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Rhetorical Analysis Of Tear Down This Wall

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On June 12, 1987, two years before the destruction of the Berlin Wall, Ronald Reagan gave his speech Remarks at the Brandenburg Gate better known as Tear Down This Wall. As he spoke to the people of West Berlin, he also addressed the people of Northern America and even Eastern Europe through broadcasts across the world. Through masterfully crafted words and anecdotes describing the separation and rebuilding of both sides of Berlin, Regan leads the audience through an emotional journey finally bringing them to view the Berlin Wall as a symbol of captivity. Furthermore, he provides logical evidence to convince his audience that the wall should be demolished. In fact, Reagan uses powerful wording and facts to inspire the world to reconcile Eastern …show more content…

Through strong, descriptive words Reagan paints vivid pictures of the wall and motivates the audience to yearn for a united city. For example, by stating “every man is a German separated from his fellow men. Every man is a Berliner, forced to look upon a scar,” Reagan causes the listeners to view the wall as an unattractive mark upon the earth. Because people desire attractive things and want to remove blemishes, Reagan’s metaphor of the wall as a scar, a blemish on the earth, causes listeners to desire the eradication of the wall. Also, Reagan recalls to the audience a sign he had seen which celebrated the Marshall Plan. His mentioning of the sign stating “The Marshall Plan is helping here to strengthen the free world” causes the Berliners to reach back in their memory to the time when they started rebuilding. Reagan inspires a sense of pride and freedom inside the Berliners as they review what they have done – rebuilt their broken city into one which “ranks as one of the greatest on earth.” Then Reagan turns that pride and freedom into pity and a desire for justice by painting a new picture within their minds – this time of East Berlin’s oppression and poverty. Now, as Reagan continues his masterful speech, the Berliners view themselves as a voice against the wall – a voice for freedom.
Like a tapestry artist Reagan cleverly weaves the soft lines of emotional appeal among

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