patriotism over words to demonstrate love for fallen heros, Reagan secured many future voters and motivated many citizens to come together and unite as Americans to reveal the hero that is within us all (Brockway).

Rhetorical Analysis Of Ronald Reagan Challenger Disaster

President Reagan uses his position as President to inform people about his trust in the NASA space program, and the true bravery of the astronauts on their journey to lead us into the future. This is an example of the rhetorical device ethos, and the audience trusted that the President knew what he was talking about! The overall tone of the speech was very solemn and melancholy, but the added use of pathos really made the listeners feel the true sorrow of the nation’s despair. Using words like mourning and loss produced a dismal feeling, however, words like daring, brave, freedom and dedication, made the audience sense a feeling of recovery and

Rhetorical Analysis Of Ronald Reagan's Challenger Disaster Address

On January 28th, 1986, the Challenger shuttle exploded shortly after liftoff killing all seven of the crew members. Almost everyone in America, including hundreds of thousands of schoolchildren were watching. This disaster meant that Ronald Reagan would have to address the issue. He answered this call with the Challenger Disaster Address. In this speech, he not only comforted the families of the astronauts, but also the rest of the nation by rebuilding faith in the space program. Reagan exibited empathy in his tone, while keeping a strong demeanor.

Analysis of Ronald Reagan's Sppech, The Challenger Disaster

In the speech of The Challenger Disaster Reagan does not necessarily present an argument, but rather a speech to console and find meaning. He starts the speech by recognizing the terrible accident that happened nineteen years ago and relates it to The Challenger disaster. The events are factual and therefore are logical to be included in the opening of this speech. To begin the

Rhetorical Analysis Of Reagan As President Of The Free World

Analyzing this speech through the lens provided with p18 provides a good overview and starting point not only to this speech but Reagan himself. Reagan as President of the Free World is certainly credible and qualified to address the American people as is his responsibility no matter what the occasion. Reagan also did a fantastic job of adapting his speech to the entire American people. At this point the only need and interest of the American people was to be reassured by a trusted and familiar face that everything would be ok and that these pioneers had not died in vain. Reagan did that, but he did that for everyone even while specifically reassuring schoolchildren.

Challenger Shuttle Explosion Speech

To highlight a real world example, President Ronald Reagan’s “Explosion of the Space Shuttle Challenger Address to the Nation” speech represents an elegant expression of both mourning and reassurance following a traumatic experience. On January 28, 1986, the President delivered this poignant yet encouraging address to a heartbroken nation. The citizens of America were distressed over the recent morning Challenger shuttle explosion. Thus, it was Reagan’s ultimate objective to soothe a grief-stricken, deeply anguished people. The President understood the precarious position the United States’ space program balanced upon; therefore, his speech additionally aims at protecting NASA’s dependable status and unrestricted capabilities within the country.

Why Did The Space Shuttle Challenger Collapse

On the cold morning of January 28th, 1986, The Space Shuttle Challenger was launched. Seventy-three seconds into the flight, the space shuttle broke apart, causing the seven deaths of its crew members. Roger Boisjoly, a mechanical engineer for Thiokol brought to NASA’s attention about a failing O-ring safety concern in the shuttles rocket booster. After being ignored by NASA Boisjoly tried to bring the issue of the O-ring to people higher up in his company, all of the people ignored Boisjoly in his attempts to get the issue resolved. Thirteen hours before the launch of the shuttle, Boisjoly strongly urged not to launch the shuttle, all attempts failed. After the disaster took place Boisjoly told the press exactly why the shuttle failed to

Related Topics

• Space Shuttle Challenger disaster
• Ronald Reagan
• Space exploration
• Human spaceflight
• Richard Nixon
• Space Shuttle Challenger

Trump faces backlash for ‘in four years, you don’t have to vote again’ remark

Some Democrats say his comments, directed at a Christian audience, signaled his plans to be a dictator. His campaign says he was talking about ‘uniting’ the country, and experts point to his ‘deliberately ambiguous’ speaking style.

Democratic lawmakers and Vice President Harris’s campaign joined a chorus of online critics in calling out remarks Donald Trump aimed at a Christian audience on Friday, arguing that the former president and current Republican presidential nominee had implied he would end elections in the United States if he won a second term.

