An Analysis of “A Time For Choosing”

Millions of viewers tuned into the National Broadcasting Company television network for a special broadcast on the 27th of October. Viewers were anticipating Ronald Reagans A Time for Choosing expression. Reagan was ac accreditledged for his acting in motion pictures and television episodes since 1937, and was now being seen in an unfamiliar role. Reagan emerged in support of the republican nominee Barry Goldwater. Barry Morris Goldwater was a businessman and five-term United States Senator from Arizona and the Republican Partys nominee for president in the 1964 election.A Time for Choosing utilizes a plethora of rhetoric style, delivery, shame, logos, ethos, & hyperboles. His pitch was effective, beca mapping he used a number of these rhetorical techniques throughout his speech. In the beginning of his speech, he uses a unique style to communicate his speech. He today starts off with a clear and precise t bingle, however his assortment of words indicates a consciousness of conc ern. Reagans feeling in this speech is serious and influential. He wants the reference to understand his viewpoints and how he feels about his ideas.He believes that his ideas argon what leave keep the country going and that these beliefs must be expressed to the earreachs in the hopes of being understood. For the listening he gives them examples of how establishment interference hurts the Statesns and in any case allusions to past times such(prenominal) as the revolution and how the design fathers did not want a big judicature. He shares that he has an uncomfortable feeling that this prosperity isnt something on which we base our hopes the future. Reagans ability to connect with his interview was rare and un standardised many of his colleagues.Whether the topics he spoke on were always relevant to that of the listener, it did not always matter. Reagan had gained strong intercommunicate skills while previously working in the acting industry thus enabling him to better c onnect with his audience. Reagan believes that the country is headed in the wrong direction and that America has several challenges at home and abroad. Americas government was in an economic crisis during the time this speech was precondition. He knew the citizens needed to hear something strong and decent that pactd change for a better way of life.A Time for Choosing was deliberative and not only informed and inspired the audience but it also gived America with a lighthearted source of entertainment. The style changes at the force out of the speech and establishes an optimistic anticipation for the future. Reagan constructs the case for Goldwater and states in his closing sentence We will keep in mental capacity and remember that Barry Goldwater has faith in us. He has faith that you and I have the ability and the dignity and the skilful to make our give birth decisions and determine our own destiny.Reagans style expresses a clear concern for the future, so far an optimist ic hope for change that he sees in Barry Goldwater. His inspirational style facilitates him to engage with the American citizens. A Time For Choosing was a fairly long speech nearly thirty minutes. Reagan delivered his speech with no intermissions, no scene change or power point presentations to break the tedium of a long speech one might wonder how someone can hold the attention of an audience for such an all-inclusive amount of time. Reagan achieved this by creating emotional change deep down the hearts and minds of his listeners.One minute he informs them that Kansas had been declared a depressed area due to financial crisis, thus tugging on the audiences heartstrings. The next minute he has the audience crying from jape while belittling the government, saying, When the government tells you youre depressed, lie down and be depressed. Towards the end of the speech, Reagan uses repetition to emphasize a connection between himself and his audience. In the snuff it three paragra phs of the speech, Reagan uses You and I quaternion times.The use of You and I makes the audience feel included and makes them believe they have the same values and opinions as Reagan does. You and I have a rendezvous with destiny is perhaps the most famous line from the speech. populate are inspired by the speech because Reagan gives the American people hope for their future and their childrens future. His use of repetition conveys to us that we have the ability and the dignity and the right to make our own decisions and determine our own destiny.Repetition is a powerful rhetorical technique that Reagan exercises toemphasize unity among the American people. Reagan kept his audience eager for more. He would expose an issue or problem and then create a solution. Exposing faults within the existing government Reagan is able to crack part of the once believed solid foundation of the U. S. government. He also exposes how the seediness and greediness of the government is leaking into t he minds of other fellow Americans. He states situations where individuals are taking desperate measures such as divorce, in order to earn a higher salary so they can provide for their families.Reagan tells us that there are ways around this and that these issues are not individual but collective. Reagan uses pathos when he mentions the recent escalation in Vietnam. He said, As for the peace that we would preserve, I wonder who among us would like to approach the wife or mother whose husband or son has died in South Vietnam and require them if they think this is a peace that should be maintained indefinitely. Do they cerebrate peace, or do they mean we just want to be left in peace? Reagan uses this story of the mourning mother and wife to relate the threat of communism to the existence of freedom.He goes on to state there can be no real peace while one American is dying some place in the valet de chambre