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1675 QUESTIONS George W. Bush Understanding and Interpreting 1. According to President George W. Bush, who and what came under attack the morning of September 11, 2001 (par. 1)? 2. In paragraph 1, Bush asserts that %u201c[o]ur country is strong.%u201d Identify at least three separate points he makes elsewhere in the speech that support this argument. 3. In paragraph 3, Bush describes actions taken by the American government to regain stability following the attack. Based on the information in this paragraph, what were some of the immediate needs and concerns, and how did the government respond? 4. Toward the end of the speech, Bush addresses his intentions to find the people responsible for the attack. What does he imply about justice when he says, %u201cWe will make no distinction between the terrorists who committed these acts and those who harbor them%u201d (par. 4)? QUESTIONS Analyzing Language, Style, and Structure 5. Vocabulary in Context. What does the phrase %u201cbrightest beacon%u201d (par. 2) convey about the United States and why it was targeted for attack? 6. In paragraph 2, Bush contrasts the physical effects of the attacks with the strengths of America. What is the intended effect of these juxtapositions? 7. How does the tone of the speech shift between paragraphs 2 and 3? What does this shift signal to the audience? 8. Paragraph 6 consists of the first part of an oft-quoted biblical passage. How does this reference relate to Bush%u2019s appeal to the audience in the previous paragraph? What does it contribute to his claim in paragraph 7 that %u201c[t]his is a day when all Americans from every walk of life unite in our resolve for justice and peace%u201d? QUESTIONS Topics for Composing 9. Analysis. The diction President Bush uses to describe Americans and those killed or injured during the attacks contrasts sharply with the diction he uses to describe the acts themselves. Analyze the rhetorical strategies he uses to characterize each topic, and explain how both characterizations serve his purpose. 10. Argument. In a 2008 interview for The Globe and Mail , Scott Reid, a former communications director for Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin, stated that, in the wake of a tragedy, the public doesn%u2019t want to hear from a politician but from %u201ca person. A father. A mother. A sister. A brother.%u201d In speaking of Bush%u2019s responses to the 9/11 attacks in particular, he said, %u201che struck a chord with Americans. He was real . . . Mr. Bush got it right in those early days.%u201d Do you think that this speech conveys a personal rather than a political response to 9/11? Are the two mutually exclusive? Explain, using evidence from the speech to support your position. 11. Research. How have other politicians responded in the wake of tragedies? Explore speeches by other political leaders throughout history, and choose one to compare and contrast with Bush%u2019s. What rhetorical strategies do both speeches use to achieve their purpose? What factors account for the rhetorical differences between the speeches? Some options for research include President Johnson%u2019s 1968 speech in response to the assassination of Senator Robert F. Kennedy, President Reagan%u2019s 1986 speech following the explosion of the Challenger space shuttle, President Clinton%u2019s 1995 speech in response to the Oklahoma City bombing, President Obama%u2019s 2011 speech at the memorial service for victims after the Tucson shooting, or President Trump%u2019s 2018 speech in the wake of the Parkland, Florida, school shooting. QUESTIONS Understanding and Interpreting QUESTIONS QUESTIONS Copyright %u00a9 Bedford, Freeman & Worth Publishers. Distributed by Bedford, Freeman & Worth Publishers. For review purposes only. Not for redistribution.