At the conclusion of his speech at the Believers Summit in West Palm Beach, Fla., Trump said, “Christians, get out and vote, just this time. You won’t have to do it anymore. … You got to get out and vote. In four years, you don’t have to vote again. We’ll have it fixed so good you’re not going to have to vote.”

Democrats and others interpreted the comments as signaling how a second Trump presidency would be run, a reminder that he previously said he would not be a dictator upon returning to office “except for Day One.”

Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), who is running for Senate, shared the clip of Trump’s speech on X, writing, “This year democracy is on the ballot, and if we are to save it, we must vote against authoritarianism. Here Trump helpfully reminds us that the alternative is never having the chance to vote again.” Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) called Trump’s comments “terrifying.” And Rep. Dan Goldman (D-N.Y.) said , “The only way ‘you won’t have to vote anymore’ is if Donald Trump becomes a dictator.”

The Trump campaign, however, says the comments, made at the event hosted by the conservative group Turning Point Action, were about how Trump would unite the country. Asked to clarify what Trump meant, Steven Cheung, a spokesperson for the campaign, said in a statement on Saturday that the former president “was talking about uniting this country and bringing prosperity to every American, as opposed to the divisive political environment that has sowed so much division and even resulted in an assassination attempt.”

Trump, who has continued to assert without evidence that the 2020 election was rigged against him, preceded his comments about not having to vote again by telling the audience that Democrats “don’t want to approve voter ID — that’s because they want to cheat. But until then, Republicans must win. … We want a landslide that’s too big to rig.”

The Harris campaign is calling Trump’s remarks “a vow to end democracy.”

“When Vice President Harris says this election is about freedom she means it,” Harris campaign spokesperson James Singer said in a news release on Saturday. “Our democracy is under assault by criminal Donald Trump: After the last election Trump lost, he sent a mob to overturn the results. This campaign, he has promised violence if he loses, the end of our elections if he wins, and the termination of the Constitution to empower him to be a dictator to enact his dangerous Project 2025 agenda on America.” (Project 2025 is a think tank document outlining policy priorities for the next Republican president. Many Trump allies and former administration officials were involved in drafting the document, but his campaign has sought to distance the former president from it.)

Trump’s comments also drew some concern among those on the Christian right.

David Lane, an organizer of conservative Christian pastors, said in a text message that Trump “may have gotten a little over his skis” with what he said because it could discourage conservative Christians from shaping the outcomes of future elections.

“Evangelicals in 2028, 2032, and 2036 must raise their civics game to a new level if America is to return to the Judeo-Christian heritage and Biblical-based culture laid out by the founders,” said Lane, the founder of the American Renewal Project, whose mission is to help elect more Christians to office. He added that “somebody’s values will reign supreme in the public square,” and if Christians don’t vote, their values will not be reflected in their elected officials.

In front of a different Christian audience last month, Trump made a similar suggestion about Christians not needing to vote after this year’s election.

At a Faith and Freedom Coalition event in Washington, the former president said Christians “don’t vote as much as they should.”

“Do you know the power you have if you would vote? … You’ve got to get out and vote, just this time. I don’t care — in four years, you don’t have to vote, okay? In four years, don’t vote,” he said. “I don’t care by that time, but we’ll have it all straightened out, so it’ll be much different.”

But if Democrats were to come into power, he said at the time, “they’ll ruin it [and] we’ll have to do this all over again.”

Erica De Bruin, a professor of government at Hamilton College whose research focuses on civil-military relations, civil war and policing, said, “Trump frequently makes these kinds of deliberately ambiguous statements that can be interpreted in multiple ways.”

But she added that “to understand what another Trump presidency would involve, I think it is more useful to look at his past behavior than to attempt to parse what might be the ‘true meaning’ of any individual set of remarks he makes.” She pointed out that the last time he was in office, “he attempted to subvert the outcome of an election and remain in power longer than the American public voted to keep him there.”

Steven Levitsky, a professor of government at Harvard University, and co-author of “Tyranny of the Minority: Why American Democracy Reached the Breaking Point,” also said that while he didn’t think Trump’s recent comment was “indicative of an organized plot to end elections in the United States,” it did represent yet another sign that “the guy has got authoritarian reflexes.”