for the rest of us. Reagan effectively connects our need for an interven tionist foreign polity that will challenge communism anyplace it exists in the world in order to achieve peace through an emotional story. The audience will react positively to the emotional story because they can empathetically connect to the struggles of our nations war machine families. Reagans use of pathos allows him to connect to his audience. It makes them understand that he has the same concerns about foreign constitution as average Americans.There is no foundation like the rock of honesty and fairness, and when you begin to phase your life on that rock, with the cement of the faith in God that you have a real start. He depicts the image of a man who wants to see his son succeed, something that most parents share. Reagan uses logos to argue for economic conservatism. Reagan creates a parkland sense argument about the economic reality of our nations fiscal policy through a combination of facts, figures, and reasoning. Reagan uses logos, in order to inform Americans of th e injustices set forth by the actual government.By stating straight facts and logic such as Weve raised our debt limit three times in the last twelve months, and now our national debt is one and a half times bigger than all the unite debts of all the nations of the world. He states that our government continues to spend 17 million dollars a day more than the government takes in. We havent balanced our budget 28 out of the last 34 years. and now our national debt is one and a half times bigger than all the combined debts of all the nations of the world. Through common sense and facts, people clearly acknowledge that our nations fiscal policy is unsustainable.Reagan is able to effectively communicate to the American people that the nation is in dire financial straits. Reagans focus on the issues makes him await to the people both synthetic and intelligent. An effective tool Regan uses to sell his ability is his ethos appeal. It is clear that a main goal of his speech is to portray good constitution. With direct description, religious and moral references, or an perspicuous tone thrown over a moral statement, Regan uses this appeal throughout his speech and he uses it well. A major theme in this speech entertains a concern for the general direction of the nation in terms of foreign affairs.Regan weighs freedom and safety by comparing the liberty of the United States with the ant batch of totalitarianism. He does this to paint his democratic opponents in a way that suggests a propensity of weakness. This is as if to say that if elected, his opponents would be more likely to appease than defend against an encroaching threat. While explaining these possibilities, Regan uses an obvious tone of voice to criticize and attach all of the negative aspects he explains to his opponent. This also stands to say that he would never resort to such weakness, thus promoting himself as one of superior character.Another interesting factor to note is that he is trying to buil d a well perceived character on behalf of another person. Since he is speaking for Barry Goldwater, his speech is intended to be representative of two people in conjunction. He directly boasts authenticity when he says Ive never known a man in my life I believed so incapable of doing a dishonest or dishonorable thing. This statement speaks directly of Goldwaters character but also serves as a reflection of his own. Reagan uses hyperbole to add some humor and laughter to his speech.Hebegins a personal story in which he explains that two friends of mine were talking to a Cuban refugee, a businessman who had escaped from Castro, and in the midst of the story one of my friends turned to the other and said, We dont know how lucky we are. And the Cuban stopped and said, How lucky you are? I had someplace to escape to. The United States for sure isnt the only place the refugee could have escaped to, but Reagan used the story to indicate America ideals and values. People around the world who are not as fortunate as us esteem the unique combination and commitment to these values.Another hyperbole Reagan uses is when he said, government programs, once launched never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life well ever see on this earth. Reagans humor not only makes people laugh, but makes them think about the expanding size and power of government. Reagans use of hyperboles showcase his ability to incorporate humor into serious issues. Humor would become a grounding of his oratory style known as the Reagan wit. Reagans speech A Time for Choosing, showed intellect and promise to the people it was also imperative to his own political career.Ronald Reagan was a wonderful person to have given this speech due to his celebrity status, his knowledge of both sides of the political spectrum, and his ability to use different rhetorical appeals to speak to his audience. Reagan was able to use his rhetorical appeals to persuade the audience t hat the government needed to change in order to better reflect the freedoms and ideals our country was build upon. Where there was a problem he provided a solution, where there was question he gave answer, all of this could be found in one name and I believe he firmly stood by his claim, Barry Goldwater.A Time for Choosing or The Speech will remain powerful and memorable for many years to come. Regan makes a great argument with this speech. He applies several sound appeals to the audience and does so in a skilled manner. By reeling his audience in with a simple logical argument, and then promoting Barry Goldwater as a solution in a common sense manner, he makes it seem as if he is the obvious choice. Although Lyndon B. Johnson won the election, Ronald Regans A Time for Choosing did extremely well for the Goldwater iron out and is an excellent example of argumentative rhetoric.