ASSOCIATE OF SPEECH NEW ZEALAND IN TEACHING PUBLIC SPEAKING &

COMMUNICATION

AND

ASSOCIATE OF SPEECH NEW ZEALAND IN PUBLIC SPEAKING & COMMUNICATION

PERFORMANCE

CREDIT FOUR

Critical Evaluation of a Speech

TIME: One Hour

QUESTION:

Either A:

Ronald Reagan, President of United States, delivered this speech on January 28, 1986, following the

Space Shuttle Challenger disaster.

Discuss how language features and content are used to achieve the speaker’s purpose.

Or B:

Princess Diana delivered this speech on June 12, 1997 at the Mines Advisory Group and the

Landmines Survivor’s Network

Analyse the intention, structure, content and language features of this speech.

SAMPLE ANSWER: A

This speech, by Ronald Reagan, was delivered on a live broadcast to the nation from

the Oval Office at the White House on 28th

January 1986. The speech is concerning

the Challenger Space Shuttle explosion that occurred earlier that day. Reagan uses a

variety of language features and an effective structure and content to truly connect

with his audience.

The style of speaking that Reagan used was very important. It is a very emotive but

still formal speech, as he is speaking to the people of America. Although he is still

able to talk to his listeners in a conversational tone, “Nancy and I…..” using first

name terms to show he is talking to a friend, the American people. Although Reagan

is speaking to the world almost, so he still had to keep a formal atmosphere and not

allow his emotions to overwhelm him; we can assume he was dressed formally.

The structure and content were arranged very well. A varying logical order, that

passes between future, present and past in the paragraphs. In paragraphs 1, 3, 5, 8

and 10, Reagan talks of the current situation, capitalising on the emotional appeal,

speaking to America, the families, the school children, those who worked at NASA

and the crew. Covering all audiences, so each American feels and is recognised for

the heartache they feel. Paragraphs 2, 4, 6 and 9 refer to the space station in the past,

(Shows Reagan’s knowledge) and paragraph 7 looks to the future. Only a brief

paragraph to remind the nation that life goes on, but while not deterring from the

day’s grief.

The content of the speech is arranged and uses a lot of short sentences, “They served

all of us”. It’s these short sentences that highlight points that Reagan is trying to

make and makes the audience remember these key points as short sentences. We can

assume that Reagan would use pauses before and after the short sentence to allow the

point to truly seep into the audience.

Another effective language feature that Reagan used was personal pronouns. “Nancy

and I, we, you, us”.It’s these inclusive words that will mean the audience feel as

though Reagan is speaking directly to them. That by using phrases like “we’ve grown

used to wonders…..” the audience feels a part of the tragedy and it uses this unity to

evoke feelings in the audience and create rapport.

Reagan uses a lot of “loaded words”; these are strong and important words that

mean a lot and carry history and strength with them. Reagan refers to the crew as

“daring”, “brave”, “special grace”. This impacts the audience and creates an

almost “superhuman” feeling towards the crew. But then he draws it back by saying

“They served all of us”, showing that those who serve the nation are “brave, daring”

etc.

Reagan twice refers to past events shown in lines 10-15 and 51-55. Both stanzas are

allusions that talk about past deaths, and how the country was able to cope, and that

they will again.

Reagan uses repetition e.g. in line 44, “more volunteers ,more civilians, more

teachers”; the repetition of “more” will result in the audience remembering this

word. This phrase is also set up like a triad highlighting three things, volunteers,

civilians and teachers. This will make it easier for the audience to remember (such as

Churchill’s “Blood, sweat and tears”).

The intention of this speech is to unite America in this time of mourning. This is the

general intention; it is ceremonial and is separated into the past, present and looking

into the future.

The speech also uses religious links. “Touch the face of God”, Reagan ends his

speech with this. It creates the same message as “Rest in peace”, that the crew will

be with God now, in heaven. Their final journey.

This speech presented by Ronald Reagan was emotive and formal and was given to

unite America during such an awful time, and to unite the nation in a tragedy that

affected them all. Reagan’s structure and content was such that he covered the past,

present and future and arranging his content in short sentences made his key points

stick in the audience’s mind. He used language features such as personal pronouns,

repetition, loaded words and allusions to truly connect with his audience. All these

rhetorical devices meant that Reagan was able to present an emotive speech during

such a time of mourning.

EXAMINERS REPORT: In a somewhat loose structure the candidate covers the ground showing depth and perception. Length is appropriate. The conclusion is particularly sound with a summation of key ideas. There was a very good discussion of language features and content.

Challenger Space Shuttle Explosion speech by Ronald Reagan

Washington - Jan 28th 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 school children 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 honoured 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."