“Over the course of 10 or 15 years,” Levitsky added, a growing number of Republicans “convinced themselves that they weren’t going to be able to win elections in this new, multiracial America. I’m not so sure that’s true, but they were deeply fearful that was true. And so Trump, I think more than anything else, he senses … where they’re going and they’re feeling.”

Christian conservatives — White evangelicals, specifically — make up a substantial part of the voter base that Trump has been courting since his 2016 campaign.

In both 2016 and 2020 , a third of Trump’s support came from White evangelical Protestants. So 1 one in every 3 votes Trump received came from White evangelical Protestants, a group that the Public Religion Research Institute estimates constitutes 14 percent of the population.

Levitsky’s co-author, Daniel Ziblatt, also a professor of government at Harvard, put a finer point on the significance of Trump’s comment. “I can’t think of a major candidate for office in any democracy on Earth since at least World War II who speaks in such overtly authoritarian ways,” said Ziblatt. “Not Victor Orban in Hungary, not Recep Erdogan in Turkey. Nowhere.”

Jennifer Mercieca, a communications professor at Texas A&M University and author of “Demagogue for President: The Rhetorical Genius of Donald Trump,” said in an email that she interpreted Trump’s comment as an attempt to address the “double bind” that supposed “strongmen” leaders face.

“They narrate a world of chaos and promise that they are strong enough to fix it in order to win elections, but they frequently don’t actually solve the problems that they’ve said that they could easily solve if given power,” said Mercieca, whose research focuses on the relationship between democracy and American communication practices. “I think Trump is here promising Christians that he will actually solve the problems that he has promised them he’ll solve (a full abortion ban … and various ‘culture war’ issues) and so with all of the problems solved, they won’t feel like the world is so chaotic that they have to vote to save the nation.”

“It’s a big promise,” she added, “and he doesn’t give specific details here.”

Election 2024

Follow live updates on the 2024 election from our reporters on the campaign trail and in Washington.

Kamala Harris: A majority of Democratic delegates have pledged to support Harris , signaling she is likely to secure the presidential nomination next month. We broke down seven options for her vice-presidential pick .

Biden drops out: President Biden addressed the nation , seeking to define his legacy and explain his decision to exit the presidential race. Here’s what happened in the hours before Biden posted a letter announcing his decision to end his campaign .

Trump VP pick: Donald Trump has chosen Sen. J.D. Vance (Ohio) as his running mate , selecting a rising star in the Republican Party and a previously outspoken Trump critic who in recent years has closely aligned himself with the former president.

Presidential election polls: Here’s what voters think about Harris replacing Biden and how Harris performs against Trump in recent polls .

Home — Essay Samples — Government & Politics — Ronald Reagan — The Effects Of Ronald Reagan’s Rhetoric In Challenger Speech

The Effects of Ronald Reagan’s Rhetoric in Challenger Speech

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Vance Criticizes Harris in First Solo Campaign Stops as Trump’s Running Mate

JD Vance stumped in Ohio and Virginia on Monday, in a race suddenly scrambled by President Biden’s announcement that he would not stand for re-election.

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By Michael C. Bender

Reporting from Middletown, Ohio, and Radford, Va.

• July 22, 2024

In JD Vance’s first solo day of campaigning as the Republican vice-presidential nominee, the Ohio senator questioned Vice President Kamala Harris’s appreciation for the United States and chastised her fellow Democrats for supporting President Biden “until he became political deadweight.”

“If you want to lead this country, you should feel grateful for it, you should feel a sense of gratitude,” Mr. Vance said Monday. “And I never hear that gratitude coming through when I listen to Kamala Harris.”

Mr. Vance’s speech in southwest Ohio — and similar remarks later in Virginia — came the day after President Biden announced on Sunday he would not seek a second term.

Mr. Biden stepped down just a week after Mr. Vance was named former President Donald J. Trump’s running mate, which the Ohio senator joked was like a bait-and-switch. Mr. Vance said he had expected to join a vice-presidential debate against Ms. Harris, but she is now widely expected to take over as her party’s presidential nominee.

“I was told I was going to get to debate Kamala Harris,” Mr. Vance said in Ohio. “Now President Trump is going to get to debate her?”

Mr. Vance spoke in Ohio at Middletown High School, where he graduated in 2003, and later at Radford University, a public college in the corner of southwest Virginia that overlaps with Appalachia, where Mr. Trump’s brand of grievance-based politics has resonated.

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